my view from my airbnb
The sea (and Tarskavaig) on the left, the Cuillin in the back.
Tag: my trip to the highlands
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From Oban to Skye
After a hearty breakfast at the Blair Villa, it was time to leave Oban and board the train further up north to Fort William. Another train ride I spent pressing my nose against the window to enjoy the stunning views! I could probably just spend days riding trains around Scotland (and the rest of the UK).
On my arrival in Fort William I was already greeted by a guy from Easydrive who not only arranged to have brought my car over earlier but also gave my a first little “tour” of Ben Nevis and the other mountains. I must have looked a little bit shocked when his colleague arrived with my rental car – it was HUGE! Ok, maybe not huge but they had definitely had pumped me up from the small to a medium size, a super fancy Nissan Qashqai became my partner in crime for the next two days.
While driving from Fort William to Mallaig I was passing by the Glenfinnan Viaduct and I had a short look and said hi!
Do you remember the old 20 Schilling note? Train viaducts seem to be a favorite motive for notes – have a look at the Scottish 10£ note.
Next stop: Mallaig ferry terminal. Just in time for a quick tea and off to Skye we went!
From Armadale it was just a short 7 miles drive to my Airbnb in Tarskavaig – but what a drive! A single track lane across the south part of Skye – from one coast to the other side – offering a first glimpse of the beauty of this island. I have no idea how often I said “Oh wie schön!” during those two days – probably way too often!
After being greeted by a little family of rabbits and my hosts I decided to do a quick supermarket run to the next town: Broadford – only a 30 minutes drive and as I slowly got the hang of using my left hand to change gear I could enjoy the surrounding landscape even more.
Dunscaith Castle (ruins) in the back.
Loch Dhughaill – my “home loch” – where someone had the idea to make it even more idyllic and to put a boat in the middle of the lake.
Back at my cozy cottage I spent the evening with watching my “garden mates” – the bunnies – and just enjoying the view so the sea and the Cullins. Sunset was around 23:00.
I had booked only one of the three rooms at the Braeside Cottage but it happens that I was the only guest and had the cottage all for myself. If you´re looking for a cozy place a little bit outside of the main tourist tracks, it´s the perfect place for you!
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Oban – An t-Òban
After my little boat trip, it was time to explore the Scottish Capital of Seafood further. Oban’s history dates way back to the mesolithic times. “Evidence of early cave dwellers has been found in several locations in the center of Oban, coincidentally at Oban Distillery – around which modern day Oban grew.” (Old Oban)
From being the hub “Kingdom of Dalriata: the kingdom of the Scotii tribe, the seed from which the Kingdom of Scotland would grow.”(Oban History) in the 6th century to be of lesser importance when the center of power moved more inland in the 9th century to become the periphery of the Scots kingdom in the 11th century when the Western island where in the hands of the Vikings, who dominated the sea.
The MacDougall family, who were of Viking descent, turned their backs on the Vikings in 1263 at the time of the battle of Largs, in which Scotland wrested back the Western Isles from the Vikings, and at the same time established themselves as one of the most powerful families in Scotland. The MacDougalls were to develop Dunollie Castle (formerly Dun Ollaigh) in the 12th century as one of their primary strongholds, which it remained until 1746 when they relocated to nearby Dunollie House. The neglected castle fell into ruins, which are all that exist today. (Oban History)
The modern Oban grew around the distillery which was founded in 1794. Until Victorian times Oban remained a quite fisher village when in the 19th-century steam ships started to use it as a stopping point between Glasgow and Inverness along the Caledonian and Crinan canals. Oban became a ferry port. The railway arrived in 1880 and Victorian buildings started to pop up along the coastline. In 1887 the construction of McCaig’s Tower(how it is called today) started as a private project of banker John S. McCaig.
The old carriage way to Dunollie Castle starts right next to this cottage and follows the horseshoe shape of the bay. The castle and Dunollie House were already closed when I arrived but the view was still beautiful!
An t-Òban, meaning “little bay” in Scottish Gaelic, and to this day it is an important Gaelic center and hosts the biggest Gaelic cultural festival, Royal National Mòd.
I had planned to get a little bit freshened up in my B&B and then walk to McCaig’s tower to enjoy the sunset (around 23:00) but the lounge at the Blair Villa was so cozy and comfortable, that I didn´t make it out again. If you ever stay in Oban, I can´t recommend it enough – it feels like home (and a little bit like traveling back in time) – and the view over the bay is amazing!
