Scotland - Oban and Glencoe

Sunday 2nd September 2018, Inverness
This morning I spent best part of two hours writing up notes on all we did yesterday. Then accidentally copied across the wrong file and deleted my morning's work! It cast a shadow over today and now I need to reconstruct as much as possible from memory before I move forward with today's account.

We spent Friday night camping on a site outside Oban with views over the loch. We slept well, weary from a day of much driving along winding roads which did not allow for admiring the sublime scenery as we drove. We woke yesterday morning to a Scottish mist that all but blotted out visibility over the loch. Around Modestine eight young ducks were searching the wet grass for worms and grubs. They were in no way timid and eager to join us for breakfast.

Eventually we drove down into Oban where we filled Modestine’s tank with fuel and her fridge with local delicacies from Lidl - such as scotch pies, scotch eggs, ready meals of tatties, haggis and nips, scotch broth and tablet. This last is a very sweet sort of fudge. It's way too sickly to eat but a small square takes the sharpness out of our gathered and stewed blackberries. Oh how we dine in luxury!

With three hours free parking we left Modestine in the car park whilst we wandered off to explore the town. While Oban is not one of the most exciting towns of our travels it is pleasant with large stone-built flats and shops fronting the bay with the three islands of Mull, Staffa and Iona, each with its rugged hillsides showing beyond the harbour. The ferry terminal is right on the harbour front, served by a quay with restaurants and souvenir shops where the Iona gift shop specialises in products made on the island. The window is filled with jewelry and decorated goblets incised with Celtic strapwork designs or crosses. The shop also arranges all day three island trips combining boat and coaches to link the islands and enable visits around each of them.


Ferry terminal. Oban. Scotland.


McCaig's Tower. From North Pier. Oban. Scotland.


North Pier. Oban. Scotland.


Ferries. Oban. Scotland.

Our general impression of Oban, despite the rain, was very favourable. With its offshore islands it must have one of the most impressive views of any city centre in Britain. Along the far side of the seafront stands the Roman Catholic Cathedral designed by Charles Gilbert Scott, and several large holiday hotels standing in their own grounds.


North Pier. Catholic cathedral in distance. Oban. Scotland.

In a side road we found a place for a Scottish all-day breakfast that included haggis, sausage, black pudding, fried eggs, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, potato scones, toast and butter. With the rain outside it was an enjoyable if not altogether healthy way of spending some time.

The town has a free Museum of Peace with much about the history of the town during the two World Wars. There are photos taken by German airmen showing the shipbuilding activities around the town and flying boats at anchor out on the loch.


Oban Times office. Peace Museum. Oban. Scotland.

Collecting Modestine we drove northwest until we reached Glencoe where we stopped for the night. The village has only one small store, which serves a street of small single-story houses roofed with either black slate or corrugated iron. One, with decaying thatch, is the village museum. It was closed but presumably provided information about the local crofts and agriculture in the past as well as information about the Glencoe massacre. We found the monument to this tragedy in woodland just beyond the village. There was much hatred between Scottish clans and back in 1692 it boiled over with the Campbell clan attacking the MacDonald clan, carrying out wholesale slaughter.


Houses in Main Street. Glencoe, Scotland.


Massacre monument1692-1883. Glencoe, Scotland.


Coe River. Upstream towards glen from Invercoe Bridge. Glencoe, Scotland.


Coe River. Downstream towards Loch Leven from Invercoe Bridge. Glencoe, Scotland.

Nowadays the crofters in the tiny village cottages sell eggs at their gate to add slightly to their income, selling to campers and walkers. Even the village Church of Scotland has a small sideline selling paperback books from the vestry.

Back at the campsite Ian discovered someone incarcerated in the toilets who had got himself stuck when the lock jammed. While Ian kept him calm, assuring him help was coming, and another camper arrived with a tool kit that didn't solve the problem, I went for help from the management. Reception was closed and everyone had disappeared for the night. Across the road was the house where the owner lived. With no response to my knocking and ringing I went round the back to the garden searching for help. Here I found a large garage-cum-workshop wide open and filled with tools, lawnmowers and gas cylinders. Calling for assistance I walked in. Suddenly I found myself shouted at by a very angry lady demanding to know who I was and what I thought I was doing in her garage! Natural I suppose but it rather shocked me. I told her I was searching for help and once she realised I was not there to steal she immediately rushed off to find her husband. Meanwhile the unwilling prisoner was beginning to panic again and Ian was still in the gents trying to keep him calm from outside the door. Ian had by now been joined by several other curious well-wishers. Tools all proved ineffectual and eventually a ladder was produced and a rescue effected when the prisoner was helped to clamber out over the top of the cubical. Apparently the compartment was still locked this morning but was at least unoccupied!

Monday 3rd September 2018
This morning I phoned Neil who waxed nostalgic when he learned that we were at Glencoe, recalling times he had passed through the village whilst on climbing expeditions with university friends during his student days. He tells us we should visit Ullapool. However, I think he doesn't realise his parents have aged somewhat over the past twenty years and his dreams of happiness on a bleak, autumnal mountainside do not really coincide with ours!

Well, that about sums up yesterday and everything I lost this morning when I backed up my notes the wrong way round.