Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
30min); Colonsay (Tues & Thurs 2 daily, Sat & Sun 1 daily;
30min); Islay (Tues & Thurs 2 daily; 40min); Tiree (Mon &
Wed 2 daily; 1hr).
By train
The train station is on Railway Pier.
Destinations
Glasgow, Queen St
(
3 daily; 3hr 10min).
By bus
On Station Road, adjacent to the train station.
Destinations
Appin (Mon-Sat 2-3 daily; 30min); Connel
(Mon-Sat hourly; 10-15min); Fort William (Mon-Sat 4 daily;
1hr 30min); Glasgow (4 daily; 3hr)
;
Inveraray (4 daily; 1hr
10min); Kilmartin (Mon-Fri 4 daily, Sat 2 daily; 1hr 15min).
By ferry
The CalMac terminal
(
T
01631 566688,
W
calmac.co.uk) is on Railway Pier, close to both the train
and bus stations.
Destinations
Achnacroish, Lismore (Mon-Sat 4-5 daily, 2
on Sun; 50min); Coll (daily except Wed & Fri; 2hr 40min);
Colonsay (daily except Tues & Sat; 2hr 15min); Craignure,
Mull (daily every 2hr; 45min); Lochboisdale (3-5 weekly;
5hr 20min-7hr ); Tiree (1 daily; 3hr 40min).
6
GETTING AROUND AND INFORMATION
By car
Arriving in Oban by car can be a bit of a nightmare
in the summer, when tra
c chokes the main drag. If you're
heading straight for the ferry, make sure you leave an extra
hour to allow for sitting in the tailbacks.
Tourist o
ce
3 North Pier (April-June, Sept & Oct Mon-Sat
9am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm; July & Aug Mon-Sat 9am-7pm,
Sun 10am-5pm; Nov-March Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun
11am-3pm;
T
01631 563122,
W
oban.org.uk).
ACTIVITIES AND TOURS
Bike rental
Bike Fix, George Street (Mon-Fri
10am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm;
T
01631 566033,
W
obanbikehire.co.uk), rents bikes (£20/day) and also
does repairs and servicing.
Diving
If you fancy something a little more vigorous,
head to the Puffin Dive Centre, based a mile south of
Oban at Port Gallanach (
T
01631 566088,
W
puffin.org.
uk), where you can take the plunge with a fully qualified
instructor (£5/90min).
Wildlife-watching tours
The best of the wildlife-
watching companies hereabouts is Coastal Connection,
based on Oban Pier (
T
01631 565833,
W
coastal-connection.co.uk), who offer 2-5hr long trips
(£30-40) spotting bird-and-sealife.
ACCOMMODATION
Oban is positively heaving with
hotels
and
B&Bs
, most of them reasonably priced and many within easy walking distance
of the quayside. Unlikely as it is, if you're struggling to find a place, note that there are stacks more guesthouses in Connel,
five miles north. The town is flush with
hostels
too, and there's a decent campsite in the vicinity.
Dungallan House Hotel
Gallanach Road
T
01631
563799,
W
dungallanhotel-oban.co.uk.
Tucked away to
the south of town, this solid Victorian villa offers a dozen
classy, but expensive, rooms set in its own woodland
grounds, with great vie
ws ac
ross the Sound of Kerrera. No
under-12s. March-Oct.
£145
Hawthornbank Guest House
Dalriach Road
T
01631
562041,
W
smoothound.co.uk/hotels/hawthorn.
Decent,
traditional guesthouse in the lower backstreets of Oban, just
across the road from the leisure centre. The rooms, one of
whi
ch ha
s a four-poster bed, are immaculately kept.
March-
Oct.
£65
Jeremy Inglis
21 Airds Crescent
T
01631 565065.
A
somewhat eccentrically run hostel near the train station,
with a maze of shared, double and family rooms (no bunks
throughout), plus kitchen facilities. It's t
he c
heapest
bed
in
town, with breakfast included. Doubles
£42
; dorms
£17
Kilchrenan House
Corran Esplanade
T
01631 562663,
W
kilchrenanhouse.co.uk
. A bright and hospitable home
located near the cathedral, with ten rooms, most of which
have antiq
ue f
urnishings to go alongside the tremendous
sea views.
£70
Oban Backpackers
Breadalbane St
T
01631 562107,
W
obanbackpackers.com.
Large, friendly and colourful
hostel with a range of differently sized dorms (the largest
has twelve beds) as well as doubles, both here and in two
buildings nearby. The big, open lounge-dining area has
mismatched sofa
s, a p
ool tabl
e an
d a real fire. Breakfast
included. Doubles
£50
; dorms
£17
Ì
The Old Manse Guest House
Dalraich Road
T
01631 564886,
W
obanguesthouse.co.uk.
There are
few more welcoming places in town than this spotlessly
clean Victorian villa whose rooms have unobstructed sea
views. There are thoughtful touches all round, including CD
players, complimentary sherry, and a
grea
t selection of
toiletries. The breakfast is top-notch too.
£84
SYHA hostel
Corran Esplanade
T
01631 562025,
W
syha.org.uk.
Occupying a super seafront position in a
converted Victorian house, this hostel might be a bit too
clinical for some, but the two- to-six-bed en-suite rooms
are kept to a very high standard. The only downside is
that it's a fair trek with a back
pack
from
the ferr
y
terminal. Breakfast £4.50. Doubles
£46
; dorms
£19.75
CAMPSITE
Oban Caravan & Camping Park
Gallanach Rd
T
01631
562425,
W
obancaravanpark.com.
Two miles southwest of
Oban up a pretty glen, this is a huge, well-equipped site with
