Oban • Isles of Mull, Iona & Staffa • Glasgow to Oban Drive
For a taste of Scotland’s west coast, head to Oban, a port town that’s equal parts endearing and functional. This busy little ferry and train terminus has no important sights, but makes up the difference in character, in scenery (with its low-impact panorama of overlapping islets and bobbing boats), and with one of Scotland’s best distillery tours. But Oban is also convenient: It’s midway between the Lowland cities (Glasgow and Edinburgh) and the Highland riches of the north (Glencoe, Isle of Skye). And it’s the “gateway to the isles,” with handy ferry service to the Hebrides Islands.
If time is tight and serious island-hopping is beyond the scope of your itinerary, Oban is ideally situated for a busy and memorable full-day side trip to three of the most worthwhile Inner Hebrides: big, rugged Mull; pristine little Iona, where buoyant clouds float over its historic abbey; and Staffa, a remote, grassy islet inhabited only by sea birds. (The best of the Inner Hebrides—the Isle of Skye—is covered in its own chapter.) Sit back, let someone else do the driving, and enjoy a tour of the Inner Hebrides.
This chapter also outlines the most scenic route between Glasgow and Oban (along the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and through the town of Inveraray, with its fine castle), with a detour through Kilmartin Glen, the prehistoric homeland of the Scottish people.
If you’re on a speedy blitz tour of Scotland, Oban is a strategic and pleasant place to spend the night. But you’ll need two nights to enjoy Oban’s main attraction: the side-trip to Mull, Iona, and Staffa. There are few actual sights in Oban itself, beyond the distillery tour, but—thanks to its manageable size, scenic waterfront setting, and great restaurants—the town is an enjoyable place to linger.
Oban (pronounced OH-bin) is a low-key resort. Its winding promenade is lined by gravel beaches, ice-cream stands, fish-and-chips joints, a tourable distillery, and a good choice of restaurants. Everything in Oban is close together, and the town seems eager to please its many visitors: Wool and tweed are perpetually on sale, and posters announce a variety of day tours to Scotland’s wild and wildlife-strewn western islands. When the rain clears, sun-starved Scots sit on benches along the Esplanade, leaning back to catch some rays. Wind, boats, gulls, layers of islands, and the promise of a wide-open Atlantic beyond give Oban a rugged charm.
Oban, with about 10,000 people, is where the train system of Scotland meets the ferry system serving the Hebrides Islands. As “gateway to the isles,” its center is not a square or market, but its harbor. Oban’s business action, just a couple of streets deep, stretches along the harbor and its promenade.
Oban’s TI, located at the North Pier, sells bus and ferry tickets and can help you sort through your island-hopping day-trip options (generally daily July-Aug 9:00-19:00, April-June until 17:30, Sept-March 10:00-17:00, 3 North Pier, tel. 01631/563-122, www.oban.org.uk).
Bookstore: Overlooking the harborfront, Waterstones offers maps and a fine collection of books on Scotland (Mon-Sat 9:00-17:30, Sun 11:00-17:00, longer hours July-Aug, 12 George Street, tel. 0843/290-8529).
Baggage Storage: The train station has pay luggage lockers, but is open limited hours (Mon-Sat 5:00-20:30, Sun 10:45-18:00)—confirm the closing time before committing.
Laundry: You’ll find Oban Quality Laundry tucked a block behind the main drag just off Stevenson Street (same-day drop-off service, no self-service, Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri 9:00-17:00, Wed and Sat 9:00-13:00, closed Sun, tel. 01631/563-554). The recommended Backpackers Plus Hostel (see “Sleeping in Oban”) will also do laundry for nonguests.
Supermarket: The giant Tesco is a five-minute walk from the train station (Mon-Sat until 24:00, Sun until 20:00, walk through Argyll Square and look for entrance to large parking lot on right, Lochside Street).
Bike Rental: Get wheels at Oban Cycles, right on the main drag (£25/day, Tue-Sat 10:00-17:00, closed Sun-Mon, 87 George Street, tel. 01631/566-033, www.obancyclescotland.com).
Bus Station: The “station” is just a pullout, marked by a stubby clock tower, at the roundabout in front of the train station. In peak season, it’s wise to book bus tickets the day before—either at the TI, or at the West Coast Tours office (see next).
Bus and Island Tour Tickets: A block from the train station in the bright-red building along the harbor, West Coast Tours sells bus- and island-tour tickets (Tue-Sat 6:30-17:30, Sun-Mon from 8:30, 17 George Street, tel. 01631/566-809, www.westcoasttours.co.uk [URL inactive]).
Highland Games: Oban hosts its touristy Highland Games every August (www.obangames.com), and the more local-oriented Lorne Highland Games some years in June (www.lorne-highland-games.org.uk). Nearby Taynuilt, a 20-minute drive east, hosts their sweetly small-town Highland Games in mid-July (www.taynuilthighlandgames.com).
For the best day trip from Oban, tour the islands of Mull, Iona, and/or Staffa (offered daily Easter-Oct, described later)—or consider staying overnight on remote and beautiful Iona. With more time or other interests, consider one of many other options you’ll see advertised.
If you just want to go for a boat ride, the easiest option is the one-hour seal-watching tour (£10, various companies—look for signs at the harbor). But to really get a good look at Scottish coastal wildlife, several groups—including Coastal Connection (based in Oban, https://coastal-connection.co.uk) and Sealife Adventures and SeaFari (based in nearby coastal towns, https://sealife-adventures.com and www.seafari.co.uk/oban)—run whale-watching tours that seek out rare minke whales, basking sharks, bottlenose dolphins, and porpoises. For an even more ambitious itinerary, the holy grail is Treshnish Island (out past Staffa), which brims with puffins, seals, and other sea critters. For multi-day cruising trips around the islands, try St. Hilda Sea Adventures, with their own small fleet of boats (www.sthildaseaadventures.co.uk).
If the weather is good and you’d like to get out on the water under your own power, Sea Kayak Oban rents gear and offers classes and guided tours for novice and experienced kayakers. A full-day tour costs £90 including equipment (office at 6 Argyll Street, tel. 01631/565-310, www.seakayakoban.com).
If the west-coast weather permits, get oriented to the town while taking a break: Head out to the North Pier, just past the TI, and find the benches that face back toward town (in front of the recommended Piazza restaurant). Take a seat and get to know Oban.
Scan the harborfront from left to right, surveying the mix of grand Victorian sandstone buildings and humbler modern storefronts. At the far-right end of town is the ferry terminal and—very likely—a huge ferry loading or unloading. Oban has always been on the way to somewhere, and today is no different. (A recent tourism slogan: Oban...it’s closer than you think.) The townscape seems dominated by Caledonian-MacBrayne, Scotland’s biggest ferry company. CalMac’s 30 ships serve 24 destinations and transport over 4 million passengers a year. The town’s port has long been a lifeline to the islands.
Hiding near the ferry terminal is the train station. With the arrival of the train in 1880, Oban became the unofficial capital of Scotland’s west coast and a destination for tourists. Close by is the former Caledonian Hotel, the original terminus hotel (now the Perle Oban Hotel) that once served those train travelers.
Tourism aside, herring was the first big industry. A dozen boats still fish commercially—you’ll see them tucked around the ferry terminal. The tourist board, in an attempt to entice tourists to linger longer, is trying to rebrand Oban as a “seafood capital” rather than just the “gateway to the isles.” As the ocean’s supply has become depleted, most local fish is farmed. There’s still plenty of shellfish.
After fishing, big industries here historically included tobacco (imported from the American colonies), then whisky. At the left end of the embankment, find the building marked The Oban Distillery. It’s rare to find a distillery in the middle of a town, but Oban grew up around this one. With the success of its whisky, the town enjoyed an invigorating confidence, optimism, and, in 1811, a royal charter. Touring Oban’s distillery is the best activity in Oban.
