Don’t Mull it over; this island’s calling you...

Ask most people to name a Scottish island and they will probably say Skye. In recent years, though, Skye has had problems with over-tourism.

So, for our summer motorhome adventure, we opted to explore a lesser-known Inner Hebridean sibling. Mull proved a life-affirming escape – we discovered an isle awash with wildlife (from sea eagles to minke whales), starched white beaches, world-class walking, abundant local produce approved by Princes Charles and, yes, a glorious whisky distillery.

The ferry over from Oban set the scene perfectly. My wife, Jenny, and my two daughters, Tara and Emma, joined me at the bow to see what awaited us.

Shimmering out of the morning mist, Mull loomed into view. The gnarly coastline gives way to thick forests, which, in turn, stretch up towards the hulk of the isle’s rugged, sky-scraping mountains. Mendelssohn was inspired to write his Hebrides Overture in these parts. I could see why.

I’d promised the girls plenty of wildlife, but hadn’t expected to see so much from the ferry. First, a couple of flighty porpoises broke the surface. Then, as we’d tried to find them again, a pod of bottlenose dolphins – the largest dolphin species in UK waters – upstaged them.