Welcome to Oban

I thought I had better get my bed sorted out first when I hit Oban just before lunch time, so I headed for the Backpackers Hostel and booked in, treating myself to the luxury of a single room. I am in a seperate house which is owned by the hostel, but just up the road from the main building, it's very quiet with not many people here. We have our own kitchen downstairs, and I am on the top floor.

I have a library book with me and I picked out one of the walks to do for this afternoon. It's about four miles. From the harbour I followed Gallanach Road which runs alongside the Sound of Kerrera. There are a lot of these colourful flowering bushes everywhere.

About two miles along the road you come to the Kerrera Ferry, it's only a short distance to the island, and if you want to go across you have to rotate the Ferry board to show the black side and the Ferryman will see it from the other side and come across to fetch you. That's how it should work. I chatted to an American woman who had been waiting ages, I think the Ferryman must have fallen asleep. In this photo you can just about make out the parked cars next to the waters edge and the jetty. This is where I was sitting when I did the quick post earlier, sheltering under my umbrella.

The walk takes you back into Oban along the top of the hills. There is a viewing area up there called Pulpit Hill, I had a look but the visbility was not good, very misty.

As I got back down to the harbour a boat came in, this is the one I will be going to Mull on. It was a quick turnaround, everybody off and everybody on, no messing about. Loading up.....

and away she goes.

There was still time for a look around before I went back, and according to the map I got from the tourist office there was something called McCaig's Tower, so I followed the signs.

There are a lot of steps to climb as it sits on the top of a hill. Construction started in 1895 and finished in 1902. John McCaig decided to build it as a memorial to his family to give work to a number of unemployed skilled masons.

There are magnificent views over Oban to the islands of Mull, Lismore, and Kerrera. Not good for photo's today though as the wind was blowing the rain sideways and I couldn't shelter the camera lens from the spots.

A big walkabout day tomorrow, I'll have a look at the map and decide where to go next. Catch you tomorrow.