Above the distillery, you can’t miss the odd mini-Colosseum. This is McCaig’s Tower, an employ-the-workers-and-build-me-a-fine-memorial project undertaken by an Oban tycoon in 1900. McCaig died before completing the structure, so his complete vision for it remains a mystery. This is an example of a “folly”—that uniquely British notion of an idiosyncratic structure erected by a colorful aristocrat. Building a folly was an in-your-face kind of extravagance many extremely wealthy people enjoyed even when surrounded by struggling working-class people (an urge that survives among some of the upper crust to this day). While the building itself is nothing to see up close, a 10-minute hike through a Victorian residential neighborhood leads you to a peaceful garden and a commanding view (nice at sunset).
Now turn and look out to sea, and imagine this: At the height of the Cold War, Oban played a critical role when the world’s first two-way transatlantic telephone cable was laid from Gallanach Bay to Newfoundland in 1956—a milestone in global communication. This technology later provided the White House and the Kremlin with the “hotline” that was created after the Cuban Missile Crisis to avoid a nuclear conflagration.
Founded in 1794, Oban Whisky Distillery produces more than 25,000 liters a week, and exports much of that to the US. Their exhibition (upstairs, free to all) gives a quick, whisky-centric history of Oban and Scotland.
The distillery offers serious and fragrant one-hour tours explaining the process from start to finish, with two smooth samples of their signature product: Oban whisky is moderately smoky (“peaty”) and characterized by notes of sea salt, citrus, and honey. You’ll also receive a whisky glass and a discount coupon for the shop. This is the handiest whisky tour you’ll encounter—just a block off the harbor—and one of the best. Come 10 minutes before your tour starts to check out the exhibition upstairs. Then your guide will walk you through each step of the process: malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation, and maturation. Photos are not allowed inside.
Cost and Hours: Tours cost £12, are limited to 16 people and depart every 20 to 30 minutes. Tours fill up, so for the greatest choice of times, book in advance by phone or online. Or drop by in person—unless it’s really a busy day, you should be able pay for a tour leaving in the next hour or so, then easily pass time in the town center. Generally open July-Sept Mon-Fri 9:30-19:30, Sat-Sun until 17:00; March-June and Oct-Nov daily 9:30-17:00; Dec-Feb daily 12:00-16:30; last tour 1.25 hours before closing, Stafford Street, tel. 01631/572-004, www.obanwhisky.com.
Serious Tasting: Connoisseurs can ask about their “exclusive tour,” which adds a visit to the warehouse and four premium tastings in the manager’s office (£75, 2 hours, likely July-Sept Mon-Fri at 16:00 only, reservation required).
Opened in 1995 on the 50th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, this charming little museum focuses on Oban’s experience during World War II. But it covers more than just war and peace. Photos show Oban through the years, and a 15-minute looped video gives a simple tour around the town and region. Volunteer staffers love to chat about the exhibit—or anything else on your mind (free; May-Oct Mon-Thu 10:00-18:00, Fri-Sun and off-season until 16:00; next to Regent Hotel on the promenade, tel. 01631/570-007, www.obanmuseum.org.uk).
In a park just a mile up the coast, a ruined castle and an old house hold an intimate collection of clan family treasures. This spartan, stocky castle with 10-foot walls offers a commanding, windy view of the harbor—a strategic spot back in the days when transport was mainly by water. For more than a thousand years, clan chiefs ruled this region from this ancestral home of Clan MacDougall, but the castle was abandoned in 1746. The adjacent house, which dates from 1745, shows off the MacDougall clan’s heritage with a handful of rooms filled with a humble yet fascinating trove of treasures. While the exhibit won’t dazzle you, the family and clan pride in the display, their “willow garden,” and the lovely walk from Oban make the visit fun.
To get there, head out of town along the harborfront promenade. At the war memorial (with inviting seaview benches), cross the street. A gate leads to a little lane, lined with historic and nature boards along the way to the castle.
Cost and Hours: £6, Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun from 13:00; free tours given most days at 10:30 and 14:30, Sun 12:30 only; closed Nov-March, tel. 01631/570-550, www.dunollie.org.
This industrial-type sports center has a rock-climbing wall, tennis courts, indoor “soft play centre” (for kids under 5), and an indoor swimming pool with a big water slide. The outdoor playground is free and open all the time (pool only-£4.50, no rental towels or suits, fees for other activities; open Mon-Fri 6:30-21:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-18:00; on the north end of Dalriach Road, tel. 01631/566-800, www.atlantisleisure.co.uk).
The club has welcomed visitors since 1869. This elegant green is the scene of a wonderfully British spectacle of old men tiptoeing wishfully after their balls. It’s fun to watch, and—if there’s no match scheduled and the weather’s dry—anyone can rent shoes and balls and actually play (£5/person; generally daily 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-16:00 or “however long the weather lasts”; just south of sports center on Dalriach Road, tel. 01631/570-808).
The isles of Mull, Iona, and Staffa are farther out, require a full day to visit, and are described later in this chapter. For a quicker glimpse at the Inner Hebrides, consider these two options.
Functioning like a giant breakwater, the Isle of Kerrera (KEH-reh-rah) makes Oban possible. Just offshore from Oban, this stark but very green island offers a quick, easy opportunity to get that romantic island experience. While it has no proper roads, it offers nice hikes, a ruined castle, and a few sheep farms. It’s also a fine place to bike (ask for advice at Oban Cycles; see “Helpful Hints,” earlier). You may see the Kerrera ferry filled with sheep heading for Oban’s livestock market.
Getting There: You have two options for reaching the island. A boat operated by the Oban Marina goes from Oban’s North Pier to the Kerrera Marina in the northern part of the island (£5 round-trip, roughly every hour, book ahead at tel. 01631/565-333, www.obanmarina.com).
A ferry departs from Gallanach (two miles south of Oban) and goes to the middle of the island. This is the best option if you want to hike to Kerrera’s castle (passengers only, £4.80 round-trip, bikes free, runs 10:30-12:30 & 14:00-18:00, none off-season, 5-minute ride, tel. 01475/650-397, www.calmac.co.uk). To reach Gallanach, drive south, following the coast road past the ferry terminal (parking available).
Eating and Sleeping on Kerrera: With a laid-back patio, $$ Waypoint Bar & Grill has a simple menu of steak, burgers, and seafood; on a nice day the open-air waterside setting is unbeatable (late May-Sept Thu-Sun lunch 12:00-14:30, Tue-Sun dinner 17:30-21:00, bar opens at 17:00, closed Mon and in winter, reservations highly recommended, tel. 01631/565-333, www.obanmarina.com). For lodging, your only option is the $ Kerrera Bunkhouse, a refurbished 18th-century stable that can sleep up to seven people in a small, cozy space (1 double and 5 single bunks, 2-night minimum, includes bedding but not towels, open Easter-Oct but must book ahead, kitchen, tel. 01631/566-367, www.kerrerabunkhouse.co.uk, info@kerrerabunkhouse.co.uk, Martin and Aideen). They also run a tea garden that serves meals (daily 10:30-16:30, closed Oct-Easter).
Enjoy a drive, a walk, some solitude, and the sea. Drive 12 miles south of Oban on the A-816 to the B-844 to the Isle of Seil (pronounced “seal”), connected to the mainland by a bridge (which, locals like to brag, “crosses the Atlantic”...well, maybe a small part of it).
Just over the bridge on the Isle of Seil is a pub called Tigh-an-Truish (“House of Trousers”). After the Jacobite rebellions, a new law forbade the wearing of kilts on the mainland. Highlanders on the island used this pub to change from kilts to trousers before they made the crossing. The pub serves great meals and good seafood dishes to those either in kilts or pants (pub generally open daily—call ahead, tel. 01852/300-242).
