Traveling to Oban (with photos) (Sunday, Sept. 20)

This morning we said goodbye to Alan and Pat at Ardno House and headed on down the road right in front of Ardno toward Oban. Alan and Pat were very gracious and helpful hosts, and their home is truly lovely, with a tranquil view of Loch Linnhe just across the roadway. Plus they have this really cool red telephone box at the end of their driveway.

Castle Stalker from the cafe
with a view!

We didn't have many miles to drive today, and there were just a couple of stops on our agenda, so we allowed ourselves to take it a little easy this morning. 

A short time after noon we reached the small village of Appin, headed for Castle Stalker, visible from A828, our route to Oban. We stopped first at the Castle Stalker View Cafe, where from the car park you can look down the loch to the castle. Plus you can go inside for a pot of tea and some scones! What could be better?

Closer view of Castle Stalker.

Smoky spotted a side road that he thought might provide other views of the castle, and his intuition was good. We stopped a couple of times on the roadside (yes, another one-lane with pullouts) to take a few shots. At the second one, a man pulled up beside us and told us that just a mile or so down the road was a proper car park built for the Jubilee Bridge from which we would have a great view of the castle. Another genuinely helpful Scotsman!

Great trail with raised
section, perfect for viewing
the castle, birds, and
flowers.

Lovely small flower
near trail.

Great view of Castle Stalker from Jubilee Bridge trail.

Following his directions, we found the car park as described, along with a lovely sidewalk complete with a bird hide where you could sit and watch the birds in the salt marsh. This area was the result of a restoration project by the Appin Community Trust. We thoroughly enjoyed our walk down this well-maintained trail.

Dunstaffnage Castle.

Back on A828, we continued toward Oban. We entered the postal code for Dunstaffnage Castle into our GPS, which was a good thing because its location is pretty remote, if you count driving through an industrial area with large buildings as remote. After several more turns, the scenery changed completely and we came to the car park for the castle. We walked up a path lined with tall trees and at the top of a hill sat the castle on a huge rock overlooking the Firth of Lorn. This is one of the oldest stone castles in Scotland.

Dunstaffnage Castle was built around 1220, at the height of the battle between Scotland and Norway for control of the Hebrides. Over the years it was added to, including a great hall and residential areas in the 18th century. We wandered around in the soft rain for a while, enjoying this grand place.

Inside Dunstaffnage Castle walls.

A short walking distance from the castle, we found the ruins for the chapel. What an interesting place. This was one of several places of worship where we felt a great energy. Closing your eyes, you could imagine how it might have looked many years ago.

Sanctuary of chapel near Dunstaffnage Castle.

Close-up view of windows in chapel.

Next stop: Oban. We were hungry and ready to check into Thornloe Guest House. First we had to check in with the tour company for our three isle tour that happens early tomorrow. Driving in Oban was a bit of a challenge. It is a lively town right at the edge of the water. Lots of traffic and one-way streets. After a few turns, we located our lodging on a hill overlooking town. We have a great view of the harbor from our bedroom window.

View of Oban and the harbor from our window at Thornloe Guest House.

To bed now. Tomorrow is a full day. The ferry leaves at 9:45am and returns at 7:30pm.

--Shann