The town of Oban is more or less the capital of the Scottish west coast, as it’s the only sizeable community around. A year-round population of ~8000 people swells to more than 20,000 during the peak of the summer, with visitors attracted by the beautiful location, access to the Scottish highlands, ferries to the inner and outer Hebrides, and of course the eponymous distillery.
For sailors who’ve been away from town for a few weeks, Oban provides a great opportunity to restock provisions at the grocery store, pick up a few of the never-ending stream of needed parts to keep a voyaging sailboat in good condition, and of course fill our bellies at local restaurants.
Oso’s base for her time in Oban is the Isle of Kerrera, a long and narrow island that shelters Oban Bay from the rougher outside waters. Kerrera is home to a very friendly small marina (by far the largest business on the island), and ferry service provides easy access from the marina into central Oban.
We liked the area so much, we stayed around Oban and Kerrera for a week, soaking up “city” life, hiking on Kerrera, and exploring the various anchorages around the island.
