Oban is a beautiful town that is a must visit if youâre travelling through Scotland. This coastal town, known as âThe Gateway to Islesâ, was my home for two months. It might not be the biggest town, but it comes to life during the summer season and it is the perfect place to visit to take in some local history and then jump on a ferry to explore the Inner Hebrides.
During my time on the Isle of Skye I volunteered at Skye Backpackers, owned by JoJoâs Hostels, I spent a month and a half there and when I was done, I wasnât ready to leave Scotland. It just so happened that the company was in need of a receptionist at their hostel in Oban, Oban Backpackers. I took the position for a month, and as with Skye, decided that wasnât enough time and stayed another month. This was my first paid position in the UK so it was nice to start making some money after living off my savings for 6 months. I had a great experience there, and with that company, and I am glad they gave me the chance to work in Scotland.
Every Thursday night the bag piper would come to the hostel and bring the guests to try out some Scottish dancing. The company that puts on the dance has changed since I was there, it is now called The View Oban, but they still have Ceilidh Nights every Monday, Thursday and Saturday with the place turning into more of a club after the traditional dancing is done on Thursdays and Saturdays. I went with some of the volunteers and guests of the hostel and, as the Scottish would say, the craic was great.
The uphill climb to reach McCaigâs Tower is a little taxing on a warm day, but it is worth it to see the views over Oban and the bay. This Tower was built by John Stuart McCaig, a local banker, in 1897. It is a beautiful place to take in the scenery and have a relaxing day. I went there many times to sit in the gardens and read.
The ruins left today date from the 15th century. You can walk up to visit the ruins and then visit Dunollie House, which the MacDougall clan built in 1745 after they abandoned the castle. There is also a garden you can explore. You get great views of the castle coming into Oban Port on the ferry.
This Castle is a far walk from the centre of Oban, but manageable if you like walking; you can also take a bike or car there. It is a beautiful journey if you travel along the coast. It is one of Scotlandâs oldest stone castles dating back to the 13th century. You can wander around the grounds and find the ruined 13th century chapel.
This small museum is worth a visit if youâre interested in the local history. The entrance is free, but they do accept donations to help cover costs. It is run by volunteers and is full of local artifacts, memorabilia and photographs.
I did not visit the distillery during my time in Oban because I am not a fan of Scotch Whisky. If you are though, then this is a place that you should check out. It is Barnivore certified vegan!
One of the go to spots to grab a drink and hang out is Markie Dans. This place gets very busy on weekends, some nights they have live music and other nights they have a pub quiz. I went to a pub quiz with one of the volunteers at the hostel and we came in last place. Turns out a German and a Canadian do not know many Scottish facts, but it was a lot of fun. The live music here is always great!
I visited some of the islands by myself, and other islands I visited through a tour with Staffa Tours. Iâll get into more detail about the islands later in this post.
While I was working at the hostel I was trying to save money so I was making my own food and I did not eat out very often, Oban might not have the array of vegan options that Edinburgh or Glasgow does, but there are a few places that you can check out.
The Little Potting Shed Cafe
I had researched vegan places before I arrived in Oban and was very excited to try out The Little Potting Shed Cafe. Unfortunately, when I arrived, the cafe was having some construction work done and was closed for my first month there. Thankfully, it opened my second month and it was worth the wait! I ate there quite a few times and everything was always filling and delicious.
This is a really nice restaurant with seating on the harbour front. A great place to go if youâre looking for a nice night out and are with non-vegans. I went for a goodbye lunch with some of the volunteers at the hostel and ordered a quinoa salad. Looking at their menu now though, it seems they have added a vegan burger and vegan mushroom risotto to their dinner menu that sounds mouth-watering!
This is not a restaurant, but this little health food shop is a good place to find vegan goodies.
Food From Argyll at the Pier
I did not eat here, but they do have a vegan option if youâre looking for a snack before you jump on a ferry!
The Corryvreckan Wetherspoon
This is probably the cheapest food and drinks youâll find in Oban. The drinks are great, but I havenât tried the food (I havenât heard the best things about Wetherspoonâs vegan options) however, itâs good to know all your options when youâre in a small town.
