Wednesday 14th -- Oban on foot

We're in a b&b, breakfast is good. Hot food and cold food. A full house of guests, a full breakfast room.

Back in our room, Deb points out an interesting feature. When the toilet seat is up, the flush buttons -- set in the wall -- are hidden. No need to go to all trouble of lowering the seat... Just push it down a little and the seat slowly and carefully lowers itself. Entertaining and pointless :-)

Also, in the bathroom, are heated towel rails. Except... they only work for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. Cunning and cheap.

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By 10 o'clock we are ready to get out and see the town. No way we will drive... Even if the traffic has thinned out, we may never find "home" again!

We set off on foot, across the hill. We're following signs to McCaigs Tower. No idea what it is but there are signs... Okay, I've checked Wikipedia: The "tower" was built in about 1900 by a rich man. He intended to build a family museum and provide employment for local stonemasons, but died when only the outside wall was done. Inside is now lawn and garden, a bit of a folly.

We walk down to town and find ourselves right next to the Oban Chocolate Cafe... which is crowded. We decide to just buy some chocolates... which we do... then Deb spots an empty table so we sit. I order coffees and -- overwhelmed by all the chocolate -- I order a jam and shortbread sort of biscuit (Empire, no chocolate) to share.

We walk north, to Dunollie Castle. Along the coast road then through woodland. Dunollie is the ancestral home of clan chiefs for clan MacDougall. An online review says that it is not worth the price of admission, that's why I don't bother with online reviews -- it's well worth the visit. And we find a geocache on the way, our one Oban cache :-)

The castle is ruined but the manor house -- where people lived and still live -- has a lot of interesting stuff. Including some family history and family letters. We stay long enough for a light lunch. We buy a souvenir... which lucky person will get it when we get home?!

Back to town. It's a small town but busy. Started as a fishing port, now spread along the seafront from North Jetty to South Jetty. There is no bypass, all passing traffic must go through the town. End to end is an easy walk, probably less than a km. There are two parallel roads then a maze of streets back up the hill.

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Back at the castle, my camera battery has run flat :-(  I do carry it always switched on -- so that the gps will always be ready. It may be smart if I get a spare battery.

There's a camera shop in town, they don't stock my camera battery. Oh well. I'll have to be careful abour recharging.

We pass a bookshop. Dangerous, says Deb, but we go in anyway. And buy a couple of books. We can't resist books...

Then we look for a shoe shop that we have passed before... and buy a pair of hiking boots for me. Boots? They are labelled as trail shoes. Feel solid enough. And if Scotland can't sell a good hiking boot, I'll be disappointed.

It's an expensive walk through town!

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Back to our room, we relax for a while. Then head out for dinner.

We try a place which is fully booked. The next place is just closing. We end up on the seafront where yesterday we ate fish & chips. Today we eat indoors at The Olive Tree. It's pleasant, cosy, slightly upmarket. We agree that it's about the same standard as Killin Hotel but with decor at least 20 years younger. Food is delicious.

We just eat mains. Mine is pan-fried sea bass on pea and scallop risotto. Delicious and I'm sure it's healthy :-) Deb has tempura sole, she says it's delicious.

We walk back to our b&b. Each time we walk home it's uphill. We usually go via a Jacobs Ladder, concrete steps up the hill. We pause regularly to admire the view. There are three seats on the way up. (And, I suppose, three seats on the way down...) It's hard work. Good training for trail running :-)

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Back in our room we have coffee and Oban chocolates.

Today we have walked about 7km. In mostly fine weather. Soon after we get home -- there is a shower of heavy rain.

The end of another good day :-)

====    Dr Nick Lethbridge  /  Consulting Dexitroboper
             Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
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"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." … Blazing Swan Survival Guide

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dying for you to read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au :-)
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