Olga and I didn’t spend much time in Western Scotland but we did manage to do a one day and one night stay in the small town of Oban. The town is located in the beautiful setting of the Firth of Lorn and is shaped in a near perfect horseshoe with the island of Kerrera protecting it from stormy tides. A lot of visitors also come here to get the boat over to the Isle of Mull, something we haven’t done yet but will be on our next trip to Scotland.
Oban has been settled by humans since mesolithic times (around 5000 BC) as evidenced by archaeologists having found remains of cave dwellers. Oban really didn’t get settled until the 18th century when fishing and shipbuilding came to the area but even then there were only a few households living here. A whisky distillery was founded here in 1794 and this was the first place Olga and I visited. The building was built before the rest of the town was established and is located next to the harbour.
Whilst doing the tour we learnt it has only two pot stills (distillation apparatus) which makes the site one of the smallest in Scotland. Whilst tasting the whisky here, the flavour is different to the other distilleries we have visited in Scotland. The Oban Distillery describes the taste as a ‘West Highland’ flavour which is an inbetween mix of the dry, smoky style of whisky being made in the Scottish islands (say, like Orkney) and the Highlands (which has a lighter texture and they used the malts in the region).
The distillery houses a museum and shop to buy the whisky. We brought a bottle of the 14-year old matured whiskey and we still haven’t opened it yet. Tours are available year-round. The standard tour includes three drams of Oban whisky and an insight into the whisky making process, including the still house. You can also enjoy a tutored tasting with four drams. Book ahead as there is limited availability on these tours. Full details can be found here.
After our tour of the distillery, we walked 108 steps to the seafront also known as the Esplanade. From here the views are just peaceful. I loved looking out to the sea but when I turned my back, I saw shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs. We tried a few establishments and eating out here was fantastic. The fish was fresh from the sea and the haggis was fresh from the nearby sheep.
Along the Esplanade is the harbour where visitors in the summer months can jump on boats to the nearby islands or visit the seal colonies. There is also the Oban Chocolate Company to check out as well as the Oban Peace and War museum. . To the north of the harbour is Dunollie Castle and grounds (which Olga and I didn’t get a chance to do as it was closed when we visited Oban but we are planning a return visit very shortly to this area so fingers crossed we will visit).
Overlooking the town is Battery Hill and on top is the town’s famous landmark, McCaig’s Tower. This historic monument is about 200 meters in circumference, has two tiers of lancet arches and is built of Bonawe granite which was taken from quarries nearby. The architect who designed this was John Stuart McCaig and was erected between 1897 and the death of McCaig in 1902. McCaig wanted to provide a lasting monument to his family and based the tower’s design on Roman architecture (maybe a hint of Greek in there also). Some locals say he designed the tower based on the Colosseum in Rome. The tower isn’t completed but the plans which McCaig drew up allowed for an art gallery, museum and another tower to be erected in the centre. Then he would have planned to have statues of himself, his siblings and a few other family members (Ok, me personally I was loving the idea of this building until the statue thing, a bit mobbed me thinks). When he died this brought the end to construction on the tower with only the outside walls completed. However we still found it to be a wonderful landmark and the views are to die for. There is another viewpoint to the south of the town which is known as Pulpit Hill. It’s another great place to take views overlooking the harbour and watch the boats come in and out of the area (or watch loads of birds fly over your heads!).
Dunstaffnage Castle
The castle is situated on the south-western entrance to Loch Etive (about ten minutes drive and 3.5 miles to the north of the town centre of Oban) and is surrounded by the sea on three of the sides. Dating back to the thirteenth century, this makes Dunstaffnage one of Scotland’s oldest castles. However it wasn’t the fact we came here to see one of Scotland’s ‘oldest’ castles, it was the fact that this castle was a mighty military and strategic stronghold. The defensive walls are thick. The views of the castle to see oncoming boats was a major advantage. No members of the Scottish royal family were coming here to have a relaxing time from their homes in Stirling or Edinburgh. In the name ‘Dunstaffnage’, the word ‘Dun’ actually means ‘fort’ in the local Gaelic language.
