Oban

United_Kingdom

Oban (Scottish Gaelic: An t-Òban) is a town in Argyll and Bute on the northwest coast of Scotland. It's a transport hub and most visitors are passing through on the way to the Hebrides, only staying overnight if ferry / train schedules make that necessary; conversely, Hebrideans come here for shopping and other necessities. The main reason to regard Oban as a destination in its own right is for sea sports, including kayaking, scuba-diving, wildlife-watching and fishing. It also has great local sea food.

The main ferries from Oban are to Lismore, Mull, Colonsay, Coll, Tiree and Barra. There are also several little Islands of Loch Linnhe, so close to shore that they're effectively outlying districts of Oban, and that are therefore described on this page. These are Kerrara, Seil, Easdale, Luing and Scarba.

Oban Harbour from McCaig's Folly Sunset at Oban looking towards the islands of Kerrara and Mull

The TIC is Oban iCentre. on North Pier. It's generally open Nov-Mar 10:00-17:00, Apr-Oct 09:00-18:00, Sunday hours shorter.

The TIC is Oban iCentre. on North Pier. It's generally open Nov-Mar 10:00-17:00, Apr-Oct 09:00-18:00, Sunday hours shorter.

St Columba's Cathedral

  • McCaig’s Tower, Duncraggan Rd PA34 5DP. 24 / 7. John Stuart McCaig (1823-1902), a local banker, was aiming for something like the Colosseum in Rome. Only the circular shell, dominating the view for miles around, was completed by the time of his death, so within is simply a public garden and picnic spot where the pipe band sometimes plays. The grand interior and heroic statues of himself and family never happened. Free.
  • Dunollie Castle, Dunollie House PA34 5TT (A mile north of town off Ganavan Rd. Apr-Oct M-Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 12:00-17:00. The castle itself is just a crumbling stump, but there are pleasant gardens and a small museum. Adult £6.
  • Dunstaffnage Castle, Dunbeg PA37 1PZ (On coast 5 miles north of town, take bus to Dunbeg. Apr-Sept daily 09:30-17:30, Nov-Mar Sa-W 10:00-16:00. Stout, partly ruined castle dating to 13th C, with nearby chapel of similar date. The 16th C gatehouse is the residence of the hereditary Captain - he's still required to stay here three nights a year. Adult £6.
  • War & Peace Museum, Corran Esplanade PA34 5PX (by North Pier. Mar Apr & Nov daily 10:00-16:00, May-Oct M-Th 10:00-18:00, F-Su 10:00-16:00. Museum describing Oban's role in wartime and peacetime. Free, donation.
  • St Columba's Cathedral, Corran Esplanade. The RC Cathedral is prominent on the Esplanade. It was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (who designed the iconic red telephone box) and built in Neo-Gothic style between 1932 and 1959. It's the more interesting of Oban's two cathedrals; its predecessor was St Moluag's on the Isle of Lismore, nowadays a C of S parish church.
  • St John's Cathedral, 129 George St PA34 4NT. Scottish Episcopal (Anglican) Cathedral hidden among the shops on George Street. Building started in 1863 and continued in several phases but lack of funds resulted in the present odd layout, with steel girders propping up unfinished work.

McCaig’s Tower, Duncraggan Rd PA34 5DP. 24 / 7. John Stuart McCaig (1823-1902), a local banker, was aiming for something like the Colosseum in Rome. Only the circular shell, dominating the view for miles around, was completed by the time of his death, so within is simply a public garden and picnic spot where the pipe band sometimes plays. The grand interior and heroic statues of himself and family never happened. Free.

Dunollie Castle, Dunollie House PA34 5TT (A mile north of town off Ganavan Rd. Apr-Oct M-Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 12:00-17:00. The castle itself is just a crumbling stump, but there are pleasant gardens and a small museum. Adult £6.

Dunstaffnage Castle, Dunbeg PA37 1PZ (On coast 5 miles north of town, take bus to Dunbeg. Apr-Sept daily 09:30-17:30, Nov-Mar Sa-W 10:00-16:00. Stout, partly ruined castle dating to 13th C, with nearby chapel of similar date. The 16th C gatehouse is the residence of the hereditary Captain - he's still required to stay here three nights a year. Adult £6.

War & Peace Museum, Corran Esplanade PA34 5PX (by North Pier. Mar Apr & Nov daily 10:00-16:00, May-Oct M-Th 10:00-18:00, F-Su 10:00-16:00. Museum describing Oban's role in wartime and peacetime. Free, donation.

