Oban, Scotland
The seagulls were the size of toddlers. They sounded like them as well. Guttural grunts and pissed-off squawks. The kind of ruckus you hear from a minivan full of youngsters at the Chick-Fil- A drive thru when they run out of nuggets.
This past spring. I was an ocean away from the closest Chick-Fil-A in Oban, Scotland of all places. Oban, at first blush, is a place where smug seagulls and perambulating tourists rule the streets. The weather forecast hasn’t changed in a thousand years. When I was there, it was overcast and spitting mist followed by fleeting explosions of sunshine. A rainbow gently kissed a hill on the harbor and quickly vanished.
Locals say be prepared for four seasons in one day. By all means, heed this advice.
Oban, Scotland rests quietly on shores of The Firth of Lorn estuary on the west coast of Scotland, just under three hours by car from Edinburgh. Oban in Scottish Gaelic means “little bay,” and it was nothing more than a sleepy village in the 17th and 18th century. Back then, households spent their days fishing, shipbuilding, trading and running from rainstorms.
Waiting for adventures in Oban Bay, Scotland
That changed when the Oban Distillery started pouring a mighty fine whiskey in 1794, and it’s still in operation today. I was there on a Sunday and unfortunately no tours were available, but I did pick up a small bottle of Oban 14 at the gift shop. It was quite good — a creative blend that incorporates orange peel, smoke, sea salt, and honey which was best served over ice and with a view of the Highlands. The "14" refers to 2014 when the whisky was made.
These days Oban is a popular tourist spot where visitors cue up for boat rides to enchanting places like the Isle of Mull, shop for trinkets and dine on menu options that run the gamut from bangers and mash, to roasted duck in Szechuan source to Haddocks and Halibuts prepared in any hundreds of ways. Oban claims to be the seafood capital of Scotland. Interestingly, and a wee bit surprisingly, it’s home to two Michelin rated restaurants: Baab and Etive.
For down to earth, gee this picnic table is still wet, and oh my..,that’s quite the breeze blowing off the Firth, try the Oban Seafood Hut or the Green Shack as the locals call it. It’s an outdoor only venue serving fresh off the boat mussels, prawns, crab and herring. (The boat is less than 20 feet away.) Order for take away or squeeze yourself into their one picnic table and meet new friends.
There are plenty of places to stay in Oban. Take your pick from guest houses, hostels, hotels and B&Bs. Most are an easy walking distance from restaurants and shops that line the harbor. I chose to stay at The Corran House Hostel in Oban’s west end. It’s a Victorian Terrace style building that offers both hostel and private rooms. I chose the latter.
Corran House Hostel. Markie Dans in located in the basement of the second building from the right
There was a fully equipped communal kitchen downstairs that operated on the honor system. Eggs, cereal, yogurt, fruit, or a pastry were all 50 pence or sixty cents USD. Visitors of The Corran House also get 10% off at Markie Dans, the pub in the basement.
The misty view from Markie Dans beer garden.
I grabbed a seat, a pint and an order of fish and chips and enjoyed the view of Oban Bay from the patio beer garden. A mountain of fog crept in from the northwest while a handful of pleasure boats rested quietly in the bay. Soft, traditional Irish folk music spilled from inside of Markie Dans.
And last but certainly not least, there was not a seagull to be seen — or heard.