Join wildlife photographer Bret Charman or Ben Sutcliffe on our photography trip to Isle of Mull where we have the opportunity to capture stunning images of a diverse range of birds, flowers, plants, landscapes and mammals.
Over the course of our week-long stay we explore this stunning island, on foot, by vehicle and by boat accompanied by experienced wildlife photographer Bret Charman/Ben Sutcliffe and local naturalist Alexa Kershaw. During our trip we have the opportunity to indulge in a wide range of wildlife photography, from long lens work to macro photography as and when the opportunities arise, with the expert help of our leaders.
A boat trip to the neighbouring Treshnish Isles takes in the Isle of Staffa and Fingal’s Cave before moving onto the Isle of Lunga where there's an opportunity to spend time with and photograph at close quarters one of the UK’s most charismatic seabirds, the enigmatic puffin, together with huge numbers of other sea birds, including guillemots, razorbills, shags and fulmars. Lunga offers a ‘Galapagos' type experience, where tolerant, endearing birds can surround you on all sides. During the voyage out to and back from the isles, there's a reasonable chance of also seeing dolphins, basking sharks and possibly even minke whales.
Separate exclusive boat charters will provide superb opportunities to photograph spectacular white-tailed eagles, as well as the chance of both harbour and grey seals. We also visit the charming Isle of Ulva, a haven for seals, otters and a variety of other wildlife. The island also offers plenty of macro photography opportunities with over 500 species of plant recorded, including several rare orchids alongside some stunning sea-shore life.
We also have the opportunity to enjoy a cetacean cruise to add further photographic opportunities of pelagic seabirds, alongside whales and dolphins.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Arrive and transfer to Mull
The trip begins at either Inverness (2025) or Glasgow airport (2026) in the morning, where we drive through the ever increasingly dramatic scenery to Oban, before enjoying the short (45 minutes) scenic ferry ride to Craignure. For those that would prefer to meet in Oban or on Mull, this is also possible.
Arriving in Craignure we then drive along Mulls eastern coastline, admiring the Sound of Mull to reach our base for the next seven nights at Killiechronan House on the edge of Loch Na Keal, a perfect introduction to this beautiful island. We have an opportunity to settle into our accommodation, before enjoying a delicious welcome meal and introductory briefing.
Accommodation: Killiechronan House, 7-nights
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Day 2:
Explore the Killiechronan Estate & the north of Mull
You've arrived on Eagle Island - home to one of the densest populations of white-tailed and golden eagles in Western Europe! We enjoy a relaxing morning walk around the estate, keeping an eye out for the wildlife that calls this area home.
After our morning stroll, there's the chance to explore other areas in northern Mull such as Calgary Bay, and the coastline opposite Ulva. It's here that you can see the Ears Fors Waterfall and a number of species might be seen (and photographed) such as dipper, common sandpiper, grey heron and maybe even otter if we're particularly lucky. This is a great time to assess your photography levels and get your first tips from the leaders.
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Day 3:
White-tailed eagle charter & shore-based photography
Today the group embarks on a dedicated photographic boat trip, focusing on the island's thriving population of white-tailed eagles as we aim to get up close and personal with Britain's largest bird of prey. We drive down to the Ulva Ferry embarkation point and enjoy a 2-3 hour boat trip photographing one or two pairs of eagles. Our leader is on hand to provide advice to help us get the best out of the opportunities.
We have exclusive trips planned with Mull Charters, the only boat operator on Mull to offer specialised white-tailed 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 ready! As the boat is ours for the day, depending on the sightings, we may be able to also sail past Inch Kenneth to capture some images of the seals.
Depending on the time of our chartered boat trip, we hopefully then have the opportunity to explore the coastline around Loch Na Keal.
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Day 4:
Full day boat trip to The Treshnish Isles
We'll 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 populations of nesting seabirds. We sail from Ulva Ferry on the west coast of Mull and even before the boat leaves, we'll be looking to get some images of the harbour seals hauled out on rocks close to Ulva Ferry. It's pupping time, so there's a chance to see some newly arrived youngsters. With all the activity in the haul out, it sometimes also attracts the attention of the local sea eagles that visit to clean up what they can.