Loch Creran
Another stop to check out if you have a car is Loch Creran, which is about seventeen miles north and a thirty minute drive. We found it to be a quiet few hours taking in the scenery and going for a gentle stroll and we highly recommend it.
Oban in Summary
Oban is ideal for a quick stop over or a short weekend break and we were not disappointed. On our visit here, we wished we added on a couple of days so we could have checked out the Isle of Mull. We got on well with the locals, the food is good here and we loved our summer strolls along the seafront.
Essential information on Oban
How to get to Oban: By plane, the nearest international airports are Glasgow and Edinburgh. There are great connections from both airports to the city centre by public transport to connect to rail services to get around the rest of the country. The first place I would go to find airline tickets to the city is using (I would recommend) Skyscanner to find flights as that is my first point of call. Then if necessary use the airlines directly to find a good deal. I sometimes use Momondo as well to compare prices before booking.
By train, from Glasgow Central, it takes about three hours and thirty minutes and only a few a day run. Check Scotrail for rail times and ticket prices.
By car, coming the Glasgow and Edinburgh direction, take the M8 westbound all the way to Junction 30 and take M898 (a short motorway) to the end, and then head West on the A82 (signposted - Crianlarich). Follow the A82 for quite some time (passing through Crianlarich), until a junction with the A85 (signposted Oban) where you need to turn left there. Follow this road and it will take you into Oban via the northern side of the town. For those for the ferry port, stay on the A85 until a roundabout in the heart of town. Go straight over following signs for the ferry port and its there (next to the rail station). This is the most straightforward route from Glasgow to Oban and takes about two and a half hours.
However, I took both routes into Oban and the second takes a bit longer and is more scenic (how can this route be more scenic than the other, this part of Scotland is stunning all around!). Take the A82 north along Loch Lomond then take the turning to the west in Tarbet (Signposted - Arrochar and Campbeltown). Initially, follow the A83 to Inveraray and from there, take the A819 until you hit the A83 by Loch Awe and continue from there into the heart of Oban.
Car Rentals - as I do a lot of road trips around the world, I use Rentalcars.com which is very reliable for booking car hire in advance. I also use Turo (the airbnb of car rentals) and never had a problem with them. The cars are insured, owners vetted and never had an issue.
Accommodation: There are a lot of accommodation options and a lot of websites which can do some great deals. My first point of call is always Booking.com and can offer a range of hostels, hotels, campsites, apartments, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts.. After that I always have a look through AirBnb and Vrbo for great deals on apartments and other lodgings especially when traveling as a family.
Currency: Scotland uses the British Pound Sterling currency and also has their own bank notes from the Bank of Scotland which is also legal tender anywhere else in the United Kingdom. Currency can be exchanged at the airports and train stations (for a huge fee) so I would recommend either going to a currency exchange place downtown, to a bank (if they have good rates) or if you got a good bank account with fantastic exchange rates, then use an ATM machine (may incur a small fee but I always do this option as I got good bank accounts). A great website I use to compare currency exchange rates is XE, which gives people up to date information.
Language: Scotland uses English but they also have their own language in the highlands and western isles (mainly) called Gaelic. Although speakers of the Scottish language were persecuted over the centuries, Gaelic is still spoken today by around 60,000 Scots. Endowed with a rich heritage of music, folklore and cultural ecology, Gaelic in Scotland is thriving and enjoying a revival!
Travel insurance: This is essential to anywhere you go in the world. I always carry travel insurance. Having travel insurance will cover you from theft, illness and those annoying cancellations which can happen on the road. Safety Wing offers coverage for a lot of adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and so forth.
Need a visa for the UK? Always check if you need a visa when coming to the United Kingdom. Since leaving the European Union because of BrExit in January 2020, visa rules apply for those coming from the European Union.
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Please note that while I was not working with any companies in Oban, my review and experiences written about in this post are 100% genuine. I value my readers too much to lie to you. My blog would be nothing without you and your continued support! There maybe some links above which are affiliate and are at no additional cost to you. If my readers use them, I earn a commission to buy their products and remember, I only mentioned products and companies I use. The income from this keeps this website going. Thank you.
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