Welcome to ‘Eagle Island’
Mull is indeed a fantastic island, and a paradise for wildlife and nature lovers, and it has been so popular in the past that this will be my eleventh trip there in the last fifteen years! The varied habitats provide wonderful wild scenery, including rugged high mountains, moorland, forests, dramatic cliffs and 300 miles of unspoilt coastline, and if it’s Eagles you want, this is definitely the place to be. In addition to healthy populations of Golden and White-tailed Eagles, Mull is home to a wide variety of other raptors including Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Merlin and Buzzards galore. On top of all this, we can also expect to see Red Deer, Common and Grey Seals and hopefully Otters. With so much to see, this is probably the best British trip in our programme, so don’t miss this last chance to enjoy Marvellous Mull with New Horizons.
We have an early morning flight with Easyjet, from Birmingham to Glasgow. From here we have a scenic drive north towards Oban for an overnight stay at the 3 star Falls of Lora Hotel, overlooking Loch Etive and rated “Very Good” on Tripadvisor. Next morning we take the first ferry from Oban, across the Firth of Lorn to Mull, where we have the rest of the day to begin exploring this wild island before checking in at the 2 star Glenforsa Hotel. This Norwegian style log cabin hotel on the shores of the Sound of Mull near Salen, offers excellent cuisine with spectacular views from the restaurant, and is rated “Very Good” on Tripadvisor. During our five night stay here we shall explore the island at a leisurely pace, and in spite of the rugged terrain, we shall enjoy the scenery and wildlife on a number of fairly easy walks. An undoubted highlight will be a three hour ‘Sea Eagle Adventure’, where Eagles regularly swoop down for fish as close as 25 feet away from the boat (honestly!). They often fly directly overhead and one can hear the wind rushing through their awesome 8 foot wings! In addition to this raptor fest, we can hope to see other exciting birds like Red-breasted Merganser, Arctic Tern, Black Guillemot, Cuckoo, Rock and Tree Pipits, Whinchat, Redstart, Wood Warbler, Dipper, Crossbill, Siskin, Redpoll, Hooded Crow, Raven and lingering Great Northern Divers in magnificent summer plumage. Another highlight will be a day trip to the Treshnish Isles where the seabird colonies provide close encounters with thousands of Guillemots, plus Fulmars, Shags, Kittiwakes, Razorbills, and of course, Puffins, virtually at arm’s length! During this cruise we shall also visit Fingal’s Cave on the isle of Staffa, and we may also be lucky enough to see Gannet, Great Skua, Eider, Twite and even Dolphins or a Basking Shark. During the week, we shall also visit the small island of Iona, with its early Christian abbey founded by Saint Columba, where we hope to pinpoint one of the breeding Corncrakes. On previous visits we have enjoyed close full length views of calling birds!
If you still need persuading check out the trip reports from previous years’ tours on this website.
Cost £1595 Single supplement: £400 Deposit: £300
Waiting list only.
What the price includes:
Return flights with Easyjet from Birmingham to Glasgow, all transport from Glasgow airport to Oban, including return ferry to Mull, plus six nights’ half board en-suite accommodation, all excursions on Mull, including ferry to Iona, day trip to the Treshnish Isles and ‘Sea Eagle Adventure’, plus bird checklist and the services of your guide.
Return transport between the Nottingham area and Birmingham airport can be arranged for an additional charge, if required. For anyone wanting to join the group at Glasgow airport, the trip cost would be £1445, plus the single supplement, if applicable.
