From the comfort of Knock House in the heart of the 12,000 hectare Benmore estate we will explore the beautiful island of Mull in search of a wealth of different birds and mammals, gaining a fascinating insight into island life along the way.
With luck we will enjoy views of otters, white-tailed and golden eagles, hen harrier and short-eared owl. A boat trip to the neighbouring Treshnish Isles will provide plenty of opportunity to spend time with one of the UK’s most charismatic seabirds, the enigmatic puffin, while a boat trip with Sea Life Surveys offers the chance of seals, common and bottlenose dolphins, basking shark and even minke whale. Amongst the many wildlife highlights we will visit some delightful villages, stretches of coastline and areas of outstanding natural beauty, not to mention the Whitetail Gin Distillery!
In the evenings we will enjoy a sumptuous meal of the finest local produce, reflecting on the days many highlights, before retiring to one of the house’s many living areas for a nightcap.
With exclusive use of Knock House and access to the entire estate, including some remote areas rarely visited by the general public, this trip to Scotland’s Eagle Island promises to be an experience you’ll never forget!
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Meet in Oban and travel to Isle of Mull
Our Isle of Mull Wildlife Extravaganza will commence in Oban in the mid-afternoon, where we will meet our leaders at the Ferry Terminal, prior to enjoying the short (45mins) scenic ferry ride from Oban to Craignure.
Arriving in Craignure we will then drive along Mulls eastern coastline to Salen, before turning south west towards the Benmore Estate, our base for the next seven nights. The journey is only around 15 miles and will provide a perfect introduction to this beautiful island.
We will have an opportunity to settle into our accommodation and freshen up, before enjoying a delicious welcome meal and introductory briefing from the team.
We have arrived on Eagle Island - home to one of the densest populations of white-tailed and golden eagles in western Europe! It's time to start exploring and with the full extent of the Benmore Estate to investigate we have plenty of ground to cover. After the journey to Mull yesterday, it's time to stretch our legs with a morning walk along the tranquil shores of Loch Ba, a large freshwater loch which has several pairs of white-tailed and golden eagle nearby.
In the afternoon, we hit the road and skirt the southern shores of Loch na Keal, a huge sea loch that almost cuts Mull in two. This is prime otter habitat and we quietly watch and observe for signs of fishing otters and look for their trails and spraints in some key locations.
In the evening, for those who are still awake after dinner in Knock House, we may go on an owl prowl, weather permitting, to listen and watch for barn and tawny owls around the grounds of the estate.
Day3: Full day boat trip to The Treshnish Isles
We will choose our day to ensure we get the best weather possible for our all-day visit to the magical Treshnish Isles, a Special Protection Area (SPA) for its nationally important population of nesting seabirds. Owned and managed by the Hebridean Trust, we sail from Ulva Ferry on the west coast of Mull and watch for seals and seabirds on route.
On Lunga, the main island of the Treshnish Isles, we ascend the slope up to the main puffin colony who will be there to greet us. It's a moment which will live in your soul forever.
If you wish you can literally spend all day with the puffins but there's also the chance to venture on a little further to Harp Rock where the cacophony and aroma of the main colony will hit you between the eyes (and nose!). Kittiwakes, fulmars, razorbills, guillemots and black guillemots await and it's truly a sight to behold.
Day4: Explore the South of Mull
We are back on dry land today as we explore the southern part of Mull's 300 miles of coastline. Along the southern shore of Loch na Keal and the northern shore of Loch Scridain, we are in prime otter country and we will slowly and carefully scan every bay and inlet for that tell-tale ring of bright water.
The dramatic Gribun cliffs are home to nesting buzzard, peregrine and kestrel as well as passing golden eagles. There will be shore birds such as oystercatchers, redshank, ringed plover and a variety of gull species on Gribun beach before we head south over the hill road to Tiroran. There is a pair of white-tailed eagles nesting nearby, inspiration for the award-winning Whitetail Gin and we’ll be sure to call in at the family run distillery to sample the local produce!
After lunch, we continue our exploration along Loch Scridain in search of otters whilst also encountering grey heron and maybe a late great northern diver offshore. Later we venture into Glen More, bordered on both sides by steep mountains and into the domain of golden eagles and red deer. We spend time scanning for the 'king of birds' and hope to pick one up drifting along a ridge line or soaring on the thermals. There's also the chance of short-eared owl, raven and hen harrier in this area. Red deer are calving now so we will be looking for them too.
Day5: Full day whale & dolphin watching
After breakfast, we venture north to the delightful small town and fishing harbour of Tobermory where we board a vessel and go in search of cetaceans. The west coast, Hebridean waters are famed for the richness of marine life and this includes harbour porpoise, bottle-nosed dolphin, common dolphin, minke whale and basking shark. Very occasionally, the west coast pod of orca also cruises by!
We head out of the harbour with a skilled and experienced crew of whale watchers and hope to catch a glimpse of these creatures of the deep. Along the way we should also encounter a range of seabirds including gannets and manx shearwaters, white-tailed eagle, grey and common seal. As ever we will be governed by the weather but will stay at sea for the bulk of the day before returning to Tobermory and then back home to Knock House.
