Our journey to Oban on the west coast of Scotland began with a 3 hour scenic train journey from Glasgow. The journey is ranked amongst the top train journeys in the world and it didn’t disappoint. After leaving urban Glasgow the journey follows the wonderful river Clyde as it meanders through the glens on its slow voyage down to the coast. We felt like we were on holiday right from the start. We’d bought advance tickets for only £10.50 each, so this was definitely a bargain buy. Another bonus was the amazing things you can learn on journeys like this by talking to your fellow passengers. We learned about the art of sailing from two delightful people who happened to be sitting next to us. Oban is now a centre for yachting holidays and our two companions were going on sailing trips from Oban. Here are a few photos from our train journey.
We stayed in a small B&B a short walk from the town centre and train station. A great location and full Scottish breakfast.
If you still feel the need to eat later in the day after your breakfast then there are lots of places where you can eat. One of the most popular spots was the Oban Fish and Chip Shop – claimed as one of the best chip shops in Scotland according to The Scotsman newspaper. We thought it a little pricey and crowded so we ended ended up eating our fish and chips in the excellent Wetherspoons situated by the harbour. Great value, quick service and lovely views.
Another popular place to visit is Oban distillery in the heart of Oban. A great place to visit if you have a rainy day, or if you would like to try a wee dram or two!
McCaig’s Tower was one of the sites we wanted to see. This is a circular monument built in the 19th century by a local dignitary. It’s a steep walk up the hill from the town centre to see the structure which from a distance resembles the Colosseum of Rome. It gives you a great view of the harbour and bay. Unfortunately for us it was raining when we went up there but it was still worth it for the panoramic views it gave. It is accessible by car for those who don’t wish to walk and there is car parking nearby. For the more energetic, it’s well worth the effort walking up the hill, even if it’s raining!
Oban harbourside
The harbour is an ideal place to watch the ferries coming and going and to eat some of the freshly caught seafood. The harbour’s fame for good seafood now attracts many Chinese visitors so do not be surprised if you hear more Mandarin being spoken than English as you eat your meal!
As we left Oban for our onward journey to the Outer Hebrides we saw a young piper on the harbourside. Visitors and locals alike enjoyed listening to the young man who proudly played his pipes and who we thought, was very good. It was certainly unexpected entertainment for the many travellers waiting at the ferry terminal. The terminal is the onward transit point to many of Scottish islands. It is here that we later boarded the ferry to the first stop on our Hebridian adventure, the small, but lovely Island of Barra.
History of Oban
Oban began life as a small fishing port on the West coast of Scotland. It only started to grow with the establishment of a distillery in 1794. The railway which connected Oban with the hinterland arrived a century later in 1880 so the town experienced little of the rapid Victorian urban growth that some Scottish towns experienced.
Oban was an important military base in the Second World War when it was used as a centre for anti-submarine warfare. Since the 1950s, tourism has been the dominant industry in the town and Oban now acts as the ferry port for both the Inner and Outer Hebridean islands.
Despite being only a small town, Oban has a number of impressive churches with the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Columba being particularly impressive. If St. Columba isn’t to your liking then you can visit one of the many other denomination churches. In Oban you are spoilt for choice!
Scotland has many war memorials and Oban’s memorial is particularly emotive and worth viewing. Situated at the side of the road going out towards Ganavan, the memorial is a statue depicting two soldiers carrying their wounded comrade. The statue has a silent dignity that expresses so much about human nature. Personally, I rank the Oban memorial as one of the most memorable war memorials I have visited. I recommend it for a few minutes of contemplative respect.
Running in Oban
The free local Saturday parkrun attracts park run tourists from all over the UK and beyond. In the Summer months there could be more tourists running the race than locals! The race starts by a local caravan site near Ganavan Sands, hence the parkrun is called the Ganavan Sands Park Run. With 275ft of climbs the run is ranked as one of the toughest 40 park runs in the UK so do not expect a PB. The start is in a wonderful setting, by the sea which some runners go into for a post run cool down and swim! All visitors are treated with wonderful Scottish hospitality which helps to make Oban’s parkrun one of the top rated amongst park run enthusiasts.
When you go to Oban you should make a special effort to do the parkrun. You’ll enjoy it.
We only had a short stay in picturesque Oban before we continued our journey to the Western Isles. We wished we had longer and it’s on our list of places to visit again.
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