Seven miles across the island, on a tiny second island and facing the open Atlantic, is Easdale, a historic, touristy, windblown little slate-mining town with a small folk museum (shuttle ferry goes the 300 yards). Wildlife/nature tours plus tours to Iona and Staffa also run from Easdale (www.seafari.co.uk).
Little Oban has a few options for entertaining its many visitors; check ObanWhatsOn.co.uk. Fun low-key activities may include open-mike, disco, or quiz theme nights in pubs; occasional Scottish folk shows; coffee meetings; and—if you’re lucky—duck races. On Wednesday nights, the Oban Pipe Band plays in the square by the train station. Here are a few other ways to entertain yourself while in town.
Music and Group Dancing: On many summer nights, you can climb the stairs to The View, a sprawling venue on the main drag for music and dancing. There’s ceilidh (KAY-lee) dancing a couple of times per week, where you can learn some group dances to music performed by a folk band (including, usually, a piper). These group dances are a lot of fun—wallflowers and bad dancers are warmly welcomed, and the staff is happy to give you pointers (£9, May-Sept Mon & Thu at 21:00, sometimes also Sat). They also host concerts by folk and traditional bands (check website for schedule, 34 George Street, tel. 01631/569-599, www.obanview.com).
Traditional Music: Various pubs and hotels in town have live traditional music in the summer; the TI compiles these into its Oban Music Trail map—ask your B&B host or at the TI for the latest. The Royal Hotel, just above the train station on Argyll Square, is one popular venue.
Cinema: True to its name, The Phoenix Cinema closed down but then was saved by the community. It’s now volunteer-run and booming (140 George Street, tel. 01631/562-905, www.obanphoenix.com).
Characteristic Pubs: With decor that shows off Oban’s maritime heritage, Aulay’s Bar has two sides, each with a different personality (I like the right-hand side). Having a drink here invariably comes with a good “blether” (conversation), and the gang is mostly local (daily 11:00-24:00, 8 Airds Crescent, just around the corner from the train station and ferry terminal). The Oban Inn, right on the harborfront, is also a fun and memorable place for a pint and possibly live music.
Oban’s B&Bs offer a much better value than its hotels.
The following B&Bs line up on a quiet, flowery street that’s nicely located two blocks off the harbor, three blocks from the center, and a 10-minute walk from the train station. Rooms here are compact and don’t have views, but the location can’t be beat.
By car, as you enter town from the north, turn left immediately after King’s Knoll Hotel, and take your first right onto Breadalbane Street. (“Strathaven Terrace” is actually just the name for this row of houses on Breadalbane Street.) The alley behind the buildings has tight, free parking for all of these places.
$$ Rose Villa Guest House has five crisp and cheery rooms (at #5, tel. 01631/566-874, www.rosevillaoban.co.uk, info@rosevillaoban.co.uk, Stuart and Jacqueline).
$ Raniven Guest House has five simple, tastefully decorated rooms and gracious, fun-loving hosts Moyra and Stuart (cash only, 2-night minimum in summer, continental breakfast, at #1, tel. 01631/562-713, www.ranivenoban.com, bookings@ranivenoban.com).
$ Sandvilla B&B rents five pleasant, polished rooms (2-night minimum in summer, at #4, tel. 01631/564-483, www.holidayoban.co.uk, sandvilla@holidayoban.co.uk, Josephine and Robert).
These are a 10-minute walk from the center along the Corran Esplanade, which stretches north of town above a cobble beach. Rooms here are generally spacious and many have beautiful bay views. Walking from town, you’ll reach them in this order: Kilchrenan, Glenburnie, and Barriemore.
$$$ Glenburnie House, a stately Victorian home, has an elegant breakfast room overlooking the bay. Its 12 spacious, comfortable, classy rooms feel like plush living rooms. There’s a nice lounge and a tiny sunroom with a stuffed “hairy coo” head (closed mid-Nov-March, tel. 01631/562-089, www.glenburnie.co.uk, stay@glenburnie.co.uk, Graeme).
$$$ Barriemore B&B, at the very end of Oban’s grand waterfront Esplanade, is a welcome refuge after a day of exploration. Its 14 well-appointed rooms come with robes, sherry, etc. It has a nice front patio, spacious breakfast room, and glassed-in sun porch with a view of the water (family suite, closed Nov-March, tel. 01631/566-356, www.barriemore.co.uk, info@barriemore.co.uk, Jan and Mark).
$$ Kilchrenan House, the turreted former retreat of a textile magnate, has 15 large rooms, most with bay views. The stunning rooms #5, #9, and #15 are worth the few extra pounds, while the “standard” rooms in the newer annex are a good value (2-night minimum for some rooms, welcome drink of whisky or sherry, different “breakfast special” every day, family rooms, closed Oct-March, tel. 01631/562-663, www.kilchrenanhouse.co.uk, info@kilchrenanhouse.co.uk, Colin and Frances).
These places perch on the hill above the main waterfront zone—a short (but uphill) walk from all of the action. Many rooms come with views, and are priced accordingly.
$$$$ Greystones is an enticing splurge. It fills a big, stately, turreted mansion at the top of town with five spacious rooms that mix Victorian charm and sleek gray-and-white minimalism. Built as the private home for the director of Kimberley Diamond Mine, it later became a maternity hospital, and today Cathy and John run it as a stylish and restful retreat. The lounge and breakfast room offer stunning views over Oban and the offshore isles (closed Nov-mid-Feb, 1-3 Dalriach Road, tel. 01631/562-423, www.greystonesoban.co.uk, stay@greystonesoban.co.uk).
$$ Gramarvin B&B feels a little more homey and personal, with just two rooms and warm host Mary. Window seats in each room provide a lovely view over Oban, but be warned—the climb up from town and then up their stairs is steep (simple breakfast, cash only, 2-night minimum in summer preferred, on-street parking, Benvoulin Road, tel. 01631/564-622, www.gramarvin.co.uk, mary@gramarvin.co.uk, Mary and Joe).
$$ Dunheanish Guest House offers six pleasant rooms (two on the ground floor) and wide-open views from its perch above town, which you can enjoy from the front stone patio, breakfast room, and several guest rooms (lots of stairs, parking, Ardconnel Road, tel. 01631/566-556, www.dunheanish.com, info@dunheanish.com, William and Linda).
$$ Hawthornbank Guest House fills a big Victorian sandstone house with seven traditional-feeling rooms. Half of the rooms face bay views, and the other half overlook the town’s lawn-bowling green (2-night minimum in summer, Dalriach Road, tel. 01631/562-041, www.hawthornbank.co.uk, info@hawthornbank.co.uk).
A number of hotels are in the center of town along or near the main drag—but you’ll pay for the convenience.
$$$$ Perle Oban Hotel is your luxury boutique splurge. Right across from the harbor, it has 59 super-sleek rooms with calming sea-color walls, decorative bath-tile floors, and rain showers (suites, fancy restaurant, bar with light bites, pay parking nearby, Station Square, tel. 01631/700-301, www.perleoban.co.uk [URL inactive], stay@perleoban.co.uk).
$$$ The Ranald is a modern change of pace from the B&B scene. This narrow, 17-room, three-floor hotel has a budget-boutique vibe; they also rent eight studio apartments on the same street (family rooms, bar, no elevator, street parking, a block behind the Royal Hotel at 41 Stevenson Street, tel. 01631/562-887, https://theranaldhotel.com, info@theranaldhotel.com).
¢ Backpackers Plus is central, laid-back, and fun. It fills part of a renovated old church with a sprawling public living room and a staff generous with travel tips. Check out the walls as you go up to the reception desk—they’re covered with graffiti messages from guests (10-minute walk from station, on Breadalbane Street, tel. 01631/567-189, www.backpackersplus.com, info@backpackersplus.com, Peter). They have two other locations nearby with private rooms.
