On my first ever visit to the inner Hebrides and indeed to the Isle of Mull, I also went on my first ever guided tour, with David Woodhouse. Although he has lived on Mull for more than twenty-five years, he is originally from Sheffield and this normally becomes apparent the first time you encounter his no-nonsense, deadpan wit. His passion for Mull and its wildlife are obvious to any who spend time with him and as the longest running wildlife guide not only in Mull, but also in Britain, his experience and knowledge in the field are second to none.

David has appeared on television guiding stars like Chris Packham around Mull, but he’s just at home taking you round too. For me, one of the things that makes David stand out from others isn’t just his familiarity with the wildlife he shows you, but the genuinely care and respect he shows it too. David will never let you encroach too close or disturb an animal and he takes great pains to avoid showing where vulnerable nests might be. This may seem obvious, but others on Mull are not so cautious or respectful. He has known many of the individual animals for years and shows great concern for their ongoing well-being. On my latest visit to Mull for instance, he voiced great affection and worry for a female ‘goldie’ that he hadn’t seen for a few weeks.

His respect and knowledge of the wildlife has resulted in some of the best views of wildlife I have ever had. I have seen otters a matter of feet away, a white-tailed and golden eagle locked in each others talons as they fought on a beach, hen harriers tumbling in amazing aerobatic displays, short eared owls standing defiant on dramatic outcrops and even dolphins playing and hunting along the Mull shore. I can genuinely say that every time I have been out with David, I have seen something different, learnt something new and been somewhere I hadn’t been before – which is quite an achievement considering the tours are on the same little island in the inner Hebrides.

Oh, and I have to mention Joy’s cooking. David always includes lunch with his tours and this will normally involve one of Joy’s (David’s wife) soups or stews and at least one of her great selection of cakes or bakes. These are worth the price of the tour alone and you can consider the wildlife watching a bonus!

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