Tobermory

Tobermory, Isle of Mull

As the island’s largest centre, Tobermory is Mull’s de facto capital and home to around a third of the island’s population of 3,000. Its name is an anglicised form of Tobar Mhoire – meaning Well of Mary in Gaelic – after a local well dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Purpose built as a fishing port in the late 18th century, Tobermory is one of Scotland’s most attractive and recognisable little ports – the waterfront’s colourful buildings made famous by the children’s programme Balamory.

Tobermory Bay is a popular mooring for boats taking advantage of its natural shelter, aided by the uninhabited Calve Island sitting close to its southern entrance. Lying at the bottom of the bay is the wreck of the San Juan de Sicilia – a Spanish galleon that many believe was carrying a substantial hoard of gold coins. Tobermory’s shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions pull in the crowds during the busy summer months. In and around the town there’s the Mull Aquarium, Mull Museum, An Tobar Theatre and Arts Centre, and the Tobermory Distillery – the island’s only whisky producer. The nearby Sgriob-ruadh Farm makes excellent local cheeses and clear spirits distilled using their whey by-product. At the southern end of the bay is Aros Park – a lush woodland with waterfalls, a man-made loch, and views over Tobermory and the Sound of Mull to the Ardnamurchan Peninsula.