Home Report Oban

Oban is a town of about 8,500 residents in the Argyll and Bute council area. In Gaelic, the town means ‘The Little Bay’, as the town occupies a spot in a bay in the Firth of Lorn. The bay itself is almost a perfect horseshoe in shape, protected by the island of Kerrera; and beyond Kerrera, the Isle of Mull. To the north, is the long low island of Lismore and the mountains of Morvern and Ardgour. It is quite a stunning view from the centre of the town. It is the unofficial capital of the West Highlands and is also known as the ‘Gateway to the Isles’.

Oban as we know it today took shape around the Oban Distillery in the 18th century. When the town was linked by steamship with Glasgow in 1812 it really started to become an attractive summer resort, owing to its fantastic surrounding scenery and location on the water. Its population started to increase around this time and also became a summer residence for many wealthier Victorians who built large sandstone villas in the Battery Hill area overlooking the town centre to the east.

Oban today is still a popular resort town for day-trippers, tourists and outdoor sporting enthusiasts using it as a base for activities in the area. During the height of the tourist season, the population can swell to over 24,000 people. While tourism drives the local economy, the town is also an important ferry port, acting as the hub for Caledonian MacBrayne ferries to many of the islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

With the town being so tourism-focused, Oban punches above its weight when it comes to amenities and things to see and do for both locals and visitors. The main street has numerous eateries from cafes to restaurants and pubs, as well as hotels, B&Bs and other lodgings catering for tourists. Many of the usual high street retailers and supermarket chains can be found in or just outside the town. There are plenty of small galleries and independent stores to browse through too, as well as the centrally located Oban Distillery, chocolate shop, and museum. Oban’s proximity to the mountains and the sea means that a wide array of activities are available to visitors and locals, from scuba-diving – with the Sound of Mull offering some truly world-class dive sites – to coasteering, sailing, mountain biking mountaineering, and more. Oban overall is a bustling attractive town with a lot to offer residents and visitors.

In terms of transport links, Oban is well served. The town has its own railway station with regular services to and from Glasgow Queen Street, meaning train travellers can alight right in the centre of town. From Glasgow, the town is also easily accessible by the A816/A83 and A85/A82 roads, depending on choice and direction of travel. Typically, most would travel by the A82 past Loch Lomond and then connect to the A85 west for travel into Oban town centre. There is also a dedicated bus service for Oban from Glasgow that runs three times a day every day, plus numerous services serving the town and nearby settlements. As mentioned earlier, Oban is also an important ferry port, acting as the hub for Caledonian MacBrayne ferries to the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

As for local schooling, Oban has a primary and secondary school. Oban secondary school pupils come from the town and wider area. The school also welcomes pupils from surrounding islands like Coll and Mull, and they stay at a local hostel during the school week which the school funds.