Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
www.tobermorymalt.com
;
Ledaig; tour £3; 10am-5pm Mon-Fri Easter-Oct)
, estab-
lished in 1798.
THAR SHE BLOWS!
The North Atlantic Drift - a swirling tendril of the Gulf Stream - carries warm water into the cold, nutrient-rich
seas off the Scottish coast, resulting in huge blooms of plankton. Small fish feed on the plankton, and bigger fish
feed on the smaller fish, and this huge seafood smorgasbord attracts large numbers of marine mammals, from har-
bour porpoises and dolphins to minke whales and even - though sightings are rare - humpback and sperm whales.
Scotland has cashed in on the abundance of minke whales off its coast by embracing
whale-watching
. There
are now dozens of operators around the coast offering whale-watching boat trips lasting from a couple of hours to
all day; some have whale-sighting success rates of 95% in summer.
While seals, porpoises and dolphins can be seen year-round, minke whales are migratory. The best time to see
them is from June to August, with August being the peak month for sightings. The website of the Hebridean
Whale & Dolphin Trust (
www.whaledolphintrust.co.uk
)
has lots of information on the species you are likely to
see, and how to identify them.
A booklet titled
Is It a Whale?
is available from tourist offices and bookshops, and provides tips on identifying
the various species of marine mammal that you're likely to see.
Sleeping
Tobermory has dozens of B&Bs, but the place can still be booked solid in July and
August, especially at weekends.
BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Highland Cottage Hotel£££
(
01688-302030;
www.highlandcottage.co.uk
;
Breadalbane St; d £150-165; mid-
Mar−Oct; )
Antique furniture, four-poster beds, embroidered bedspreads, fresh
flowers and candlelight lend this small hotel (only six rooms) an appealingly old-fash-
ioned cottage atmosphere, but with all mod cons including cable TV, full-size baths and
room service. There's also an excellent fine-dining restaurant here.
Sonas House££
(
01688-302304;
www.sonashouse.co.uk
; The Fairways, Erray Rd; s/d £110/125, apt
from £90; )
Here's a first - a B&B with a heated, indoor 10m swimming pool!
Sonas is a large, modern house that offers luxury B&B in a beautiful setting with superb
B&B