¢ The official SYHA hostel is institutional but occupies a grand building on the waterfront Esplanade with smashing views of the harbor and islands from the lounges and dining rooms (all rooms en suite, private rooms available, also has family rooms and 8-bed apartment with kitchen, bike storage, tel. 01631/562-025, www.hostellingscotland.org.uk, oban@hostellingscotland.org.uk).
Oban brags that it is the “seafood capital of Scotland,” and indeed its sit-down restaurants are surprisingly high quality for such a small town. For something more casual, consider a fish-and-chips joint.
These fill up in summer, especially on weekends. To ensure getting a table, you’ll want to book ahead. The first five are generally open daily from 12:00-15:00 and 17:30-21:00.
$$$ Ee’usk (Scottish Gaelic for “fish”) is a popular, stylish seafood place on the waterfront. It has a casual-chic, yacht-clubby atmosphere, with a bright and glassy interior and sweeping views on three sides—fun for watching the ferries come and go. They sometimes offer an early-bird special until 18:45, and their seafood platters are a hit. Reservations are recommended (no kids under age 12 at dinner, North Pier, tel. 01631/565-666, www.eeusk.com, MacLeod family).
$$$ Cuan Mòr is a popular, casual restaurant that combines traditional Scottish food with modern flair—both in its crowd-pleasing cuisine and in its furnishings, made of wood, stone, and metal scavenged from the beaches of Scotland’s west coast (brewery in back, 60 George Street, tel. 01631/565-078, www.cuanmor.co.uk). Its harborside tables on the sidewalk are popular when it’s warm.
$$$ Coast proudly serves fresh local fish, meat, and veggies in a mod pine-and-candlelight atmosphere. As everything is cooked to order and presented with care by husband-and-wife team Richard and Nicola—who try to combine traditional Scottish elements in innovative new ways—this is no place to dine and dash (two- and three-course specials, closed Sun for lunch, 104 George Street, tel. 01631/569-900, www.coastoban.co.uk).
$$ Baab Grill brings a refreshing taste of the Eastern Mediterranean to Western Scotland. Besides the usual standbys (baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, moussaka) the menu includes some “fusion” dishes such as Scottish salmon in a tahini sauce (attached to the Perle Oban Hotel, no midday closure, Station Road, tel. 01631/707-130, www.baabgrill.co.uk).
$$ Piazza, next door to Ee’usk, is a casual, family-friendly place serving basic Italian dishes with a great harborfront location. They have some outdoor seats and big windows facing the sea (smart to reserve ahead July-Aug, tel. 01631/563-628, www.piazzaoban.com).
$$ Oban Fish and Chips Shop—run by Lewis, Sammy, and their family—serves praiseworthy haddock and mussels among other tasty options in a cheery cabana-like dining room. Consider venturing away from basic fish-and-chips into a world of more creative seafood dishes—like their tiny squat lobster. You can bring your own wine for no charge (daily, sit-down restaurant closes at 21:00, takeaway available later, 116 George Street, tel. 01631/569-828).
$ Oban Seafood Hut, in a green shack facing the ferry dock, is a finger-licking festival of cheap and fresh seafood. John and Marion regularly get fresh deliveries from local fishermen—this is the best spot to pick up a seafood sandwich or a snack. They sell smaller bites (such as cold sandwiches), as well as some bigger cold platters and a few hot dishes (outdoor seating only, daily from 10:00 until the boat unloads from Mull around 18:00).
$ Dolce Vita has a prime location on the main drag to sit outside when the sun shines. It does nice soups, sandwiches, and panini (daily 8:00-18:00, 62 George Street, tel. 01631/571-221).
By Train: Trains link Oban to the nearest transportation hub in Glasgow (6/day, fewer on Sun, 3 hours); to get to Edinburgh, you’ll transfer in Glasgow (roughly 6/day, 4.5 hours). To reach Fort William (a transit hub for the Highlands), you’ll take the same Glasgow-bound train, but transfer in Crianlarich (3/day, 4 hours)—the direct bus is easier (see next). Oban’s small train station has a ticket window and lockers (both open Mon-Sat 5:00-20:30, Sun 10:45-18:00). Train info: Tel. 0845-748-4950, NationalRail.co.uk.
By Bus: Bus #918 passes through Ballachulish—a half-mile from Glencoe—on its way to Fort William (2/day, 1 hour to Ballachulish, 1.5 hours total to Fort William). Take this bus to Fort William, then transfer to reach Inverness (4 hours) or Portree on the Isle of Skye (5 hours)—see here for onward bus information. A different bus (#976 or #977) connects Oban with Glasgow (5/day, 3 hours), from where you can easily connect by bus or train to Edinburgh (figure 4.5 hours). Buses arrive and depart from a roundabout, marked by a stubby clock tower, just before the entrance to the train station (tel. 0871-266-3333, www.citylink.co.uk). You can buy bus tickets at the West Coast shop near the bus stop, or at the TI across the harbor. Book in advance during peak times.
By Boat: Ferries fan out from Oban to the southern Hebrides (see information on the islands of Iona and Mull, later). Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry info: Tel. 0800-066-5000, CalMac.co.uk.
From Glasgow to Oban via Loch Lomond and Inveraray: For details on this photogenic route from Glasgow to the coast, see the “Glasgow to Oban Drive” at the end of this chapter.
From Oban to Glencoe and Fort William: It’s an easy one-hour drive from Oban to Glencoe. From Oban, follow the coastal A-828 toward Fort William. After about 20 miles—as you leave the village of Appin—you’ll see the photogenic Castle Stalker marooned on a lonely island (you can pull over at the Castle Stalker View Café for a good photo from just below its parking lot). At North Ballachulish, you’ll reach a bridge spanning Loch Leven; rather than crossing the bridge, turn off and follow the A-82 into the Glencoe Valley for about 15 minutes. (For tips on the best views and hikes in Glencoe, see the next chapter.) After exploring the dramatic valley, make a U-turn and return through Glencoe village. To continue on to Fort William, backtrack to the bridge at North Ballachulish (great view from bridge) and cross it, following the A-82 north.
For a scenic shortcut directly back to Glasgow or Edinburgh, continue south on the A-82 after Glencoe via Rannoch Moor and Tyndrum. Crianlarich is where the road splits, and you’ll either continue on the A-82 toward Loch Lomond and Glasgow or pick up the A-85 and follow signs for Stirling, then Edinburgh.
For the easiest one-day look at a good sample of the dramatic and historic Inner Hebrides (HEB-rid-eez) islands, take a tour from Oban to Mull, Iona, and Staffa. Though this trip is spectacular when it’s sunny, it’s worthwhile in any weather (but if rain or rough seas are expected, I’d skip the Staffa option). For an even more in-depth look at the Inner Hebrides, head north to Skye.
To visit Mull and ultimately Iona, you’ll take a huge ferry run by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) from Oban to the town of Craignure on Mull (45 minutes). From there, you’ll ride a bus or drive across Mull to its westernmost ferry terminal, called Fionnphort (1.25 hours), where you can catch the ferry to Iona (10 minutes) for several hours of free time. It’s a long journey, but it’s all incredibly scenic.
By Tour (Easiest): If you book a tour with West Coast Tours, all of the transportation is taken care of. The CalMac ferry leaves from the Oban pier daily at 9:50 (as schedule can change from year to year, confirm times locally; board at least 20 minutes before departure). You can buy tickets online at www.westcoasttours.co.uk [URL inactive], from the West Coast Tours office, or from the Tour Shop Oban at the ferry building (tel. 01631/562-244, tourshop@calmac.co.uk). Book as far in advance as possible for July and August (tickets can sell out). When you book, you’ll receive a strip of tickets—one for each leg; if you book online, you must go to the West Coast Tours office and collect the tickets in person (£39; April-Oct only, no tours Nov-March).
