After passing through one final lock, the Lord of the Glens left our overnight berth at Corpach to venture out into the salt water of Loch Linnhe, cruising into the Sound of Mull. Now we’re in the Atlantic Ocean! As we sailed towards the town of Oban, David presented the history of Celtic Christianity in preparation for our visit to Iona tomorrow. It’s thought Christianity came to the Scottish Highlands from the Mediterranean in the tradition of the Desert Fathers, in contrast to the Roman Christian faith that arrived into southern Britain from Rome.
Our photographer, Eric, followed David’s presentation with a talk on taking pictures in challenging light conditions. This is an important skill for photography in Scotland, as the ever-changing light creates beautiful scenery but can be difficult to capture.
Around lunchtime, we arrived in Oban, a busy town that provides services to the surrounding rural areas and serves as a transportation hub for lots of ferries, buses and trains. The town has much to offer to visitors, from interesting shops and pleasant walks to McCaig’s Tower and of course, the distillery. Construction of McCaig’s Tower (also known as McCaig’s Folly) began in 1895 and ended with John Stuart McCaig’s death in 1902. The tower stands above the town, looking like a small, ruined Roman coliseum. A few took the opportunity to walk up to the tower and to take in the views over the sea towards Mull, where we will journey tomorrow. Others went shopping in Oban.
One of the highlights of the afternoon was our visit to the Oban Distillery and our education in whisky making. The distillery is one of the oldest in Scotland, established in 1794, before Oban was even a town. The buildings remain much the same as they were in the 1890s when the business was renovated and updated. The tour ended with a sample of one of the Distillery’s products – a wee dram, as they say.
During Recap Robin shared a bit of poetry, with Hugh MacDiarmid’s “Scotland Small?” exploring the infinite array of flora and fauna found in the Scottish countryside. Docked alongside Oban for the night, we had a further chance to explore the town, enjoying a pleasant end to another good day in the Highlands.
