Well known for its wildlife, whisky and waterfalls, the Isle of Mull is back on the map for UK staycations after a whistle-stop tour by the royals. Mull, a 45-minute ferry from Oban off the west coast of Scotland, is the second largest of the Inner Hebrides with a rocky coastline, rich history and seaside settlements teeming with their own traditions. The home of puffins and Balamory hosted the Prince and Princess of Wales for a two-day visit to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary this week. It may have a population of only 2,800 people, but the island capital Tobermory – visited by William and Kate while studying at St Andrews – is a colourful waterfront with some serious seafood spots, ancient castles still hold fort and waterfalls cascade off the beaten track. Here are the best places to see, eat and stay if you’re planning to follow in the footsteps of the royals with an Isle of Mull holiday. Read more: The spellbinding Scottish sites that deliver the magic of Harry Potter The Isle of Mull is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, with a wild landscape, charming villages and historic castles primed for adventure all packed into its 338 square miles. If you’re keen to admire wildlife in its natural habitat, Mull is the place to go. With land-based tours, boat trips, and guided walks on offer, it’s easy to spot the island’s wildlife stars, from seals to otters, dolphins and basking sharks. On boat tours from Mull to the Isle of Staffa, holidaymakers will find basalt columns, sea caves and bird colonies with lucky trips sighting whales during their travels. On that note, the Inner Hebrides island is home to a thriving population of white-tailed eagles, a colony of puffins and the highest density of breeding golden eagles in Europe – best spotted through binoculars as they soar over the island’s glens and moorland. To learn the history of the Clan MacLean, tour 13th-century Duart Castle on a high crag beside the Sound of Mull. There’s a great hall lined with family portraits, stately bedrooms and a tea room full of baked goods from Lady Maclean’s recipe book to discover. Read more: 8 of the best Scottish islands for rugged coastlines and picturesque villages On the east side of Mull, the ancient oakwood of Ardura Community Forest is part of an Atlantic rainforest and one of Scotland’s most precious habitats for gentle recreation. The community-owned forest is part of a project to increase biodiversity and strengthen the well-being of island residents and is frequently used for early-year outdoor learning. The Isle of Mull has a host of Hebridean beaches to lay your towel when the sun makes an appearance in Scotland. Calgary Bay in the north is the best-known beach on the island, a wide sweeping crescent backed by machair dunes, while Langamull Beach is often heralded as the Mull’s Caribbean thanks to its white sands. To chase waterfalls, don your walking boots and a cagoule and head to Aros Park in Tobermory to tread the woodland trails between the cascades. Elsewhere, the falls of Eas Fors south of Dervaig are hailed as the island’s most impressive, with some hidden rock pools best discovered on foot in the hills of Ben More. For history and nostalgia, the colourful waterfront of capital Tobermory is home to both The Mull Museum and the inspiration behind CBeebies childhood classic, Balamory. The main town was established as a fishing port in 1788, and naval legends say a ship from the Spanish Armada sunk in the bay in 1588. Although William and Kate are said to have spent the night at a luxury self-catering cottage, hotels, camping, glamping and back to basics bothies dot the island. The dog-friendly Bellachroy Hotel is Mull’s oldest inn, established in 1608 as a waypoint for drovers. Situated in the village of Dervaig, its seven traditional ensuite rooms provide a cosy escape just eight miles from the bustle of Tobermory, but still close enough for Balamory fans to make a day trip. Full of character, comfort and local Scottish dishes in the onsite restaurant, Western Isles Hotel welcomes guests in with sea views across Tobermory Harbour towards the Morven Mountains. Spacious doubles and family suites are fitted with comfortable beds and walk-in showers, and a hearty breakfast is included in the price of your stay. One of the island’s finest, the Isle of Mull Hotel has a Scottish seafood restaurant, a stocked spa and a 17-metre indoor heated indoor swimming pool if a wild dip seems too frigid. With a chance to spot an otter or deer from the gardens, tuck in to embrace the landscapes of Mull with a luxury touch. The Isle of Mull is an expert in all things cheese, seafood and whisky, with free-range meat, lobster, oysters and farmhouse cheddar on the menu at distilleries, chippies, food markets and high-end restaurants on the moors. To taste the best of Mull’s, this weekly producers’ market by the Aros Hall Committee sets up stalls of local food and crafts with everything from preserves to plants each Monday. Regular traders include Isle of Mull Ice Cream, Honeypot Ceramics and Tobermory Honey. A working croft-cum-restaurant in Fanmore, Croft 3 is where the royals got to work grilling parcels of homemade haggis wrapped in chard with a glaze of honey and Mull whisky. Here, food and drinks are served in a communal setting, with meals that celebrate shellfish, natural wine and loaded roast dinners. For fisherman fare in Tobermory, Cafe Fish has a reputation as one of the best spots to dive into seafood in Scotland. Think caviar, langoustines and the fresh catch of the day with views over Tobermory Bay to Calve Island from the Mull hotspot’s al fresco terrace. On Mull’s wild moors, Ninth Wave offers high-end four to five-course tastings of the island’s seasonal produce, fresh-caught seafood and organic meats. As is local tradition, head chef Carla Kamont and the team “cure, smoke and brine both meat and seafood on-site” to incorporate foraged flavours of thyme, heather and sorrel. Aside from its herd of cows, at the Isle of Mull Cheese dairy farm, visitors can stop at The Glass Barn cafe to try Hebridean blues, traditional farmhouse cheddars and the whey spirit distilled on-site. To discover the island’s whisky heritage, there are tastings of single malt whiskys and warehouse tours at the Tobermory Distillery. Established in 1798, the artisan distillery produces two distinct drinks to “tell the story of the Isle of Mull in liquid form”. 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