Cruises around the Hebrides with majestic wildlife for company

A rocky outcrop on Inch Kenneth as rain falls in the distance.

A shout goes up from the front of the ship. “Dolphins!”.

We hurry forward to the bow just in time to see six bottlenose dolphins cruising below the surface, slipping in and out of formation in the ink-blue water.

We watch as they roll belly-side up to reveal a shimmering white underside. One or two drop down into the depths, before, moments later, rocketing out of the water in an explosive, somersaulting display, twisting and turning in midair.

Off to our left, the coastline of Mull floats by, a mixture of golden-sand beaches, rocky archipelagos and steep, bird-covered cliffs, chiselled into painterly perfection by the low afternoon sun.

It would be the highlight of any trip, but this is just another day, another moment onboard our ship, the Elizabeth G, part of the family-run Hebrides Cruises cruise ship company.

On our six-day journey we will spot otters as they slide into the water, explore hauntingly beautiful islands, shoo a Highland cow blocking our path, sip coffee on white-sand beaches and spy sea eagles soaring above Mull’s only Munro, Ben More.

The fact that I haven’t even mentioned picnicking with puffins, staring in awe at thousands of razorbills on a sea stack and wild swimming off Iona’s turquoise waters, tells you everything you need to know about this cruise.

We pick up the boat in Oban, a bustling hub of daytrippers, locals and international tourists heading to the islands on wildlife tours.

I am carrying two giant bags full of everything from shorts, caps and sun cream to thermals, gloves and storm proof trousers. This is spring time in Scotland and it pays to come prepared.

As we putter out into the Sound of Mull, we quickly settle into a daily routine. It involves alternating between spotting wildlife from the top deck, diving back into the saloon for hot tea, coffee and cake, and short excursions to the many islands dotted around Mull.

As we sail by the tourist scrum on Tobermory and set foot on deserted islands, it quickly becomes clear that this is the only way to see the Hebrides.

The sea is serene as we pass Duart Castle on the Sound of Mull, an imposing citadel perched on a rocky peninsula and backdropped by sweeping mountain views.

Soon, with the help of Hebrides Cruises wildlife expert Becca Tanner, we spot harbour porpoises lolloping past the ship and a small group of Manx shearwaters skimming the top of the rippling waves.

At night, our skippers, Hebrides Cruises owner Rob Barlow and fellow skipper Iain Malcolm, plot a plan for the next day before finding us a suitably sheltered location to anchor for the evening.

Our first port is a gorgeous rock-protected loch called Loch na Droma Buidhe, which is almost completely enclosed by the surrounding shores of Oronsay on the remote Morvern Peninsula.

Cruising into the loch via a tiny, steep-sided entrance, the setting sun casts an ethereal purple light across the landscape. Bathed in that heathery sunset, we sit down to a five-course dinner prepared by chef Sally Williams.

Sally is a magician. Throughout the cruise she is seen disappearing from her miniscule galley and into the fridge or diving headlong into one of her covert hidey holes – which are all rammed full of jars, ramekins and glass bottles of secret ingredients from which she creates her potions.

At one point, we see her swaying from foot to foot as she scrunches up tinfoil to help balance her handmade quiche against the rocking boat – ensuring a perfectly level bake.

Each morning at 8am, we are called to breakfast by the bosun, New Zealander Craig Robinson, who has been with Hebrides Cruises for eight seasons.

Craig’s quick-witted Kiwi charm wins us all over throughout the trip and he offers us hot porridge, cereals and cheeses before a main course of smoked salmon or eggs benedict, all washed down with endless supplies of tea.

Pretty soon we are steaming out into the sea again but before long it is time for elevenses of tea, coffee and chocolate, quickly followed by a three-course lunch of soups, charcuterie and more sweet treats.

The food doesn’t end there as, after a daily excursion to one of the islands, it’s back on board for prosecco and cake… then it is a momentary respite before a five-course dinner.

On our trip we have hand-dived scallops, fresh cod and handmade choux pastry – all prepared by hand in the teeny kitchen. The food is so good that it is impossible to exercise constraint – but hey, who needs whale spotting when you are slowly turning into one?

It’s the wildlife, however, that makes this trip so magical and, just like the food, there is no shortage of it. Skipper Iain skilfully guides us on the inflatable tender to the shore, where we hop onto dry land and explore the many islands around Mull.

Sheep stroll on single-track roads along Loch Spelve.

On Ulva we are transported to a woodland wonder, where red deer dart between the trees and golden eagles soar overhead, while lizards and toads scurry in the long grass. Then we watch as a bride and her family on Iona are given an escort by a pod of bottlenose dolphin for their small boat crossing from Mull. As far as wedding days go, it is surely hard to top.

On Gometra, which is my favourite, we are welcomed by a white-tailed sea eagle, who swoops in close for a look. The island is completely deserted, lush and green but without many trees and instantly puts me in mind of Shetland, with its golden white-sand beaches, cliffs and rolling landscape.

At Lunga on the Treshnish Isles, we unwrap chocolate and have a little picnic beside an enormous colony of curious puffins before jumping back on the Elizabeth G and doing a driveby of Fingal’s Cave on Staffa.

Then at the hauntingly beautiful Inch Kenneth (a privately-owned island that was once the home of the infamous Mitford sisters, the socialites famed for Unity Mitford’s closeness to Adolf Hitler), we wander into a 13th-Century church and graveyard.

A soft rain starts to fall when we are on Inch Kenneth, while at the same time the sun splits through the clouds and illuminates the distant hills. The contrasting weather perhaps sums up the beauty of Mull best of all. A place that is many things all at once, from woodland haven to windswept bird colony.

And as rain pelts down between the sun’s rays, proving that you can indeed get hypothermia and sunburn at the same time, it raises the only real problem of the trip… knowing what to pack.

Factfile

Hebrides Cruises offer 17 different cruises to the Inner and Outer Hebrides from April to October. Cruises range from three to 10 nights. Prices start at £1,700pp. For more information and to book, visit www.hebridescruises.co.uk or email info@hebridescruises.co.uk