Craignure Torosay Castle was designed and built by the eminent Architect David Bryce in the Scottish Baronial Style in 1858. The Castle has 12 acres of gardens including a Statue Walk. From Craignure there is a narrow gauge passenger railway to Torosay covering the 1.25 mile journey, the only Scottish island passenger railway. From Torosay Castle you can see Duart Castle perched on the rocky promontory called “Dubh Ard”, the Gaelic for Black Point. It dominates the Sound of Mull. The Macleans realised the importance of “Dubh Ard” and built the original part of the castle in the 13th Century. In 1691 the Macleans surrendered Duart to the Duke of Argyll. Already deteriorating it was abandoned in the mid 18th century and gradually fell into a ruinous state. In 1910 it was bought back by the 26th Chief, Sir FitzroyMaclean. From the battlements views can be seen as far as Ben Nevis and the Isle of Jura. Tobermory The Capital Town of the Island was established by the British Fisheries Society with work commencing on the project in 1788. A small settlement already existed where the Whisky Distillery is sited at Ledaig. Excavation work and land reclaim from the sea were required to make space for the new town development. Tobermory Distillery is the only distillery on the Island. It celebrated its 200th anniversary in 1998. In the late 18th Century John Sinclair, a local businessman, filed an application to build a distillery only to find his plans rejected. Permission was however granted the following year when he re-applied. Oban Oban is located on the West Coast. Many of the Western Isles are serviced by a network of drive on Ferries connecting with the mainland here. The town distillery (open to the public) was established by the Stevenson brothers in 1794. They previously played their part in the establishment of Tobermory. McCaig’s Folly is the magnificent multi arched structure located prominently high above the town. In 1897 construction work began on the project by local banker John Stewart McCaig. He was anxious to ease unemployment in the area as well as giving his family name perpetuity by the way of this monument. The project was never finished and came to a stop following McCaig's death. Top of Page