It is easy and fairly inexpensive to visit the islands around Oban. The CalMac Ferries run from Oban to the islands and back many times a day so, you can make it a day trip or you may choose to stay the night on some of the islands. You can also take a guided day trip to some of the further islands if you donât plan to stay overnight.
Here are the islands I visited while in Oban:
This is the closest island to Oban, you can see it from the mainland. It was also my favourite island. I visited this island a few times during my stay in Oban. The ferry for Kerrera does not leave from the main port, you will have to pass the port and walk along the road heading toward Gallanach to get to the boat that will take you to the island. Kerrera is fairly small and there is a hiking path that will take you in a loop around the whole island, which was my favourite walk. If you donât want to walk for that long, you can go halfway to Gylen Castle (a 16th-century Tower) and Kerrera Tea Garden and Bunkhouse, grab some food and then head back the way you came to get to the boat.
Lismore is the perfect island to take a bike ride. The path is paved and smooth so, it is not a difficult ride. The hostel I worked at had a bike which the staff could use. I took it with me on the ferry and followed the route along the island. You can also rent bikes in the city, if this is something youâre interested in. The Isle of Lismore Cafe is a good spot to take a break and get a drink. They did have a vegetable soup with a side of bread which was vegan however, it is always a good idea to pack some snacks because you never know if any of the cafes on these small islands will have vegan options.
This island is the second-largest of the Inner Hibrides after Skye. You wonât be hiking around this island in a day like you can some of the others. On this island it is best if you have a car, but if you donât, there is a bus that can take you from Craignure where the ferry from Oban drops you off, to Tobermory. There are other locations you can visit by bus, but the capital of Mull is a nice place to explore. It is a lovely small town with colourful houses along the water. There are some nice cafes and little shops. The Pier Cafe had a sign indicating vegan options were available, so I stopped in and ordered a lentil soup with a side of bread (a theme in Scotland for vegans). Based on their social media now, it seems like theyâve expanded their vegan options since I was there. My favourite place on Mull was the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, a marine conservation charity, where you can go in and learn about the whales, dolphins and porpoise around the island. Another place I visited on Mull was Duart Castle, I walked from Craignure to the 13th century Castle, it took just over an hour and it was closed when I got there, but it is still a remarkable building with nice views looking over the sea.
I visited Staffa on the tour I mentioned previously. This was one of my best experiences in Scotland. While on the tour, you have a certain amount of time which you can do with what you will. You could visit Fingalâs Cave and/or go see the puffins. I headed to the puffins first and they are the most adorable birds you will ever see. They actually will get pretty close to you if youâre sitting still and donât try to bother them. They are all over the cliff edge and you can watch them swoop down off the cliff and fly around. I spent awhile just watching them. After some time, I did go to check out the cave. It is fairly easy to get to, though some of the rocks might be slippery. The island is made up of basalt columns so parts of it, especially the cave, look a lot like The Giantâs Causeway in Northern Ireland. Since it is a uninhabited island you should remember to bring food and drinks, if you will be there for awhile.Â
Iona is another island I visited through a tour. This island has a lot of history to it and it is known for Iona Abbey, as a burial spot for Norwegian, Irish and Scottish Kings (including 11th century King Macbeth), and for the remains of the 1203 nunnery. Iona is also known for its marble, The Iona Marble Quarry was opened in the 1700s and was in and out of use over the centuries. It has been closed since the First World War, but you can visit the location if you like. I did not go there, but I did buy myself a beautiful Iona Marble necklace from Iona Pebbles Arts & Crafts. Iona Marble is said to be a lucky stone, which Scottish fishermen would not leave port without. On the tour we could explore the island as we liked so, I went to the Abbey and then I followed a path to a beach.
Oban was not on my list of places I wanted to visit while in Scotland but I am very happy that this job opened up and I had the opportunity to visit this little city. I had some amazing times there, and it will forever be one of my favourite places.
Check out my latest post, why you NEED to visit Oban and the Inner Hebrides while in Scotland! Oban is a beautiful town that is a must visit if youâre travelling through Scotland. This coastal town, known as âThe Gateway to Islesâ, was my home for two months.
