We are trying to pick which island to explore while in Scotland and wondering what your opinions are. We will also have six nights between Oban and Inverness and are wondering what the best way to split them is, 3 nights in each or 4 in one and 2 the other? Thanks!
Posted by
OP
Kalamazoo, MI, USA
100 posts
Oh, and we will have a car
Posted by
Scotland
505 posts
Greetings
Both Skye and Mull/Iona are wonderful. I have a slight preference for Mull because it's a bit less touristy (no bridge!) and the beaches are gorgeous.
For Skye, you probably want to stay on the island for a couple of nights. Iona takes the better part of day because it's a long, windy drive on single lane roads (that is one lane for both directions of traffic!). You can also poke around Tobermory and Calgary Beach. It's a place best explore at a slow pace with time to enjoy the scenery. If you are taking the ferry from Oban, you need to book well in advance because car spots can go quickly in the high season.
Other than getting to Mull, I'm not sure there's a whole lot to see in Oban. Might be best just to stay a night or two on the way to or from Mull. There's probably more to do as far as day trips from Inverness.
Have fun!
Kate
Posted by
Columbus, OH, USA
208 posts
Amber- if you're staying in hostels, SYHA has a great hostel in Oban which overlooks the water. Try to get a "room with a view" it is well worth it!
Posted by
Marion
177 posts
We spent a week at a self-catering house called Penmore house near Dervaig. Nice Pub and lots to do all over Mull and Iona. Agree the roads are a great adventure. Wish I could go again. Then we drove to Inverness via Loch Ness etc.
Posted by
Scotland
505 posts
Er, in the second paragraph, it should read Mull, not Skye.
Kate
Posted by
New York City, NY, USA
5678 posts
I like all of these islands. I stayed in Tobermory on Mull and the other poster is right, it's a long drive down to catch the boat to Iona, but you can do it in a day from Tobermory. And, you can visit Staffa as well. I did the trip on 9/11 and am still struck that I spent part of that day on Iona in Cathedral dedicated to peace. Skye is wonderful too. I spent a week there on a photo workshop. The Cuilins are phenomenal. Dunvegan Castle has good stories. Portree is quite touristy, but if you get out of town and see the Trotterish Peninsula or the lighthouse at Niest point where you watch the rain showers come over from the outer Hebrides. I think I would pick one and spend some time also on the mainland. There is beautiful scenery and historic sites to see from near Inverness. If you can afford some flexibility in your plans you might want to. While as my friends in Scotland say, West is Best, but West is also Wet and you can sometimes escape the weather by going east.
Posted by
Portland, OR, US
70 posts
I visited Mull on a day trip a couple years ago and we happened across the Western Isle Hotel that is located up the hillside from Tobermory. It is a lovely, small, old hotel tucked into a charming neighborhood of older houses. We escaped a downpour and had lunch over looking the harbor and the food was wonderful. Recommended it to my sister and husband who were also chasing family ties to Mull. They had 3 peaceful days at the Western Isle Hotel last year and thought it was the best place in Scotland. Tobermory is quaint and it even has a tiny little museum-I do mean tiny. I would definately stay on the island rather than Oban for at least one night, although the seafood shack (Rick has it on his Oban restaurant list) that is in Oban's harbor area, is a great place to grab a delicious sandwich. Enjoy!
Posted by
Bethesda, Maryland, USA
5 posts
I visited Mull for a day and absolutely loved it. we counted 96 waterfalls on the drive to the Iona ferry, lush meadows, mountains, long haired, long horned island cows. I would recommend staying there in tobermory and visiting Iona which is fascinating as well. It's definitely on my list of places to go back to. also loved the Kintyre peninsula south of Oban. It's very beautiful.