Oban

 A kind of pretty but functional port town on the western side of Scotland. It is just 10 minutes drive from Knipoch House Hotel in the country. It is where the ferry closest to Mull is and where we came home to from Iona, via Mull. But to get to Iona we had to drive 90 minutes to a second ferry terminal because they are down to one ferry until next week. They are hiring the Spirit of Tasmania vessel!

Oban is touristy, and also full of very many closed shops and derelict buildings just off the Centre of town. But I could always see something in the distance that looked like the Glenfinnan viaduct, you know, the bridge that is in all the Harry Potter movies. 

It was Craig’s Folly. A monument to the Craig family built in the 1890s when there was a huge unemployment problem, so the rich guy ‘employed men/stone masons’ to build it. Three of us set off to climb the 133 steps. And the view was worth it. See how happy I was to survive the trek.

Kathy wandering down to find the viewing platform. 

The island in the distance is Mull, with the ferry terminal almost directly at the far right of this picture. Cruise ships do come here, mostly for day trips to Iona. But we were bumped for the necessary traffic to Mull when they were down to one ferry, so workers, food and other delivery vehicles got to use the more efficient route.

Behind the cheery Main Street is all dingy business, and not at all cheery. Somehow buses do get up here, it is amazing how they get round tiny curved streets and all the traffic is so patient. We had lunch in the Oban Inn est. 1790.  Real pub. When we pass the locals they always glare because tourists are getting preferential serving. As a group we are always ushered into a separate room. I order the chowder and the soup of the day, being confused that they were actually two dishes and had to argue with the barman about my order. No-one injured as one of the group wanted the bowl of soup anyway, and that’s how I got a £5 note. Otherwise I have not touched real money so far!