St Columba's Cathedral, Corran Esplanade. The RC Cathedral is prominent on the Esplanade. It was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (who designed the iconic red telephone box) and built in Neo-Gothic style between 1932 and 1959. It's the more interesting of Oban's two cathedrals; its predecessor was St Moluag's on the Isle of Lismore, nowadays a C of S parish church.

St John's Cathedral, 129 George St PA34 4NT. Scottish Episcopal (Anglican) Cathedral hidden among the shops on George Street. Building started in 1863 and continued in several phases but lack of funds resulted in the present odd layout, with steel girders propping up unfinished work.

  • Oban Distillery, Stafford St PA34 5NH (near TIC, +44 1631 572004. Daily Dec-Feb 12:00-16:30, Mar Apr Oct Nov 09:30-17:00, May-Sept 09:30-19:30. Scotch whisky distillery founded in 1794, now part of Diageo. Frequent tours commended by reviewers, if they're booked out on the website try phoning, they may have availability. Standard tour £12, one hour.
  • Boat trips to Mull, Iona and Fingal's Cave are run by West Coast Tours (formerly Bowman's), Caledonian MacBrayne, Turus Mara and Gordon Grant Tours.
  • Boat cruises to St Kilda and other remote Hebridean places sail from Dunstaffnage Marina. These are large live-aboard boats on 7-10 day itineraries. (Day trips use small boats from Skye or Harris, but it's too far for them to venture from the mainland.) Operators include Hebrides Cruises, Majestic Line and St Hilda Sea Adventures. They're all fully booked for 2019 and have little availability for 2020.
  • Diving: Puffin Dive Centre is at Port Gallanach PA34 4QH, south of town near the ferry pier for Kerrara. You'll want a drysuit, though in summer a chunky wetsuit may suffice.
  • Isle of Kerrera. is reached by a short ferry ride from Gallanach south of town. From the landing pier are two hiking trails: south with Gylen Castle and north with Hutcheson's Monument.
  • Sea Kayak Oban, 8 Argyll Street PA34 5SG (off main street behind Boots, +44 1631 565310. W-M 10:00-16:00. Kayak outfitter leads daily tours and also multi day trips & courses. You can paddle right out of the harbour or rent a trolley and take your kayak on the ferries. £75 / day.
  • Seafari Adventures, Easdale PA34 4TB (20 miles south of Oban, follow B844 onto Seil Island. Daily 08:00-20:00. Trips by high-speed RIB around the islands.
  • Oban Live is a music festival usually held in late June. It's cancelled for 2020 but there may be an alternative event on Ganavan shinty pitch on 6 June 2020, tbc.
  • Oban Games & Argyllshire Gathering are held at Mossfield Park Oban on the fourth Thursday in August. The next are on Thurs 27 Aug 2020.
    Lorne Highland Games were traditionally held at the same venue in late June. However they were cancelled for 2019 and the 2020 event remains in doubt.

Oban Distillery, Stafford St PA34 5NH (near TIC, +44 1631 572004. Daily Dec-Feb 12:00-16:30, Mar Apr Oct Nov 09:30-17:00, May-Sept 09:30-19:30. Scotch whisky distillery founded in 1794, now part of Diageo. Frequent tours commended by reviewers, if they're booked out on the website try phoning, they may have availability. Standard tour £12, one hour.

Boat trips to Mull, Iona and Fingal's Cave are run by West Coast Tours (formerly Bowman's), Caledonian MacBrayne, Turus Mara and Gordon Grant Tours.

Boat cruises to [[St Kilda]] and other remote Hebridean places sail from Dunstaffnage Marina. These are large live-aboard boats on 7-10 day itineraries. (Day trips use small boats from Skye or Harris, but it's too far for them to venture from the mainland.) Operators include Hebrides Cruises, Majestic Line and St Hilda Sea Adventures. They're all fully booked for 2019 and have little availability for 2020.

Diving: Puffin Dive Centre is at Port Gallanach PA34 4QH, south of town near the ferry pier for Kerrara. You'll want a drysuit, though in summer a chunky wetsuit may suffice.

Isle of Kerrera. is reached by a short ferry ride from Gallanach south of town. From the landing pier are two hiking trails: south with Gylen Castle and north with Hutcheson's Monument.

