Join me on his A-Z journey into A SENSE OF PLACE where I reminiscence on places that are connected with my family history or are part of my own personal memories. O is for OBAN
Oban, meaning "little bay" in Gaelic, lies on the Firth of Lorne on the west coast of Scotland and is often regarded as the unofficial capital of the West Highlands. and "Gateway to the Isles", with the Cal Mac ferries a familiar sight, sailing to Mull, Coll, Tiree, Colonsay, Barra and South Uist.
During World War Two, Oban was an important place in the Battle of the Atlantic, with a Royal Navy signal station, and RAF flying boat base. In the Cold War, the first Translantic Telephone Cable, carrying the hot line between the US and USSR Presidents. came ashore at Oban.
McCaig's Tower (or Folly) stands high above Oban, named after its originator John Stuart McCaig (1824-1902). His intention was to provide work over the winter for local stonemasons and to build an imposing monument to the McCaig family. However the ambitious project ran out of money and on McCaig's death, his relations successfully contested provisions in his will for the Tower's completion.
A familiar sight of the Cal. Mac ferry.
Dunallie Castle is a ruined keep standing guard over the narrow entrance to Oban Bay.
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| Oban Bay
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Thank you so much for sharing this information! Scotland is a beautiful country, and it would be an honor to visit one day! www.sandysanderellasmusings.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteMcCaig's Tower reminds me of the Roman Colosseum. Oban has interesting sites and history, it sounds like!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandy and Wendy, for taking time to comment. I have been lucky enough to travel abroad in Europe and the USA, but there is something special about the west coast of Scotland.
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