Tour Tips: The best inside seats on the Oban-Mull ferry—with the biggest windows—are in the sofa lounge on the “observation deck” (level 4) at the back end of the boat. (Follow signs for the toilets, and look for the big staircase to the top floor). The ferry has a fine cafeteria with hot meals and packaged sandwiches, a small snack bar on the top floor (hot drinks and basic sandwiches), and a bookshop. If it’s a clear day, ask a local or a crew member to point out Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Britain. Five minutes before landing on Mull, you’ll see the striking 13th-century Duart Castle on the left.
Walk-on passengers disembark from deck 3, across from the bookshop (port side). Upon arrival in Mull, find your bus for the entertaining and informative ride across the Isle of Mull. The right (driver’s) side offers better sea views during the second half of the journey to Fionnphort, while the left side has fine views of Mull’s rolling wilderness. The driver spends the entire ride chattering away about life on Mull, slowing to point out wildlife, and sharing adages like, “If there’s no flowers on the gorse, snogging’s gone out of fashion.” These hardworking locals make historical trivia fascinating—or at least fun. At Fionnphort, you’ll board a small, rocking ferry to Iona. You’ll have about two hours to roam freely around the island before returning to Oban (arrives around 18:00).
By Public Transit: For an early start, fewer crowds, and more time on Iona (including spending the night—see “Sleeping and Eating on Iona”), or if you don’t get a space on the tour described earlier, you can take the early ferry and public bus across Mull, paying individually per leg (Tue-Sat only; approximate round-trip prices: £7.40 for Oban-Mull ferry, £15 for public bus across Mull, £3.50 for Mull-Iona ferry).
Take the first boat of the day (departs about 7:30, buy ticket at Oban ferry terminal), then connect at Mull to bus #96 or #496 to Fionnphort (departs 8:25, 80 minutes, buy ticket from driver, no tour narration, no guarantee you’ll get to sit), then hop on the Iona ferry (roughly every 30 minutes, buy ticket from small trailer ferry office; if closed, purchase ticket from ferry worker at the dock; cash or credit/debit cards accepted; leaving Iona, do the same, as there’s no ferry office). You’ll have about four hours on Iona and will need to return to Fionnphort in time for the bus back (15:15). It’s important to confirm all of these times in Oban (just pop in to the West Coast Tours office or the ferry terminal Tour Shop).
By Car: You can do this trip on your own by driving your car onto the ferry to Mull. Space is limited so book way in advance. Keep in mind that because of tight ferry timings, you’ll wind up basically following the tour buses anyway, but you’ll miss all of the commentary. Note that no visitor cars are allowed on Iona (£27.50 round-trip for the car, plus passengers, www.calmac.co.uk).
By Taxi: Alan from Mull Taxi can get you around his home island, and also offers day trips (tel. 07760/426-351, www.mulltaxi.co.uk).
With two extra hours, you can add a Staffa side trip to your Mull/Iona visit. You’ll ferry from Oban to Mull, take a bus across Mull to Fionnphort, then board a Staffa Tours boat (35-minute trip, about an hour of free time on Staffa). From Staffa you’ll head to Iona for about two hours before returning to Mull for the bus then ferry back to Oban. You can either depart Oban on the 9:50 ferry, arriving back to Oban around 20:05; or do the “early bird” tour, departing at 7:30 and returning at 18:00 (£35 for the Staffa portion, daily; book through West Coast Tours or Staffa Tours—mobile 07831-885-985, www.staffatours.com).
For a more relaxed schedule, Staffa Trips offers a guided tour with the same route as described above, but with more time on Staffa and Iona (£35, daily, depart Fionnphort at 10:30, tel. 01681/700-358, www.staffatrips.co.uk).
Turus Mara offers nature/wildlife tours to just Staffa or Staffa and the small island of Ulva, departing from Oban (book at Tour Shop at Oban ferry terminal or contact Turus Mara—tel. 01688/400-242, www.turusmara.com [URL inactive]).
The Isle of Mull, the second largest of the Inner Hebrides (after Skye), has nearly 300 scenic miles of coastline and castles and a 3,169-foot-high mountain, one of Scotland’s Munros. Called Ben More (“Big Mountain” in Gaelic), it was once much bigger. At 10,000 feet tall, it made up the entire island of Mull—until a volcano erupted. Things are calmer now, and, similarly, Mull has a noticeably laid-back population. My bus driver reported that there are no deaths from stress, and only a few from boredom.
With steep, fog-covered hillsides topped by cairns (piles of stones, sometimes indicating graves) and ancient stone circles, Mull has a gloomy, otherworldly charm. Bring plenty of rain protection and wear layers in case the sun peeks through the clouds. As my driver said, Mull is a place of cold, wet, windy winters and mild, wet, windy summers.
On the far side of Mull, the caravan of tour buses unloads at Fionnphort, a tiny ferry town. The ferry to the island of Iona takes about 200 walk-on passengers. Confirm the return time with your bus driver, then hustle to the dock to make the first trip over (otherwise, it’s a 30-minute wait; on very busy days, those who dillydally may not fit on the first ferry). At the dock, there’s a small ferry-passenger building with a meager snack bar and a pay WC; a more enticing seafood bar is across the street. After the 10-minute ride, you wash ashore on sleepy Iona (free WC on this side), and the ferry mobs that crowded you on the boat seem to disappear up the main road and into Iona’s back lanes.
The tiny island of Iona, just 3 miles by 1.5 miles, is famous as the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. If you’re on the West Coast Tours bus trip from Oban outlined earlier, you’ll have about two hours here on your own before you retrace your steps (your bus driver will tell you which return ferry to take back to Mull).
A pristine quality of light and a thoughtful peace pervades the stark, (nearly) car-free island and its tiny community. With buoyant clouds bouncing playfully off distant bluffs, sparkling-white crescents of sand, and lone tourists camped thoughtfully atop huge rocks just looking out to sea, Iona is a place that’s perfect for meditation. To experience Iona, it’s important to get out and take a little hike; you can follow some or all of my self-guided walk outlined below. And you can easily climb a peak—nothing’s higher than 300 feet above the sea.
The ferry arrives at the island’s only real village, Baile Mòr, with shops, a restaurant/pub, a few accommodations, and no bank (get cash back with a purchase at the grocery store). The only taxi based on Iona is Iona Taxi (mobile 07810-325-990, www.ionataxi.co.uk). Up the road from the ferry dock is a little Spar grocery with free island maps. Iona’s official website (www.isle-of-iona.net) has good information about the island.
Here’s a basic self-guided route for exploring Iona on foot (since no private cars are permitted unless you’re a resident or have a permit). With the standard two hours on Iona that a day trip allows, you will have time for a visit to the abbey (with a guided tour and/or audioguide) and then a light stroll; or do the entire walk described below, but skip the abbey (unless you have time for a quick visit on your way back).
Nunnery Ruins: From the ferry dock, head directly up the single paved road that passes through the village and up a small hill to visit one of Britain’s best-preserved medieval nunneries (free).
Immediately after the nunnery, turn right on North Road. You’ll curve up through the fields—passing the parish church.
Heritage Center: This little museum, tucked behind the church (watch for signs), is small but well done, with displays on local and natural history and a tiny tearoom (free but donation requested, closed Sun and in off-season, tel. 01681/700-576, www.ionaheritage.co.uk).
