Scotland &Ireland - McKinlay Kidd

When Rachel came across the McKinlay
Kidd Mull Week of Wildlife holiday on an
internet search, she says “it had such a
strong appeal, I didn’t look much further.
What we loved was having the three
fantastic wildlife trips arranged for us,
led by friendly experts with local
knowledge – but not having to be in an
organized group throughout the holiday.”
The pair had wanted a holiday which
included marine wildlife watching
from a boat somewhere in the Scottish
islands. They were also keen to see
White-tailed Sea Eagles, and they knew
Mull was the centre of this successful
re-introduction project.
As they put it, “being on Mull, especially
with the local knowledge of people who
know and care about wildlife and the
natural habitats, was fabulous.”
Where the
wild things are
8
For Ben and Rachel Palmer, watching wildlife
in Mull was like being in unmapped territory.
They felt the holiday offered “a brilliant
combination: freedom to do your own
thing, plus the opportunity to join small
groups to see fabulous landscapes,
seascapes and spectacular wildlife.
It was something we couldn’t have
done by ourselves, and we didn’t want
to spend precious holiday time booking
once we were there.”
Mull boasts an amazing richness for people
who want to experience Scotland’s natural
heritage. It has an enviable diversity
of wildlife, with habitats ranging
from dense woodland glens to the
grassy slopes of Ben More.
Off-shore is one of Europe’s prime
habitats for whales, basking sharks
and dolphins, not to mention seals
and porpoises. “When we moored for
coffee off Coll in the Sealife Surveys
vessel, it was so clear and sunny
that we could see South Uist in the
distance,” says Rachel. “In the sea
and on the rocky islands around us
there was no sign of human activity:
no noise, no buildings, no roads, no radio
masts or power cables, no shipping.
It was like being an explorer in unmapped
territory – silent except for the call of
sea birds and the breathing of the seals
surrounding the boat.
Rachel and Ben stayed at the Tobermory
Hotel in the island’s main town. “It was
great to stay in a small independent hotel.
It was warm, friendly, individual and
unstuffy – staffed by local people
and stocked with local food.
The breakfasts were wonderful, with
local kippers on the menu! They had a
genuine interest in the island and in their
guests. And,” adds Rachel, “we liked the
fact that our holiday was contributing so
directly to the local economy.”
“It was the best holiday either of us has
had since we were children,” remembers
Rachel. “At one memorable moment, we
had a white-tailed sea eagle in front of us
and a pair of black-throated divers behind
us: life doesn’t get much better than that
for bird watchers!”
“ the call of sea birds and
the breathing of the seals
surrounding the boat”
Robert recommends
Our wildlife holidays on mull have always
been amongst our most popular holidays –
we offer a wide range of trips there, from
three to six nights. The island offers a
unique diversity of species, in easy reach
by land and sea. We also offer wildlife
experiences in: the Outer Hebrides –
great for otters; Perthshire – for photo
deer-stalking; the cairngorm national
Park where you can see some very rare
species, such as capercaillie and crested
tits, and enjoy some great badger watching.
You might even see pine martens! In Ireland
we offer whale and dolphin watching trips
in West cork.