Onward to Oban

           April 29

We woke up to our final day in Inverness, and that was particularly exciting because that means we actually got some sleep. The full day trip to the north shore really wore us out, plus we now had our bedding problem worked out by repeating our previous day's approach.

We had a little more time than we did the day before which was helpful since we had to be fully packed and walk to the bus station. It was a beautiful morning and didn’t seem as cold as the day before nor was it raining. It made us question where we were. The last look at the river from the bridge was stunning as the sky was still a bit dark and the lights were still on.

We boarded the bus right on time and were on the way to Fort William where we were to change busses and continue on to Oban. The day was beautiful which helped provide clear views of the countryside. The 2 ½ hour trip took us the entire 23-mile length of Loch Ness and past numerous castles.

Loch Ness is the second-largest loch in Scotland by surface area after Loch Lomond, but due to its great depth it is the largest by volume in Great Britain. Its deepest point is 755 feet making it the second deepest loch in Scotland after Loch Morar. It contains more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined, and is the largest body of water in the Great Glen, which runs from Inverness in the north to Fort William in the south, which happened to be our exact route. This beautiful loch is shrouded in mystery. With over 1,000 eye-witness accounts, sightings and unexplained evidence, scientists continue to be baffled by the existence of Nessie the Loch Ness monster.

Scotland is world famous for its castles, not just because so many are immaculately preserved but also because many are set against some of the most breathtaking scenery in Britain. Each of them tells its own tale from clans to royalty, uprisings, invasions, and war. And many of them have starred in major TV shows and films – from Game of Thrones to Outlander and even James Bond. We didn't stop at any today but got a couple of shots from the bus. 

Arriving in Fort William we had a 90-minute layover until our next bus so we spent the time in a café inside Morrisons, the food supercenter adjoining the bus station. There we had breakfast and their breakfast specialty was the full Scottish breakfast in three versions, traditional, vegetarian and Vegan. We split the traditional and vegetarian. It was better than the last one we had in Inverness and half the price.

The bus ride to Oban was only 90 minutes, again through the beautiful countryside with dramatic views of forests, lakes and mountains, the largest mountain being Ben Nevis. Ben Nevis, or Beinn Nibheis in Scottish Gaelic, is the highest mountain in Scotland, the United Kingdom and the British Isles. The summit is 4,411 feet above sea level and is the highest land in any direction for 459 miles.

We went through several small towns and communities on the ride and we noticed so many phone booths still all over. The bus pulled right up to one and we could finally see how they repurposed it. Of course it still left the questions, how and why? Apparently for people without smart phones? The writing around the top of the booth states, "email + text + phone"

Oban, meaning The Little Bay in Scottish Gaelic, is a resort town on the western shore of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William. During the tourist season, the town can have a temporary population of up to over 24,000 people. The bay forms a near perfect horseshoe, protected by the island of Kerrera; and beyond Kerrera, the Isle of Mull, which we plan to visit tomorrow on a tour.

The modern town of Oban grew up around the distillery, which was founded there in 1794. Sir Walter Scott visited the area in 1814, the year in which he published his poem The Lord of the Isles; interest in the poem brought many new visitors to the town. A rail link for the Callander and Oban Railway was finalized in 1880. This brought further prosperity, revitalizing local industry and giving new energy to tourism.

The town is charming to say the least. George Street, the main road through the downtown area is flanked with seafood restaurants, souvenir shops and other stores of interest to a thriving tourist destination. We once again had a dinner of fish & chips. The apartment we are staying in looks brand new, has wonderful amenities and very clean and fresh. Its just off the main bay and only a few minutes walk to the bus station, train station and the ferry terminal for transportation to the outer islands. Tomorrow we have a tour booked for three of the nearby islands, Mull, Iona & Staffa. After dinner we made a quick trip to the local supermarket and then back to the apartment to do some laundry and rest up getting ready for another full day tour.