St. Oran’s Chapel and Iona Abbey: Continue on North Road. After the road swings right, you’ll soon see St. Oran’s Chapel, in the graveyard of the Iona Abbey. This chapel is the oldest church building on the island. Inside you’ll find a few grave slabs carved in the distinctive Iona School style, which was developed by local stone-carvers in the 14th century. On these tall, skinny headstones, look for the depictions of medieval warrior aristocrats with huge swords. Many more of these carvings have been moved to the abbey, where you can see them in its cloister and museum.
St. Columba (521-597), an Irish scholar, soldier, priest, and founder of monasteries, got into a small war over the possession of an illegally copied psalm book. Victorious but sickened by the bloodshed, Columba left Ireland, vowing never to return. According to legend, the first bit of land out of sight of his homeland was Iona. He stopped here in 563 and established an abbey.
Columba’s monastic community flourished, and Iona became the center of Celtic Christianity. Missionaries from Iona spread the gospel throughout Scotland and northern England, while scholarly monks established Iona as a center of art and learning. The Book of Kells—perhaps the finest piece of manuscript art from early medieval Europe—was probably made on Iona in the eighth century. The island was so important that it was the legendary burial place for ancient Scottish clan chieftains and kings (including Macbeth, of Shakespeare fame) and even some Scandinavian monarchs.
Slowly, the importance of Iona ebbed. Vikings massacred 68 monks in 806. Fearing more raids, the monks evacuated most of Iona’s treasures to Ireland (including the Book of Kells, which is now in Dublin). Much later, with the Reformation, the abbey was abandoned, and most of its finely carved crosses were destroyed. In the 17th century, locals used the abbey only as a handy quarry for other building projects.
Iona’s population peaked at about 500 in the 1830s. In the 1840s, a potato famine hit, and in the 1850s, a third of the islanders emigrated to Canada or Australia. By 1900, the population was down to 210, and today it’s only around 200.
But in our generation, a new religious community has given the abbey fresh life. The Iona Community is an ecumenical gathering of men and women who seek new ways of living the Gospel in today’s world, with a focus on worship, peace and justice issues, and reconciliation (http://iona.org.uk).
It’s free to see the graveyard and chapel; the ▲ Iona Abbey itself has an admission fee, but it’s worth the cost just to sit in the stillness of its lovely, peaceful interior courtyard (£9, tel. 01681/700-512, www.historicenvironment.scot—search for “Iona Abbey”).
The abbey marks the site of Christianity’s arrival in Scotland. You’ll see Celtic crosses, the original shrine of St. Columba, a big church slathered with medieval carvings, a tranquil cloister, and an excellent museum with surviving fragments of this site’s fascinating layers of history. While the present abbey, nunnery, and graveyard go back to the 13th century, much of what you’ll see was rebuilt in the 20th century. Be sure to read the “History of Iona” sidebar to prepare for your visit.
At the entrance building, pick up your included audioguide, and ask about the good 30-minute guided tours (4/day and worthwhile). Then head toward the church. You’ll pass two faded Celtic crosses (and the base of a third); the originals are in the museum at the end of your visit. Some experts believe that Celtic crosses—with their distinctive shape so tied to Christianity on the British Isles—originated right here on Iona.
Facing the entrance to the church, you’ll see the original shrine to St. Columba on your left—a magnet for pilgrims.
Head inside the church. It feels like an active church—with hymnals neatly stacked in the pews—because it is, thanks to the Iona community. While much of this space has been rebuilt, take a moment to look around. Plenty of original medieval stone carving (especially the capitals of many columns) still survives. To see a particularly striking example, stand near the pulpit in the middle of the church and look back to the entrance. Partway up the left span of the pointed arch framing the transept, look for the eternally screaming face. While interpretations vary, this may have been a reminder for the priest not to leave out the fire-and-brimstone parts of his message. Some of the newer features of the church—including the base of the baptismal font near the entrance, and the main altar—are carved from locally quarried Iona marble: white with green streaks. In the right/south transept is the tomb of George Campbell—the Eighth Duke of Argyll, who donated this property in 1900, allowing it to be restored.
When you’re ready to continue, find the poorly marked door into the cloister. (As you face the altar, it’s about halfway down the nave on the left, before the transept.) This space is filled with harmonious light, additional finely carved capitals (these are modern re-creations), and—displayed along the walls—several more of the tall, narrow tombstones like the ones displayed in St. Oran’s Chapel. On these, look for a couple of favorite motifs: the long, intimidating sword (indicating a warrior of the Highland clans) and the ship with billowing sails (a powerful symbol of this seafaring culture).
Around the far side of the cloister is the shop. But before leaving, don’t overlook the easy-to-miss museum. (To find it, head outside and walk around the left side of the abbey complex, toward the sea.) This modern, well-presented space exhibits a remarkable collection of original stonework from the abbey—including what’s left of the three Celtic crosses out front—all eloquently described.
Iona Community’s Welcome Centre: Just beyond and across the road from the abbey is the Iona Community’s Welcome Centre (free WCs), which runs the abbey with Historic Scotland and hosts modern-day pilgrims who come here to experience the birthplace of Scottish Christianity. (If you’re staying longer, you could attend a worship service at the abbey—check the schedule here; tel. 01681/700-404, www.iona.org.uk.) Its gift shop is packed with books on the island’s important role in Christian history.
Views: A 10-minute walk on North Road past the welcome center brings you to the footpath for Dùn Ì, a steep but short climb with good views of the abbey looking back toward Mull.
North Beach: Returning to the main road, walk another 20-25 minutes to the end of the paved road, where you’ll arrive at a gate leading through a sheep- and cow-strewn pasture to Iona’s pristine white-sand beach. Dip your toes in the Atlantic and ponder what this Caribbean-like alcove is doing in Scotland. Be sure to allow at least 40 minutes to return to the ferry dock.
For a chance to really experience peaceful, idyllic Iona, spend a night or two (Scots bring their kids and stay on this tiny island for a week). To do so, you’ll have to buy each leg of the ferry-bus-ferry (and return) trip separately (see “By Public Transit,” earlier). These accommodations are listed roughly in the order you’ll reach them as you climb the main road from the ferry dock. The first two hotels listed have $$$ restaurants that are open to the public for lunch, tea, and dinner and closed in winter. For more accommodation options, see Isle-of-Iona.net/accommodation.
$$$ Argyll Hotel, built in 1867, proudly overlooks the waterfront, with 17 cottage-like rooms and pleasingly creaky hallways lined with bookshelves. Of the two hotels, this one feels classier (reserve far in advance for summer, comfortable lounge and sunroom, tel. 01681/700-334, www.argyllhoteliona.co.uk, reception@argyllhoteliona.co.uk).
$$$ St. Columba Hotel, a bit higher up in town and situated in the middle of a peaceful garden with picnic tables, has 27 institutional rooms and spacious lodge-like common spaces—such as a big, cushy seaview lounge (closed Nov-March, next door to abbey on road up from dock, tel. 01681/700-304, www.stcolumba-hotel.co.uk, info@stcolumba-hotel.co.uk).
$$ Calva B&B, a five-minute walk past the abbey, has three spacious rooms (second house on left past the abbey, look for sign in window and gnomes on porch, tel. 01681/700-340; friendly Janetta and Ken).
Those more interested in nature than in church history will enjoy the trip to the wildly scenic Isle of Staffa. Completely uninhabited (except for seabirds), Staffa is a knob of rock draped with a vibrant green carpet of turf. Remote and quiet, it feels like a Hebrides nature preserve.
Most day trips give you an hour on Staffa—barely enough time to see its two claims to fame: The basalt columns of Fingal’s Cave, and (in summer) a colony of puffins. To squeeze in both, be ready to hop off the boat and climb the staircase. Partway up to the left, you can walk around to the cave (about 7 minutes). Or continue up to the top, then turn right and walk across the spine of the grassy island (about 10-15 minutes) to the cove where the puffins gather. Be sure to get clear instructions from your captain on how and where to best watch the puffins. It’s worth doing right.
