I fell in love with Oban only minutes after stepping off the train. A beautiful Victorian port town built around a natural harbor on the Atlantic Ocean. Following the curve of the waterline, to my left was the calm waters of the bay that opened up to a view of the nearby mountains and many isles scattered about the sea.
To my right, Victorian buildings, an esplanade of shops, pubs, restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, hostels, and bed and breakfasts. Oh, and don’t let me forget, at the center of it all, the reason I came to this town of 8,000 in the first place, the Oban Distillery. Walking the fifteen minutes across town to my hostel, Oban Backpackers, I was again greeted by a friendly staff that regretfully let me know I could not check in till 5:00, and informed I was more than welcome to make myself at home, drop my bags, and help myself to some coffee or tea. Doing exactly that, I made some tea, grabbed a map of the city, and relaxed for a bit before heading out to explore the town. My first stop, you guessed it… the distillery. Unfortunately, the distillery is only open Monday through Friday during this time of year, and being that it was a Saturday, much to my disappointment, was closed. Second stop was the tourist information center to book some further travel and see what there was to do in Oban when the distillery was closed. That taken care of I walked back to the main part of the harbor to the Waterfront Restaurant for some amazing fish and chips and a pint of local beer. The setting here was perfect, a waterside pub overlooking fishing boats and ferries returning from one of the many trips to the nearby islands. After finishing yet another huge portion of fish and chips that could easily be described as the best I have ever had and a pint of Oban Ales IPA, I headed off to climb my way up to McCraig’s Tower. The ascent begins with a set of 144 stairs (yes I counted them) that then leads further uphill through a stunning residential area. I had to stop at three different spots along the way, not to catch my breath from the climb, but rather to try to capture the breathtaking view before me.
From this vantage point, high above the city, I could see the sweeping bay below me, even more of the Islands scattered beyond the harbor, the nearby castle, and rolling green hills. Finally I reached the tower itself, a circular building atop the highest hill in Oban, built as a small scale replica of the Coliseum of Rome.
I wandered about the tower for about thirty minutes, walking and sitting on the many benches around the grounds. Leaving here just before sundown I headed back to the hostel to check in. Walking to the hostel I past a movie theatre and thought that would be a nice way to spend my evening. So, I checked in, took a shower, made some dinner, and headed to the theatre. After the movie it was back to the hostel to get caught up on my writing and soon after, off to bed. Early in the morning I had to catch a ferry to the nearby Isle of Mull.
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