Question about Isle of Skye (compare to Mull, Iona, etc)

We have done this route in the past. One time we stayed at Fort William and the other time at Kyle of Lochalsh. In both we stayed at B&Bs and both were enjoyable.

Iona/Mull/Staffa were a highlight of our last trip, but that was in June when the Puffins are everywhere. Skye was too, except the weather changed. With only one night, any of those destinations will be more driving to/from than driving "around". The Iona/Mull trips consume the entire day, starting early, so that would require the night in Oban.

Mull and Iona - no contest. They are a lot easier to get to and quicker - essential consideration as you have limited time.

A short visit to any place in western Scotland is risky because you may hit very wet weather. The less time wasted traveling, the more time you'll have at your destination. In this situation, Mull/Iona sounds like the best call, though I liked Skye a great deal. The thing is, 3 nights in Portree there and 1 night at Kyle of Lochalsh left me short at least one day on Skye due to bad weather.

Mull is beautiful and deserves more love than simply a route to get to Iona and Staffa. Think about staying in Tobermory and a drive to Calgary Beach. Weather aside, you'll wonder if you're in the Caribbean.

Lodging is very tight in Tobermory in the summer. I ended up in Oban for that reason, despite looking for lodging 5 or 6 months is advance. I don't know what demand is like in April/May, however.

We have been to Skye many times, Mull / Iona only once. If you want to do a road trip with frequent stops, Skye is the better choice. Skye has a lot more roads, so more choices for road tours. Plenty on Skye to fill several days even if you don't want to hike. Lots of restaurant choices. The Applecross/ Shieldaig area, Torridon, and Eilean Donan Castle are also near Skye. Portree, however, is not particularly charming - that picture you often see with the six painted houses by the harbor is pretty much it for "in town" charm. We found it very touristy.

Mull doesn't have a lot of roads if a road trip is what you are planning. Our impression was that it is a lovely destination for UK residents who want to go somewhere and enjoy nature in a quieter setting. However, we did find Tobermory a much more charming town than Portree.

We were not big fans of Iona. The early Scottish kings are buried there but the graves are unmarked. There is one very small ancient church. The larger church is heavily restored. Only the few people who live on the island are allowed to have cars on Iona. I think it is a good choice for people hoping to find some spiritual connection.

Why Oban? It makes sense if you are heading to Mull, otherwise nothing special there. It is very similar to Fort William which is in a much more convenient location.

Best route IMHO is Edinburgh, up through Glencoe (we liked Kingshouse Hotel), head to Skye, return the same way. (Glencoe is beautiful, well worth driving that road both directions.) Or you could head back to Edinburgh through Pitlochry and the Cairngorms area.

In the Scottish Highlands the drives are beautiful and part of your vacation, not something you hurry through to get to your destination.

Hope this helps you with your choices.

I think Cynthia is being a bit dismissive of Oban. You can also get a ferry to Kerrera

Drive a few miles south of Oban and take the ‘Bridge over the Atlantic to Seil and then the tiny ferry to Luing

Either of these will get you into the really undiscovered parts of the Scottish islands.

About 30 miles south is the wonderful Kilmartin Glen, which has been described as one of the most significant historical sites in Britain with over 5000 years of history.

The map pages on the Undiscovered Scotland website give lots more ideas of things to do and see in and around Oban.

You don’t say how many days you have to get to Skye, so it’s hard to say. I took a different route, did not stop in Glencoe, and stopped for the night in Inverness in order to visit Clara Cairns and Culloden. On the route from Inverness to Skye I did stop at Rogie Falls, it’s a short hike through the woods. Skye is beautiful and there are several interesting stops to make. If you are going to Oban in order to do the trip out to Iona you won’t see much of the island. I remember the view from the bus was mostly obscured by high hedge. The trip to Iona takes a whole day so if you are looking for a place to stop and explore more sights then I would suggest Skye is a better option. If you have time to stay on Mull a night or two then it might be a better option.

Hi, sdegenaro,

How much time do you actually have to devote to the islands? You mentioned two full days, but is that the total amount of time you have, or is the number of days flexible? The reason that I ask is because it is possible to go from Oban to Mull to Skye without returning to Oban and going the long way around via Fort William, thereby retracing your steps. You would go through Fort William on the way back from Skye, and return to Edinburgh via Glencoe.

All of this depends on the actual number of days which you have to spare. If you do decide on Oban - Mull, I'd highly recommend a side trip to Ulva. It's a short ferry ride (about five minutes), and there is some good low level hiking on the island. If you decide to visit Skye only, there are many more hikes of all levels available. There are more waterfalls on Skye, as well.

Happy holidays, and best wishes for your travels.

Mike (Auchterless)