Staffa’s shore is covered with bizarre, mostly hexagonal basalt columns that stick up at various heights. It’s as if the earth were offering God his choice of thousands of six-sided cigarettes. (The island’s name likely came from the Old Norse word for “stave”—the building timbers these columns resemble.) This is the other end of Northern Ireland’s popular Giant’s Causeway. You’ll walk along the uneven surface of these columns, curling around the far side of the island, until you can actually step inside the gaping mouth of a cave—where floor-to-ceiling columns and crashing waves combine to create a powerful experience. Listening to the water and air flowing through this otherworldly space inspired Felix Mendelssohn to compose his overture, The Hebrides.
While you’re ogling the cave, consider this: Geologists claim these unique formations were created by volcanic eruptions more than 60 million years ago. As the surface of the lava flow quickly cooled, it contracted and crystallized into columns (resembling the caked mud at the bottom of a dried-up lakebed, but with deeper cracks). As the rock later settled and eroded, the columns broke off into the many stair-like steps that now honeycomb Staffa.
Of course, in actuality, these formations resulted from a heated rivalry between a Scottish giant named Fingal, who lived on Staffa, and an Ulster warrior named Finn MacCool, who lived across the sea on Ireland’s Antrim Coast. Knowing that the giant was coming to spy on him, Finn had his wife dress him as a sleeping infant. The giant, shocked at the infant’s size, fled back to Scotland in terror of whomever had sired this giant baby. Breathing a sigh of relief, Finn tore off the baby clothes and prudently knocked down the bridge.
A large colony of Atlantic puffins settles on Staffa each spring and summer during mating season (generally early May through early August). The puffins tend to scatter when the boat arrives. But after the boat pulls out and its passengers hike across the island, the very tame puffins’ curiosity gets the better of them. First you’ll see them flutter up from the offshore rocks, with their distinctive, bobbing flight. They’ll zip and whirl around, and finally they’ll start to land on the lip of the cove. Sit quietly, move slowly, and be patient, and soon they’ll get close. (If any seagulls are nearby, shoo them away—puffins are undaunted by humans, who do them no harm, but they’re terrified of predatory seagulls.)
In the waters around Staffa—on your way to and from the other islands—also keep an eye out for a variety of marine life, including seals, dolphins, porpoises, and the occasional minke whale, fin whale, or basking shark (a gigantic fish that hinges open its enormous jaw to drift-net plankton).
The following drive outlines the best route from Glasgow to Oban, including the appealing town of Inveraray, with an optional stop at one of Scotland’s most important prehistoric sites, Kilmartin Glen.
The drive from Glasgow (or Edinburgh) to Oban via Inveraray provides dreamy vistas and your first look at the dramatic landscapes of the Highlands, as well as historic sites and ample opportunity to stop for a picnic.
• Leaving Glasgow on the A-82, you’ll soon be driving along the west bank of...
The first picnic turnout has the best views of this famous lake, benches, a park, and a playground. You’re driving over an isthmus between Loch Lomond and a sea inlet. Halfway up the loch, you’ll find the town of Tarbet—the Viking word for isthmus, a common name on Scottish maps. Imagine, a thousand years ago, Vikings dragging their ships across this narrow stretch of land to reach Loch Lomond.
• At Tarbet, the road forks. The signs for Oban keep you on the direct route along A-82. For the scenic option that takes you past Loch Fyne to Inveraray (about 30 minutes longer to drive), keep left for the A-83 (toward Campbeltown).
You’ll pass the village of Arrochar, then drive along the banks of Loch Long. The scenery crescendos as you pull away from the loch and twist up over the mountains and through a pine forest, getting your first glimpse of bald Highlands mountains—it’s clear that you’ve just crossed the Highland Boundary Fault. Enjoy the waterfalls, and notice that the road signs are now in English as well as Gaelic. As you climb into more rugged territory—up the valley called Glen Croe—be mindful that the roads connecting the Lowlands with the Highlands (like the one down in the glen below) were originally a military project designed to facilitate government quelling of the Highland clans.
• At the summit, watch for the large parking lot with picnic tables on your left (signed for Argyll Forest Park). Stretch your legs at what’s aptly named...
The colorful name comes from the 19th century, when just reaching this summit was exhausting. At the top of the military road, just past the last picnic table, there’s actually a stone (dated 1814) put there by the military with that phrase.
As you drive on, enjoy the dramatic green hills. You may see little bits of hillside highlighted by sunbeams. Each of these is known as a “soot” (Sun’s Out Over There). Look for soots as you drive farther north into the Highlands.
• Continue twisting down the far side of the pass. You’ll drive through Glen Kinglas and soon reach...
This saltwater “sea loch” is famous for its shellfish (keep an eye out for oyster farms and seafood restaurants). In fact, Loch Fyne is the namesake of a popular UK restaurant chain with locations across the UK. $$$$ Loch Fyne Oyster Bar and Deli, in the big white building at the end of the loch, is the original. It’s a famous stop for locals—an elegant seafood restaurant and oyster bar worth traveling for. If the restaurant is full, order from the bar menu (about the same as the restaurant) and grab more casual seating (open daily from 9:00, last order at 17:45, no reservations, tel. 01499/600-482, www.lochfyne.com). Even if you’re not eating, it’s fun to peruse their salty deli (tasty treats to go, picnic tables outside, good coffee).
• Looping around Loch Fyne, you approach Inveraray. As you get close, keep an eye on the right (when crossing the bridge, have your camera ready) for the dramatic...
This residence of the Duke of Argyll comes with a dramatic, turreted exterior (one of Scotland’s most striking) and an interior that feels spacious, neatly tended, and lived in. Historically a stronghold of one of the more notorious branches of the Campbell clan, this castle is most appealing to those with Campbell connections or fans of Downton Abbey.
Cost and Hours: £12.50, daily 10:00-17:45, closed Nov-March, last entry 45 minutes before closing, nice basement café, buy tickets at the car-park booth, tel. 01499/302-551, www.inveraray-castle.com.
Visiting the Castle: Roam from room to room, reading the laminated descriptions and asking questions of the gregarious docents. The highlight is the Armory Hall that fills the main atrium, where swords and rifles are painstakingly arrayed in starburst patterns. The rifles were actually used when the Campbells fought with the British at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
Upstairs is a room with reminders of Downton Abbey. Public television fans may recognize this as “Duneagle Castle” (a.k.a. Uncle Shrimpy’s pad) from one of the Downton Abbey Christmas specials—big photos of the Grantham and MacClare clans decorate the genteel rooms.
As with many such castles, the aristocratic clan still lives here (private signs mark rooms where the family resides). Another upstairs room is like an Argyll family scrapbook; for example, see photos of the duke playing elephant polo—the ultimate aristocratic sport. The kids attend school in England, but spend a few months here each year; in the winter, the castle is closed to the public and they have the run of the place. After touring the interior, do a loop through the finely manicured gardens
The Romans called the people living in what is now Ireland the “Scoti” (meaning pirates). When the Scoti crossed the narrow Irish Sea and invaded the land of the Picts 1,500 years ago, that region became known as Scoti-land. Ireland and Scotland were never fully conquered by the Romans, and they retained similar clannish Celtic traits. Both share the same Gaelic branch of the linguistic tree.
On clear summer days, you can actually see Ireland—just 17 miles away—from the Scottish coastline. The closest bit to Scotland is the boomerang-shaped Rathlin Island, part of Northern Ireland. Rathlin is where Scottish leader Robert the Bruce retreated in 1307 after defeat at the hands of the English. Legend has it that he hid in a cave on the island, where he observed a spider patiently rebuilding its web each time a breeze knocked it down. Inspired by the spider’s perseverance, Bruce gathered his Scottish forces once more and finally defeated the English at the decisive battle of Bannockburn.
