Tobermory, on the island of Mull, is amongst the prettiest ports in Scotland, with an unmistakable picture-postcard harbor front. Built as a fishing port in 1788, the town curves gently around the harbor and rises onto the hillside beyond. The name Tobermory comes from the Gaelic for ‘Mary’s well,’ a feature which can still be found at one end of the bay.
Main Street is a mix of shops, eateries, hotels and guest houses. The street has an excellent selection of locally produced arts and crafts, a bookshop that also sells fishing tackle, an artisan bakery and chocolate manufacturer, and a small museum. Tobermory Distillery, which opened in 1798, is a favorite destination. Its renowned ten-year-old single-malt whisky is distilled from un-peated malted barley and matured in oak casks.
The brightly colored houses along the waterfront are generally uncharacteristic of Hebridean townscapes. The paint was paid for by the BBC when the town was used as the film set for the popular children’s television series, ‘Balamory’.
