Scotland’s Most Underrated Island: Why Mull Might Be Better Than Skye

A Different Kind of Drama

Skye’s dramatic, no doubt. But Mull’s drama takes a different form, less “Instagram queues and tourist treks” and more “Holy hell, am I the only person here?” The island opens up in rolling greens and jagged hills, a landscape so full of space that even your thoughts feel like they’re echoing.

Drive through Glen More, and you quickly understand why people fall for this place. The mountains aren’t competing for your attention; they’re just existing, rugged and unapologetic, as if carved specifically to make you feel small in the best possible way.

And the roads? Aye, they’re single track, but somehow they’re fun. Every bend feels like a tiny secret the island’s about to share.

There’s a moment, usually somewhere on the ferry from Oban, when Mull first appears out of the mist, and you suddenly realise you might be sailing toward something special. It doesn’t shout like Skye does. It just waits for you, quiet and confident, like someone who knows they’re fantastic but doesn’t feel the need to mention it.

By the time the ferry bumps against the pier, Mull has already cast its spell.

Tobermory: Scotland’s Happiest Accident

Then comes Tobermory, the island’s colourful wee capital. Approaching it is like stumbling into a storybook illustration. A rainbow of houses curves around the bay, boats bobbing lazily in the water, and the kind of cafés that specialise in “just one more scone.”

There’s something blissfully unhurried about the place. You catch yourself slowing down, wandering in and out of shops, checking out the distillery, and debating whether you should stay longer. (You should. You definitely should.)

It’s charming without trying too hard, and that’s the whole theme of Mull, really.

Wildlife You Don’t Need to Chase

Mull is the sort of island where wildlife seems to clock in for work at the same time you arrive.

Sea eagles circle overhead as if hired for the day. Otters play along the shoreline with zero regard for your camera battery. On the roads, you’re more likely to meet a herd of red deer than another car. And if you take a boat out into the Sound, the chances of seeing dolphins or porpoises are about as high as the chances of the captain cracking a joke he’s used for 20 years.

This isn’t staged, curated, or crowded. It just… happens. Mull feels alive in a way that sneaks up on you.

A Journey to Staffa: Scotland’s Surreal Side

If Mull itself feels magical, the trip to Staffa feels like the island whispering, “Right, brace yourself.”

The boat bumps across the waves, and suddenly this otherworldly hunk of basalt rises out of the sea like a piece of ancient architecture. Fingal’s Cave yawns open, a geometric cathedral echoing with the roar of the Atlantic, and you can practically hear Mendelssohn tuning up in the background.

On calm summer days, puffins toddle around like tiny, judgmental toddlers. They’re so close you half expect one to ask if you’ve brought snacks.

Calgary Bay: The Caribbean… After a Personality Shift

Calgary Bay is where you go when you want to feel like you're on a tropical holiday but still want to maintain a firm Scottish sense of realism. The white sand gleams. The water glows turquoise. The wind politely reminds you you’re not in Barbados.

Still, there’s a serenity to it, a kind of untouched, windswept beauty that feels like it’s been waiting centuries for someone to appreciate it properly.

Castles, Cliffs & That Feeling You’ve Discovered Something You Shouldn’t Have

Somewhere along the coastline, you’ll catch sight of Duart Castle jutting out on its rocky perch like it’s guarding the secrets of the island. Inside, the walls whisper stories of clans, battles, and people who were much tougher than the rest of us. Outside, the sea thrashes dramatically against the cliffs, trying its best to steal the show.

And the farther you wander, the better it gets. Quiet bays, hidden ruins, lonely stretches of moorland, Mull rewards the curious. Turn down a road that looks like it leads nowhere, and chances are you’ll end up somewhere breathtaking.

The Feeling That Hooks You

People often say Mull is Scotland in miniature, but that doesn’t quite do it justice. Mull isn’t trying to be a summary; it’s the whole story, told quietly. It doesn’t clamour for attention. It simply waits for the right kind of traveller to notice.

And once you do, it sticks with you!

Visitors leave feeling like they’ve discovered a secret. Locals (quite sensibly) refuse to shout too loudly about it. And anyone who’s been there knows exactly why I’m writing this with the enthusiasm of someone who fell a little bit in love.

Skye may have the spotlight, but Mull? Mull has the soul.