Flush with confidence from his victory, Robert the Bruce decided to open a second front against the English...in Ireland. In 1315, he sent his brother Edward over to enlist their Celtic Irish cousins in an effort to thwart the English. After securing Ireland, Edward hoped to move on and enlist the Welsh, thus cornering England with their pan-Celtic nation. But Edward’s timing was bad: Ireland was in the midst of famine. His Scottish troops had to live off the land and began to take food and supplies from the starving Irish. Some of Ireland’s crops may have been intentionally destroyed to keep it from being used as a colonial “breadbasket” to feed English troops. The Scots quickly wore out their welcome, and Edward the Bruce was eventually killed in battle near Dundalk in 1318.
It’s interesting to imagine how things might be different today if Scotland and Ireland had been permanently welded together as a nation 700 years ago. You’ll notice the strong Scottish influence in Northern Ireland when you ask a local a question and he answers, “Aye, a wee bit.” And in Glasgow—near Scotland’s west coast, closest to Ireland—an Ireland-like division between royalist Protestants and republican Catholics survives today in the form of soccer team allegiances. In big Scottish cities (like Glasgow and Edinburgh), you’ll even see “orange parades” of protesters marching in solidarity with their Protestant Northern Irish cousins. The Irish—always quick to defuse tension with humor—joke that the Scots are just Irish people who couldn’t swim home.
• After visiting the castle, spend some time exploring...
Nearly everybody stops at this lovely, seemingly made-for-tourists town on Loch Fyne. Browse the main street—lined with touristy shops and cafés all the way to the church at its top. As this is the geological and demographic border between the Highlands and the Lowlands, traditionally church services here were held in both Scots and Gaelic. Just before the church is Loch Fyne Whiskies with historic bottles on its ceiling.
There’s free parking on the main street and plenty of pay-and-display parking near the pier (TI open daily, on Front Street, tel. 01499/302-063; public WCs at end of nearby pier).
The Inveraray Jail is the main site in town—an overpriced, corny, but mildly educational former jail converted into a museum. This “living 19th-century prison” includes a courtroom where mannequins argue the fate of the accused. Then you’ll head outside and explore the various cells of the outer courtyard. The playful guards may lock you up for a photo op, while they explain how Scotland reformed its prison system in 1839—you’ll see both “before” and “after” cells in this complex (£12.25, includes 75-minute audioguide, open daily, tel. 01499/302-381, www.inverarayjail.co.uk).
• To continue directly to Oban from Inveraray (about an hour), leave town through the gate at the woolen mill and get on the A-819, which takes you through Glen Aray and along the aptly named Loch Awe. A left turn on the A-85 takes you into Oban.
But if you have a healthy interest in prehistoric sites, you can go to Oban by way of Kilmartin Glen (adds about 45 minutes of driving). To get there from Inveraray, head straight up Inveraray’s main street and get on the waterfront A-83 (marked for Campbeltown); after a half-hour, in Lochgilphead, turn right onto the A-816, which takes you through Kilmartin Glen and all the way up to Oban. (To avoid backtracking, be ready to stop at the prehistoric sites lining the A-816 between Lochgilphead and Kilmartin village.)
Except for the Orkney Islands, Scotland isn’t as rich with prehistoric sites as South England is, but the ones in Kilmartin Glen, while faint, are some of Scotland’s most accessible—and most important. This wide valley, clearly imbued with spiritual and/or strategic power, contains reminders of several millennia worth of inhabitants. Today it’s a playground for those who enjoy tromping through grassy fields while daydreaming about who moved these giant stones here so many centuries ago. This isn’t worth a long detour, unless you’re fascinated by prehistoric sites.
Four to five thousand years ago, Kilmartin Glen was inhabited by Neolithic people who left behind fragments of their giant, stony monuments. And 1,500 years ago, this was the seat of the kings of the Scoti, who migrated here from Ireland around AD 500, giving rise to Scotland’s own branch of Celtic culture. From this grassy valley, the Scoti kings ruled their empire, called Dalriada (also sometimes written Dál Riata), which encompassed much of Scotland’s west coast, the Inner Hebrides, and the northern part of Ireland. The Scoti spoke Gaelic and were Christian; as they overtook the rest of the Highlands—eventually absorbing their rival Picts—theirs became a dominant culture, which is still evident in pockets of present-day Scotland. Today, Kilmartin Glen is scattered with burial cairns, standing stones, and a hill called Dunadd—the fortress of the Scoti kings.
Visiting Kilmartin Glen: Sites are scattered throughout the valley, including some key locations along or just off the A-816 south of Kilmartin village. If you’re coming from Inveraray, you’ll pass these before you reach the village and museum itself. Each one is explained by good informational signs.
Dunadd: This bulbous hill sits just west of the A-816, about four miles north of Lochgilphead and four miles south of Kilmartin village (watch for blue, low-profile Dunadd Fort signs). A fort had stood here since the time of Christ, but it was the Scoti kings—who made it their primary castle from the sixth to ninth centuries—that put Dunadd on the map. Park in the big lot at its base and hike through the faint outlines of terraces to the top, where you can enjoy sweeping views over all of Kilmartin Glen; this southern stretch is a marshland called “The Great Moss” (Moine Mhor). Look for carvings in the rock: early Celtic writing, the image of a boar, and a footprint (carved into a stone crisscrossed with fissures). This “footprint of fealty” (a replica) recalls the inauguration ceremony in which the king would place his foot into the footprint, symbolizing the marriage between the ruler and the land.
Dunchraigaig Cairn: About two miles farther north on the A-816, brown Dunchraigaig signs mark a parking lot where you can cross the road to the 4,000-year-old, 100-foot-in-diameter Dunchraigaig Cairn—the burial place for 10 Neolithic VIPs. Circle around to find the opening, where you can still crawl into a small recess. This is one of at least five such cairns that together created a mile-and-a-half-long “linear cemetery” up the middle of Kilmartin Glen.
From this cairn, you can walk five minutes to several more prehistoric structures: Follow signs through the gate, and walk to a farm field with Ballymeanoch—an avenue of two stone rows (with six surviving stones), a disheveled old cairn, and a stone circle.
Sites near Kilmartin Burn: About one more mile north on the A-816, just off the intersection with the B-8025 (toward Tayvallich), is the small Kilmartin Burn parking lot. From here, cross the stream to a field where the five Nether Largie Standing Stones have stood in a neat north-south line for 3,200 years. Were these stones designed as an astronomical observatory? Burial rituals or other religious ceremonies? Sporting events? Or just a handy place for sheep to scratch themselves? From here, you can hike the rest of the way through the field (about 10 minutes) to the Nether Largie South Cairn and the Temple Wood Stone Circles (which don’t have their own parking). The larger, older of these circles dates to more than 5,000 years ago, and both were added onto and modified over the millennia.
Kilmartin Museum: To get the big picture, head for the Kilmartin Museum, in the center of Kilmartin village. The cute stone house has a ticket desk, bookshop, and café; the museum—with exhibits explaining this area’s powerful history—fills the basement of the adjacent building (though a new home for the exhibit is in the works). The modest but modern museum features handy explanations, a few original artifacts, and lots of re-creations (£7, daily, closed Christmas-Feb, tel. 01546/510-278, www.kilmartin.org).
From the museum, you can look out across the fields to see Glebe Cairn, one of the five cairns of the “linear cemetery.” Another one, the Nether Largie North Cairn, was reconstructed in the 1970s and can actually be entered (a half-mile south of the museum; ask for directions at museum).
Many more prehistoric sites fill Kilmartin Glen (more than 800 within a six-mile radius); the museum sells in-depth guidebooks for the curious, and can point you in the right direction for what you’re interested in.
