Mull was one of the places we holidayed, more than once, way back when our kids were wee. Reminiscing on the upper deck and slowly pivoting my gaze around the 360 panoramas, I recalled with a grin the weans’ excited expressions and animated anticipation for all the adventures that might unfold on the magical isle.

It felt great to be returning after a long hiatus, albeit with a tinge of sadness for the absence of the two hyperactive boys in my mind’s eye. The iconic funnel glowed luminous red under the bright cinematic skies, and I scanned for a glimpse of the mighty Ben More (Mull’s highest peak) as the stoic ferry rumbled on through the choppy brine.

Around me folk were deep in bubbling conversation or quietly mesmerised by the distant strips of land gliding by, a sudden burst of tannoy broke the collective spell as the coast at Craignure beckoned port-side. I headed back inside to Allyson, and we returned down to the bowels of the car deck ready to transition from water to land once more.

The hour of scenic drive from Craignure to Tobermory has plenty of delightful sights to captivate your attention. The first portion of the trip is via a single-track road that weaves alongside the dramatic coastal edges; my photographers eye took a mental note to return to the trio of decomposing wrecks on passing though Salen, before evolving into a wider two-lane stretch that becomes more elevated before finally descending downhill to the capital.

The bustling harbour town of Tobermory is one of the most recognisable and picturesque in the UK; the charmingly colourful frontage of its buildings, similar to Portree on Skye, are a striking visual contrast to one another but chime harmoniously with the scattering of equally brightly painted boats bobbing in the bay.

Our lodgings, the Mishnish Hotel, beamed golden yellow between adjacent blocks of crimson red and sky blue and warmly welcomed in, we settled into our cosy room that offered a literal window into the delightful bay, Calve Island and the Sound of Mull beyond.

The plan for our short stay was a simple one: to immerse ourselves in this enigmatic landscape and savour every essence of the isle via all five senses, allowing all thoughts of our respective work/life responsibilities to fade into the background of our 9 to 5 minds.

Mull has so many beautiful and dramatic areas to visit but would have needed more than our two nights to tick them all off the list, so for the remainder of our stay we decided on a road-trip with a mind to pit-stop at some of the isle’s most photogenic locations.

The island is relatively easy to navigate, the main A849 road running from Tobermory all the way down along the eastern edge before running southwest to Ben More and Loch Scridain to Fionnphort where you jump on the wee ferry to the Isle of Iona with its Iconic Abbey.

The Herald:

The B8035 and B8073 comprise the "back road" circling back north from Loch Beg to Tobermory and takes in some of the more dramatic and primordial aspects of Mull’s geology. There are some difficult gradients and twisty turns to be tackled along the way where the road planners obviously wrestled to tame this ancient landscape to streamlined navigation.

Our sensory adventure did not end with the road however; an extraordinary culinary voyage from right within the walls of the Mishnish lay ahead. The 10-course tasting menu (with wine pairings) has been conjured from the deft hands of chef Ross Caithness at An Cala Ciùin restaurant. Ross, who has previously worked with Martin Wishart and Tom Kitchin, runs a tight ship and no detail is left unconsidered in this stunning line-up of intriguing and ultimately satisfying dishes. The restaurant resides on the middle floor of the hotel and has a refreshingly simple, neutral decor that doesn’t distract from the idyllic views across the harbour or the real reason for being there, the lovingly presented food.

The first five up are, unsurprisingly, fruits of the sea. The meticulously presented Loch na Keal oyster ice cream in its miniature wafer cone, with a dash of dark glistening caviar atop, befuddle the brain and the taste surprise that follows is indicative of wonderful treasures to come.

Meaty langoustine, succulent scallops, lush lobster, all are treated like wondrous precious things lovingly assembled and every accompanying vegetable, sauce, oil or reduction is paired to perfection, enhancing the flavour and building anticipation for the next offering. The stand-out for me was the monkfish with wild leek kimchi, XO and soy, a plate-lickingly luscious thing that left me wanting more.

Back on the land next with beautiful venison and lamb dishes before a palate cleansing Ledaig Sour sorbet that I especially appreciated as a dram-loving man. I would also add that our unobtrusive waiter for the evening delivered an enthusiastic description on every plate’s arrival; the extensive knowledge of the provenance of everything presented was welcomed and enjoyed.

A pair of delicious deserts to finish, lip-puckering rhubarb softened with silky white milky chocolate and honey bavarois followed by petit fours of Tobermory 12 whisky jelly and espresso martini chocolate, a devilishly divine finale to a memorable exploration of Ross’s ever innovating and refining mind.

I caught up with Ross for a wee photo shoot on the sunny harbour wall the next day where he expanded on his plans for the restaurant and explained with great gusto his commitment to local produce being utilised in all his work.

The Herald:

Among his suppliers are the Glengorm estate for beef, lamb, and venison, the Tobermory fish company for salmon and trout and the Tobermory distillery for the whisky sour sorbet and whisky jelly. Additionally, local fishermen are used for everything from hand dived scallops to langoustine and lobster.

It became clear that among local business and the Mull populace as a whole, the notion of community is at the heart of all things. The time-honoured ethos of mutually beneficial exchange, be it skills, produce, knowledge or a wee favour now and then.

Ross’s attitude to food, the importance of place in its story, was not lost on me. The enjoyment of the creative process and dedicated focus on every aspect informed by Mull’s spiritual, historical and physical geography certainly resonated with my endeavours as a landscape photographer and I have nothing but admiration for his mission.

An Cala Ciùin at the Mishnish Hotel, Tobermory, PA75 6NU, Tel: 01680 309106, ancalaciuin.co.uk/