Isle of Mull Tour

Day 1 — To Oban via Loch Lomond & Inveraray

Travel up the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and around Loch Long to Inveraray, a picturesque small town on the banks of Loch Fyne. Visit Inveraray Castle, home to the Duke of Argyll, with beautifully preserved interiors spanning many generations of Campbells. The castle is a remarkable piece of architecture featuring four imposing French-influenced conical spires surmounting the stone castellated towers.

Wander into The Edinburgh Woollen Mill for a selection of traditional and contemporary knitwear or browse the unique shops on the main street — especially the Loch Fyne Whisky Shop, where you may even be offered a dram. A fascinating insight into 19th century prison life awaits you at Inveraray Jail, then head west to Loch Awe.

Kilchurn Castle has a four-storey tower built in the mid-15th century by Sir Colin Campbell, 1st of Glenorchy. The substantial ruins are some of the most picturesque in the country with spectacular views down Loch Awe. Continue around the loch to reach Oban, the unofficial capital of the West Highlands. Overnight at the Manor House Hotel overlooking the harbour.

Day 2 — Oban to Mull, Iona and Staffa

Catch the ferry across to Mull and travel to Fionnphort for the little ferry to the tranquil Isle of Iona — steeped in history and the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. Visit Iona Abbey, founded by St Columba in AD 563, and the resting place of 48 Scottish kings. Iona boasts impossibly turquoise waters, dazzling beaches, hidden coves and monumentally sacred sites.

Board the boat for a fabulous 2½ hour trip to Staffa, site of the legendary Fingal's Cave. On the way keep an eye out for dolphins, porpoises and minke whales, often seen during the warmer months. You'll have an hour to explore Staffa with its hexagonal pillars, Fingal's Cave and the beautiful puffins.

Leaving the south of the island, travel north to Tobermory — a fishing port from the late 18th century and now the main village on Mull. A picture-postcard place with brightly painted buildings along the main street to the pier. Overnight at the Western Isles Hotel overlooking the bay.

Day 3 — Mull Distillery and Home

A walk along the harbour front and time in the quaint shops and cafés, or visit Tobermory Distillery nearby. Established in 1798, it's the only distillery on the island and one of the oldest in Scotland — producing two distinctly different malt whiskies: the lightly peated Tobermory and the more robustly peated Ledaig.

Return to Craignure for the ferry back to the mainland. Travel the Old Military Road through Crianlarich and either travel the full length of Loch Lomond or through Stirling before reaching Glasgow or Edinburgh once more.