AVAILABLE NOW - Wild Isle Explorer Tours 2010

• Monday 19th April to Friday 23rd April 2010
• Monday 3rd May to Friday 7th May 2010
• Monday 31st May to Friday 4th June 2010
• Monday 21st June to Friday 25th June 2010
• Monday 30th August to Friday 3rd September 2010
• Monday 20th Sept to Friday 24th September 2010

• PRICES -
• Per couple sharing a double room - £540.00
• Twin Room two people sharing - £540.00
• Single booking one person per room - £380.00
• Group Rates available up to 11 people max

The Wild Explorer Package

If you want to come to Mull and be expertly guided around to see the best the island and sea have to offer, if you fancy becoming a bit of an explorer, if you want to see the best of the wildlife that the island has to offer but don’t want the hassle of organising it all yourself, and you want to combine this with a stay that will include all your accommodation needs and all your meals, then our 4 night Wild Explorer package is just right for you whether you are travelling alone, together or in a group.

Read the feedback from the 2009 tours on our “What’s on” page »

Day 1

Check in from 3pm coffee and cakes and fresh pastries on your arrival. Then take time to settle in.
7pm - your host will give a welcome and itinerary address with complimentary drinks.
7.30pm - Dinner. Then the rest of the evening is free to relax.

Day 2

A full Scottish breakfast will be served at 8am.

We recommend wearing stout walking shoes and to carry wet weather clothing with you.

You will travel to Fionnphort to join the MB Lolaire with her skipper. It is a 45 minute sea journey to Staffa and Fingal's Cave which is always splendid and atmospheric with basaltic columns formed 59 million years ago. Puffins can be seen ashore in season and often guillemots, fulmars, great skuas, eider ducks, gannets, kittewakes, black-backed gulls, great northern divers and razorbills on the water. If you are lucky it is possible to see occasionally a passing whale, basking shark, porpoise, dolphin or otter. The trip lasts 3 hours with 1 hour on Staffa itself. You will then take the return journey and disembark at Iona. A full packed lunch will be provided at the Hotel for you to take with you.

Once we have landed at Iona we will travel the short distance by foot to the Historic Abbey for a guided tour of this historic island settlement where Saint Columba first brought Christianity to these shores. Following the Abbey Tour there will be some free time for you to explore before returning to the ferry landing for the scheduled sailing back to Fionnphort at 16.15 hrs, we will be met and transported back to the hotel where we will be ready for tea / coffee and chef's cakes.

6.30 - Short drive to Uishkin for those wishing to walk along the beach.

7.30 - Dinner

Day 3

A full Scottish Breakfast will be served at 8am.

After breakfast you will be taken the short distance to Pennyghael to join your wildlife expert for the day, again a full packed lunch will be provided by your host. You will be expertly guided to some of the most picturesque wildlife habitats on the island. Your expert says "Let us do the driving and find the wildlife!! Golden Eagles, White-tailed Sea Eagle, Otters, Hen Harriers, Puffins....we'll look for the common species and the rare ones too....Adders, Red Deer, Mountain Hare and fabulous views of breeding waders. Corncrakes are always an exciting sight and they can be found on the Ross".
Please bring your binoculars with you on the wildlife tour if you have them. We have 2 telescopes and binoculars for use on the tours. We recommend wearing stout walking shoes and to carry wet weather clothing with you.

After your day's wildlife adventure you will be dropped off back at the Hotel for afternoon refreshments.

6pm - Dinner

Early dinner this evening before taking a short journey to Ardalanish to visit the organic weavers for a guided tour of the island's premier organic farming and weaving operation. Designer and Country Tweeds are produced in a range of subtle and beautiful patterns and shades, as well as throws, scarves, shawls and bothy mats.

The lustrous black wool of Hebridean sheep makes hard-wearing articles - traces of similar wool have been found in ancient Island burial chambers. The exact shade of wool varies from animal to animal and from year to year so that every garment made is unique, with natural colours ranging from black and charcoal brown through to silver.

Back to the hotel for a wee dram and supper before bed.

Day 4

A full Scottish breakfast will be served at 8am.

After breakfast it's off to see the ancestral home of the Clan Maclean at Duart castle. Standing proudly on a cliff top guarding the Sound of Mull, Duart enjoys one of the most spectacular and unique positions on the West Coast of Scotland. For over 400 years this has been the base of the Clan Maclean's sea-borne power.

Then following lunch at the Craignure inn on to Torasay castle and gardens. Torosay is a spectacular 150 year old Scottish baronial style castle surrounded by magnificent and unique gardens, just a mile from the ferry pier at Craignure on the south-east of the Isle of Mull. Connected by its very own narrow gauge steam railway, the castle and gardens have become a 'must see' attraction for visitors to Argyll and the Isles alike. History and garden lovers are particularly drawn to Torosay, although any visitor can't fail to have their breath taken away by the spectacular setting of this unique part of Scotland.

Back to the hotel for late afternoon light refreshment.

7pm - Dinner

Day 5

8am onwards - A full Scottish breakfast will be served before goodbyes and departure for the 11am sailing back to Oban.

Extra Bolt on day available to include Tobermory and the north of the island

What will all this Cost? We think you will be surprised:

• Per couple sharing a double room - £540.00
• Twin Room two people sharing - £540.00
• Single booking one person per room - £380.00
• This equates to £67.50 PP per day. All trips, transport & food inclusive
• Group rates from 3 to 11 people available on request

This package tour is available only on the following dates and must be booked at least four weeks in advance.

• Monday 19th April to Friday 23rd April 2010
• Monday 3rd May to Friday 7th May 2010
• Monday 31st May to Friday 4th June 2010
• Monday 21st June to Friday 25th June 2010
• Monday 30th August to Friday 3rd September 2010
• Monday 20th Sept to Friday 24th September 2010

Important Notes

This package is designed to allow you to travel with or without a vehicle. Those people choosing to travel as foot passengers from Oban can enjoy the benefit of a car free break, also saving money on costly ferry trips with your vehicle.

Ferry sailings to and from Oban and forward transport to the hotel can be arranged for you at an extra cost . We can provide transport to and from the Hotel and ferry terminals at Craignure. This extra cost will be £22.50 per person and will be on scheduled sailings of our choice. Please contact us directly for more information on this service.

This tour is designed to be of an easy nature, however you will need to be fairly active and agile. We would not recommend this tour to those who find light walking difficult or those who would find manoeuvring in and out of vehicles difficult. This tour may not be suitable for very young children.

In the event of very poor weather conditions some boating excursions may be delayed or cancelled. In this unlikely event alternative activities will be offered. As cancelled or delayed sailings are totally out of our control we cannot be held responsible for these events.

It is strongly recommended that you bring good walking shoes or boots, warm and rainproof clothing (not that it will rain, but it might!).

We look forward to welcoming you.