A Treasured Island

One place with something for everyone – especially the children – is the Isle of Mull, on the west coast near Oban. Of course it’s already well known to legions of young ’uns as the location for the BBC’s Balamory, complete with colourful shop fronts and the CalMac ferry. The little ones will love the idea of a Balamory Break but there is more to experience than Miss Hoolie and the Gang.  

A fine way to get to know what’s on offer, without any leg work (it’s a holiday, remember) is a Balamory Tour with Mull and Iona Taxis. From the ferry terminal at Craignure, the company will whisk you to the top locations where the programme is filmed. The day out ends with a ride on the Balamory Express train back to Craignure 

. Mull is also a fantastic place to introduce your family to some of Scotland’s wildlife – with red deer roaming the hills, eagles and buzzards overhead, and seals and otters in the bays and inlets. A range of companies offer wildlife safaris across the island, and if you fancy taking to the water, there’s a good chance of seeing minke whales, porpoises and sometimes even killer whales. Trips start from £85 for a family of four with Sea Life Surveys. 

If you’re staying over, the Scottish Youth Hostel Association has family-friendly accommodation right on the Main Street in Tobermory, overlooking the harbour in the heart of Balamoryland. The SYHA has moved a long way from its stuffy image of the past, with a new approach to welcoming everyone to its self-catering accommodation. 

The Tobermory hostel has en-suite family rooms, with a double bed for mum and dad and a bunk for the kids. The cost is £55 per night for a family of four. If you are not members of the SYHA, you pay an extra pound, or you can take out a year-long family membership for £16. 

For nights-under-canvas fans, the campsite at Craignure offers a range of options, from space to pitch your own tent to a more comfortable berth in the shape of the site’s shielings, which are carpeted cottage tents, complete with kitchens, bathrooms and hot water on tap. Prices start from £27. 

Caledonian MacBrayne operates at least six times a day between Oban and Craignure on Mull. The crossing takes about 45 minutes and a family of four can make a return journey with their car for £70.80. 

IslandBALAMORY TOURS

www.mullionataxi.com 

Tel:01681 700 507 

WHALE WATCHING

www.whalewatchingtrips.co.uk  

Tel: 01688 302 916 

TOBERMORY YOUTH HOSTEL www.syha.org.uk Tel: 08701 553 255 CAMPING AND SHIELINGS www.shielingholidays.co.uk Tel: 01680 812 496 CALEDONIAN MACBRAYNE www.calmac.co.uk Tel: 08705 650 000