Sardines and showers in Tobermory.

On landing in Tobermory our first priority was not the Mishnish Bar but the  Fishermans Pier Fish & Chip Van. This has a considerable reputation for a decent fish supper. It was recommended in the Independent's top 50 fish and chip shops last Saturday and even has a  "Les Routiers" award. The fish is cooked to order (as are the frozen chips) so there is a short wait, which always carries the promise of fresh fish. We each decided to order large (rather than regular) haddock suppers, because we were ravenous after paddling for over 30km and still had about another 12km to go to our camp.

Well it was just as well we decided to go large rather than regular. David got the most generous helping but you can see how happy he was about it. Large haddock? It was more like a malnourished sardine. Having said that, it was delicious and expertly cooked with dry crispy batter. Even the frozen chips were very tasty and done to perfection. We left the pier still feeling hungry and the local seagulls were left starving. If the good ladies of the chip van are ever in Kircudbright, they should call in at Polarbites to discover what a large haddock supper actually looks like.

Only partially sated, we wandered round Tobermory Bay to the...

...new Harbour Visitor Centre. This is a superb resource with spotless toilets, showers and laundry, all for a very reasonable charge. This is somewhere any touring sea kayaker in the area should make a point of visiting.

Totally refreshed we wandered round the harbour area. This old wooden rowing boat had seen better days...

...in contrast to the newly arrived and ship shape MS Island Sky which had just emerged from a multimillion pound refit before dropping anchor In Tobermory. Her 116 passengers would be keen to disembark, we had been fed and watered, it was now time to go. Tobermory was a great place to spend some time in.

Mishnish mission via Morven to Mull from Ard na Murchan

We started in the shelter of Port na Croisg, Loch Sunart with the grentle hills of Morven receeding in the distance.



Our route was 28km. Coming back over the Sound of Mull the tide was strongest towards the Morven shore.



Tobermory was founded in 1788 by the British Fisheries Society to service the herring fleet. It is named after tobar Mhoire or Mary's well. In 1588 the Almirante di Florencia, a galleon of the Spanish Armada blew up in the bay. She was reputedto be carrying thirty million gold ducats.



At low tide the beach is sand and shingle. At high tide there are a couple of slipways. There is a small one conveniently situated beside a blue fish and chip kiosk at the pier in the middle of the bay (beside the distant red house in the upper photo.

Mishnish Hotel

This is part of an occasional series of sea kayaking pubs. Ideally a sea kayaking pub should be able to be seen from where you park your boat. It should not involve an onerous hike. It should be open on your arrival. It should serve ice cold Guinness and a variety of malted amber liquids. It should not be snooty about kayaking attire dripping on the floor. The Mishnish fits the bill perfectly.




The Mishnish is situated right on the front of Tobermory, capital of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. Tobermory is more commonly known to millions of children as Balamory in the synonymous BBC series. I have never watched the programme but I have drunk the Guinness.