Oban, Scotland

(Above image shows the town centre viewed from the harbour.)

This evening, I am posting information on the popular town of Oban which is located on the west coast of Scotland, about 100 miles N.W. of Glasgow.

Oban has a population of 8500 and can be accessed via road or rail.There is a small airport situated 5 miles N.E. of the town which services local islands.

Many visitors use Oban as a transit point en-route, via ferry, to/from the nearby islands of Mull and Iona.

View of harbour and ferries from McCaig's Monument.


More information on Oban:
  • The name evolved from Old Norse (Viking) into Gaelic and means 'little bay of Lorne'.
  • Two castles are located in close proximity: Dunstaffnage and Dunollie.
  • At top of the cliff overlooking Oban Harbour can be found McCaig's Monument, a 19th century folly modeled on the Coliseum in Rome.
  • In the town centre can be found Oban Distillery, which has been producing whisky since 1794.
  • Seals can be viewed via boat trips from the harbour.
  • During summer evenings it is often possible to watch Oban High School Pipe Band perform at the harbour.
  • Locally sourced sea food can be obtained from outlets on the harbour.
  • The town is home to a wide range of lodgings.

 Dunstaffnage Castle

 


Oban High School Pipe Band



 Seafood bar on waterfront



Oban waterfront overlooked by McCaig's Monument


Oban Distillery



Dunollie Castle

 


  More information

The publication Visitors’ Guide to Scotland provides a wide range of information including various sightseeing opportunites.. ISBN is 978-1-9161332-0-4. This book is also available via Kindle.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reconstructed Roman Villa

Image
This evening, I am reporting on my visit earlier today to a meticulously reconstructed Roman Villa in Somerset, England.   Funding for the project was provided by a South African billionaire. Specific features of the reconstruction project which is known as 'Villa Ventorum': Employed hundreds of architects, builders, archaelogists, mosaic makers, fresco painters and experts on ancient plumbing. The new build was built close to the remains of the original villa which dates from AD351. Incorporates the only working hypocaust system in Europe to create authentic Roman underfloor heating. Thne system also provides heating for the internal baths. Designed to appear to visitors as though still in use. Mosaics and frescoes have been made below the top standards of the time (e.g. Chedworth ) to reflect the social rank of the resident family. Incorporates a Roman 'fast food bar' allong the lines of that found in Pompeii . (Core of above information sourced from the Times newspap...
Read more

York, England and its Roman origins.

Image
Street decoration in York York is an ancient city in northern England. Here visitors can connect with the city's growth over the past 2000 years, from the Roman period then Viking, medieval and modern. However, this post places an emphasis on the Roman period. Roman York York was known as Eboracum. Consistent with other Roman forts the plan at York was based on a playing card design with strong external defences and a grid of streets inside. Hadrian visited in AD 120 in context of initiative to build his famous wall. Initially York was garrisoned by the Ninth Legion and subsequently the Sixth Legion. Roman HQ building The civilian section contained public buildings such as bath houses and temples plus fine houses for the wealthy. The Emperor, Septimus Severus used York as a base for military campaigns in the north during 208-211. In AD 306 the emperor Constantinus I died in York and his son Constantine the Great was acclaimed emperor by the army. R...
Read more

Fort Augustus, a popular visitor site on southern tip of Loch Ness

Image
Loch Ness from flight of locks at Fort Augustus, Scottish Highlands This evening, I am posting information on Fort Augustus, a busy tourist village on the southern tip of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Summary information on Fort Augustus as follows:- Population about 650 persons. Distance, about 160 miles from Edinburgh and 35 miles from Inverness entailing journey times of 3.5 hours and 1 hour respectively. Well endowed with hotels and other accommodation plus shops, restaurants and visitor attractions. From here visitors can avail of boat trips on Loch Ness. Home to an impressive flight of five locks on the Caledonian Canal. Latter dates from 1822 and is now primarily used by pleasure boats. Closely linked with the 18th century Jacobite uprising in that (a) the village was renamed Fort Augustus (after Prince William Augustus, third son of King George II) consequent upon construction of a British military (redcoat) fort in 1742 and (b) the same Pri...
Read more