Day6: Explore the North of Mull
Today we explore the stunning north west coast of Mull via the single-track roads which skirt the headlands. Mull is a very important breeding site for hen harriers which are much persecuted and increasingly rare across the UK. Here they are free to sky dance and nest without interference and we hope to see some on our journey today. Along the way, we could also encounter short-eared owl, red grouse and will always be on the lookout for otter activity in the bays. We also call in at Treshnish Farm to admire their wildflower meadows and with luck, find some of the 15 species of native orchid that have been recorded here.
On our travels we spend time at one of the most stunning beaches in the Hebrides at Calgary; a place to linger and stretch our legs. There's a fantastic art gallery and craft workshop nearby which we will find time to call into.
On our circular journey back to Knock House we come via the lovely little village of Dervaig with its unusual pencil-steeple church and then through Glen Bellart and Glen Aros back to Salen.
Day7: White-tailed eagle boat trip
This is the day we get up close and personal with Britain's largest bird of prey, the white-tailed eagle.
We have exclusive trips planned with Mull Charters, the only boat operator on Mull to offer specialised sea eagle viewing and photography opportunities. They work within the RSPB's Code of Conduct to ensure the eagles stay safe and undisturbed, but they do come close, so be sure to have your cameras and lenses ready!
This will be a highlight to conclude our week on Mull celebrating the wildlife riches of Eagle Island which does have a lot of eagles but also so much more.
Day8: Return to Craignure & departure
Sadly, it's departure day and we will be heading back to Craignure for your ferry to Oban. Just outside Craignure, if the eagles are nesting there and the award-winning Mull Eagle Watch is active at Craignure Golf Course, we will swing by for a final glimpse of these majestic birds.
The Mull and Iona Community Trust and RSPB rangers will explain the history of this particular pair of birds which nest in a wood overlooking the golf course, helping to keep the greens free of geese and rabbits. From there, it's just a 5-minute drive to the ferry terminal where we say our farewells. Haste ye back!
Key info
Duration and price excluding international flights: 8 daysfrom £3,295 pp
Mike Dilger has been an obsessive naturalist since childhood, equally at home either identifying wild flowers in the British countryside, or surveying the Amazon for hummingbirds.
With degrees in Botany and Ecology, Mike’s obsession with the tropics began when studying moths in the South American Andes. This then led to over five years carrying out research work in the tropical forests of Ecuador, Vietnam, Tanzania and Peru.
Finally emerging out of the bush and returning to Britain to find a job in television, Mike is probably best known as the wildlife expert on the BBC’s The One Show. Pontificating about everything from bumblebees to basking sharks, Mike has racked up over 450 appearances during his 15 years on the show.
His main job now is as a professional plate spinner, which involves intermingling TV commitments, tour-leading, writing and giving talks. Mike leads trips for Wildlife Worldwide from the Somerset Levels to the Scottish Highlands in the UK, while abroad he takes guests to Ecuador and Madagascar.
A columnist for BBC Wildlife Magazine, Mike has also written eight nature-themed books, with his most recent being One Thousand Shades of Green - A Year in Search of Britain’s Wild Plants.
Naturalist and television wildlife presenter Nick Baker is host of BBC Autumnwatch Unsprung and Springwatch Unsprung, and presents the highly popular Weird Creatures series.
A lifelong naturalist, broadcaster and author, Nick is a self-confessed all-rounder (although he's not very good with plants). He has travelled the world as a film-maker, explorer and tour guide for the best part of 25 years and enjoyed every minute of it (except those spent in airports!). He's particularly into the world’s misunderstood creatures, those that are a little ugly and odd and those people love to hate. He has a particular penchant for South East Asia and has worked extensively with the reefs and rainforests of this region. Closer to home Nick enjoys exploring the wildlife of Dartmoor National Park and to the Isle of Mull where one of his favourite moments was when he was lucky enough to see a golden and white-tailed eagle on the same day!
Alexa is an ecologist and cetacean researcher with a passion for conservation. She is a keen wildlife photographer and combines research with a love of guiding and sharing knowledge of the marine environment.
Alexa began studying cetaceans in the Hebrides 25 years ago and has since worked as a researcher, guide, campaigner and consultant on marine mammal research projects worldwide. Her research projects have included visual, acoustic and aerial surveys in the North and Baltic Seas, Iceland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Belize and a research voyage across the Atlantic.
She lives on the Isle of Mull in the former lighthouse keepers’ cottages, which she spent three years renovating. She returns to the west coast of Iceland each winter, but for the rest of the year, she enjoys Mull’s wildlife and has spent recent years exploring the Inner and Outer Hebrides by boat.
The Isle of Mull is home to a rich flora and fauna. It’s one of the best places to see otters in the UK, and special birds here include hen harrier, white-tailed and golden eagles as well as red-throated divers. Red deer, seals and a rich marine life are additional draws for the keen naturalist.
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Where: Hebrides
Ideal for viewing: otter, grey seal, golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, minke whale
Knock House is a classic west highland country house located in the heart of the 12,000 hectare Benmore Estate in Scotland. Full of new life and old charm, it offers comfortable accommodation for up to 20 guests, with stunning views over the surrounding hills and glens.
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