Daytrip to Oban

Today we have been blessed with another glorious day and so we are going to explore the town of Oban which means the little bay so as you might guess it is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It is about a 75 minute drive from Fort William. Close by you will find the island of Kerrera and the Isle of Mull.

It is a lovely town to wander around and explore. It is full of tourists but everyone is very friendly, while having coffee we chatted to a lovely couple from Newcastle who have spent time in Melbourne. I also spoke to a couple of women from Falkirk who were having a girls break and Katie befriended a lovely Scottish couple who lived in Donvale, Melbourne for 7 years. It was great to swap tips and recommendations with them.

The modern town of Oban grew around the distillery which was founded there in 1794. A royal charter raised the town to a burg of barony in 1811. Sir Walter Scott visited the area in 1814, the year he published the poem The Lord of the Isles. Interest in the poem brought many new visitors and the town was made a Parliamentary Burch in 1833.

There is McCaig’s Tower which is a prominent attraction and is visible from much of the town. Construction began in 1897 funded by John Stuart McCaig as a way of providing work for local stonemasons and to serve as a lasting legacy for his family.

About 8% of the population can speak Gaelic and an annual Highland Games, known as the Argyllshire Gathering is held in the town. During the tourist season, the town can swell to over 24,000 people (normally 8,140).

It was a perfect day to visit Oban.Read more