We may initially head south to the Isle of Staffa to experience Fingal’s Cave and have a first taste of close encounters with puffins and other seabirds on the cliff tops. The leaders will be on hand to advise on how to capture the best shots based on the weather and lighting conditions and can answer any questions you may have. After this initial puffin experience, we head north-west to Lunga, the main island of the Treshnish Isles - home to the main seabird colonies and one of the UK’s most remarkable wildlife experiences.
On shore, we'll ascend the slope up to the cliff top and head towards the main puffin colony. We observe the puffins from an appropriate distance, so as not to disturb them, and watch the fascinating antics as they come and go. We spend the day indulging ourselves in seabird photography with countless opportunities to capture intimate portraits, birds in flight and environmental imagery too.
There's also the chance to venture on a little further to Harp Rock where the cacophony and aroma of the main seabird colony will hit you between the eyes (and nose!). These islands support an incredible number of photogenic species, including kittiwakes, fulmars, razorbills, guillemots and shags, and it's truly a sight to behold. There'll be even more puffins too! If we're lucky, around the abandoned old crofts and steadings, we may hear the rasping call of a corncrake as they creep around, hidden in the nettles and irises. We may also be treated to views of raven and peregrine falcon, and we'll always be keeping an eye on the sea in case of any passing dolphins or porpoises. In addition, we may also come across a smack of common or moon jellyfish during our time exploring The Treshnish Isles, which can also provide some intriguing photographic opportunities.
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Day 5:
Wildlife photography sessions in southern Mull
Heading out on the road, there will be the opportunity to take our time today as we explore the southern half of Mull. We drive down along the eastern coastline of the island before heading into Glen More – one of the island’s most reliable places to see golden eagle. Red deer are calving now, so we'll be looking for them too.
After lunch, we continue our exploration, perhaps visiting Loch Scridain in search of otters, wading birds and even some smaller subjects such as green hairstreak butterflies, orchids, sundews and other plant life. We may also find species such as eider, shelduck, grey heron or maybe a late great northern diver offshore offering some photographic potential. For the smaller subjects, if they are of interest, we highly recommend you bring a macro lens.
It's important to note that whilst we will attempt to observe otters, photographic opportunities for these wonderful animals could be limited and from a distance.
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Day 6:
White-tailed eagle charter & shore-based photography
Just as we did a few days ago, there will be another opportunity to venture out on a boat trip in Loch Na Keal, around the island of Eorsa, in search of white-tailed eagles, before enjoying the land-based photography opportunities.
Just as we did a few days ago, there's another opportunity to enjoy a chartered white-tailed eagle photography trip and land-based photography opportunities. After the boat trip, we explore the local area, hoping to find a plethora of species for further photography. We may explore some of the local moorland where breeding waders may be found or a hunting short-eared owl, hen harrier or merlin may capture our focus. We endeavour to spend as much time in the field as possible before returning to the hotel for our evening meal.
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Day 7:
Full-day cetacean cruise
Our last full-day on Mull will have us out on the water once again as we enjoy a dedicated cetacean boat trip. We hope to find many of the species that can be found in the waters off of the island such as common and bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise and even minke whale.
Other highlights include pelagic birds and even basking shark (if we're particularly lucky), in addition to common and grey seal and white-tailed eagle once again.
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Day 8:
Return to Craignure for Ferry to Oban
Sadly, it's departure day and we'll be heading back to Craignure for our ferry to Oban. After crossing back to Oban, we either say our farewells here or for those continuing, a drop-off back at Inverness airport or train station (in 2025) or Glasgow airport (in 2026) can be arranged.
Please note: Please be aware that depending on weather conditions, the exact itinerary may vary, ensuring that we make the most of the preferable weather for boat trips.
