Tobermory

Mull's chief town, TOBERMORY, at the northern tip of the islands, is easily the most attractive fishing port on the west coast of Scotland, its clusters of brightly coloured houses and boats sheltering in a bay backed by a steep bluff. Founded in 1788 by the British Society for Encouraging Fisheries, it never really took off as a fishing port and only survived due to the steady influx of crofters evicted from other parts of the island during the Clearances. With a population of more than 800, it is, without doubt, the capital of Mull, and if you're staying any length of time on the island you're bound to end up here, not least because it has a Womble named after it.

Practicalities aside, the harbour's shops are good for browsing, and you could pay a visit to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (April-Oct daily 10am-5pm; Nov-March Mon-Fri 11am-5pm; www.hwdt.org; free), run by a welcoming bunch of enthusiasts. The small office has lots of information on how to identify marine mammals, and on recent sightings. They're very child-friendly, too, and will keep kids amused for an hour or so with computer marine games, word searches and a bit of artwork. Sea Life Surveys (tel 01688/302787, www.sealifesurveys.co.uk), who offer a variety of whale- and dolphin-watching tours, are run from the same office.

Another good wet-weather retreat is the Mull Museum (Easter to mid-Oct Mon-Fri 10.30am-4pm, Sat 10am-1pm; £1), further along Main Street, which packs a great deal of information and artefacts - including a few objects salvaged from the sixteenth-century wreck of the San Juan - into one tiny room. A stiff climb up Back Brae will bring you to the island's main arts centre, An Tobar (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm; free), housed in a converted Victorian schoolhouse. The centre hosts exhibitions, a variety of live events, and contains a café with comfy sofas set before a real fire. The rest of the upper town is laid out on a classic grid-plan, and merits a stroll, if only for the great views over the bay.

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