Sea Kayak Oban, 8 Argyll Street PA34 5SG (off main street behind Boots, +44 1631 565310. W-M 10:00-16:00. Kayak outfitter leads daily tours and also multi day trips & courses. You can paddle right out of the harbour or rent a trolley and take your kayak on the ferries. £75 / day.

Seafari Adventures, Easdale PA34 4TB (20 miles south of Oban, follow B844 onto Seil Island. Daily 08:00-20:00. Trips by high-speed RIB around the islands.

Oban Live is a music festival usually held in late June. It's cancelled for 2020 but there may be an alternative event on Ganavan shinty pitch on 6 June 2020, tbc.

Oban Games & Argyllshire Gathering are held at Mossfield Park Oban on the fourth Thursday in August. The next are on Thurs 27 Aug 2020.

Lorne Highland Games were traditionally held at the same venue in late June. However they were cancelled for 2019 and the 2020 event remains in doubt.

  • Etive Restaurant, 43 Stevenson St PA34 5NA (by main roundabout, +44 1631 564899. W-Su 18:00-21:30. Small Scottish restaurant, fine dining.
  • Waterfront Fishouse, No1 The Pier PA34 4LW (next to ferry terminal, +44 1631 563110. Daily 12:00-14:00 & 17:30-21:00. Mundane surroundings but this one gets the vote for quality of food and service. Restaurant upstairs, bar food downstairs.
  • Eeusk, North Pier PA 34 5QD (Red-roofed building on pier, +44 1631 565666. Daily 12:00-15:00 & 18:00-21:00. Seafood restaurant, decent food but pricey for the quality and portion size, you're paying for the view. Service can be very slow. Mains from £15.
  • The Barn is at Cologin 2 miles south, see "Sleep".
  • Buy fresh seafood from the kiosks on the Railway Pier and dine al wafto - waving your hands about your head against marauding gulls and midges.

Etive Restaurant, 43 Stevenson St PA34 5NA (by main roundabout, +44 1631 564899. W-Su 18:00-21:30. Small Scottish restaurant, fine dining.

Waterfront Fishouse, No1 The Pier PA34 4LW (next to ferry terminal, +44 1631 563110. Daily 12:00-14:00 & 17:30-21:00. Mundane surroundings but this one gets the vote for quality of food and service. Restaurant upstairs, bar food downstairs.

Eeusk, North Pier PA 34 5QD (Red-roofed building on pier, +44 1631 565666. Daily 12:00-15:00 & 18:00-21:00. Seafood restaurant, decent food but pricey for the quality and portion size, you're paying for the view. Service can be very slow. Mains from £15.

The Barn is at Cologin 2 miles south, see "Sleep".

  • Oban is the subject of an ode by the great McGonagall - see Dundee for his career and other poetic gems. That's mentioned here because it will help if you also chug some whisky: before reading him, after, and even better instead of.
  • Markie Dan's Victoria Crescent, Corran Esplanade, PA34 5PN open 11:00-01:00 Su-Th, F Sa to 02:00.
  • Lorne Bar, Stevenson Street PA34 5NA. M-Th 12:00-01:00, F-Su 12:00-02:00. Dog-friendly, does good food.
  • Cellar Bar Corran Esplanade, open Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa to 00:00.
  • Aulay's Bar, 8 Airds Crescent, PA34 5SQ. Daily 11:00-00:30. Friendly traditional pub, dogs welcome. Bar lunches 12:00-14:30.

Markie Dan's Victoria Crescent, Corran Esplanade, PA34 5PN open 11:00-01:00 Su-Th, F Sa to 02:00.

Lorne Bar, Stevenson Street PA34 5NA. M-Th 12:00-01:00, F-Su 12:00-02:00. Dog-friendly, does good food.

Cellar Bar Corran Esplanade, open Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa to 00:00.

Aulay's Bar, 8 Airds Crescent, PA34 5SQ. Daily 11:00-00:30. Friendly traditional pub, dogs welcome. Bar lunches 12:00-14:30.

  • Sail west on a ferry. A day trip is enough to see Lismore; Mull and Iona can be done as a day trip but deserve longer. Further away are Coll, Tiree, Colonsay, Barra and Lochboisedale on South Uist.
  • Go north to Fort William for Ben Nevis, and routes to Loch Ness and Skye.
  • Go south to Tarbert (for ferries to Islay) and Kintyre. On the way see Arduane Garden, the extensive prehistoric area of Kilmartin and the island of Gigha.
  • Go southeast towards Glasgow, seeing Inveraray, the Cowal peninsula and Loch Lomond.