Oban

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For other uses, see Oban (disambiguation).
Oban
Gaelic: An t-Oban
Scots: Oban
Location
OS grid reference: NM859298
Statistics
Population: 12,467
Administration
Council area: Argyll and Bute
Constituent country: Scotland
Sovereign state: United Kingdom
Other
Police force: Strathclyde Police
Lieutenancy area: Argyll and Bute
Former county: Argyll
Post office and telephone
Post town: OBAN
Postal district: PA34
Dialling code: 01631
Politics
Scottish Parliament: Argyll and Bute
UK Parliament: Argyll and Bute
European Parliament: Scotland
Scotland
View of Oban from Druim Mor.
Enlarge
View of Oban from Druim Mor.
View of Oban Harbour with Kerrera (and Mull beyond)
Enlarge
View of Oban Harbour with Kerrera (and Mull beyond)

Oban (An t-Oban in Gaelic) is a resort town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, with a population of around 12,000. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people.

Attractions in Oban include the Waterfront Centre, the Cathedral of St Columba, the Oban Distillery, Dunollie Castle, Dunstaffnage Castle and McCaig's Tower, which dominates the town's skyline. Oban is an excellent base from which to explore the sights of Kilmartin Glen.

The Oban Tourist Information Centre, operated under VisitScotland, is located in the centre of the town in Argyll Square. It is housed in an old Church of Scotland building. In 2004 the Oban Tourist Information Centre was second to Edinburgh as one of the busiest Tourist Information Centres in Scotland. See Oban and Lorn Tourism Association

Contents

[edit] History

During World War II, Oban was a busy port used by merchant and Royal Navy ships. The RN had a signal station near Ganavan which is now a private house. Also near Ganavan was a anti-submarine indicator loop station which detected any surface or submarine vessels between Oban, Mull and Lismore. There was a controlled minefield in the Sound of Kerrera which was controlled from a building near the caravan site at Gallanach. There is one surviving air raid shelter in the centre of Oban.

There was also a Royal Air Force flying boat base at Ganavan and on Kerrera. The airfield at Connel was originally built by the Royal Air Force during World War II. A Sector Operations Room was built near the airfield and after the war this was extended to become the Royal Observer Corps Group HQ.

Oban was also important during the Cold War because the first Transatlantic Telephone Cable (TAT-1) came ashore at Gallanach Bay and this carried the "Hot Line" between the US and USSR Presidents. There was protected accommodation for the cable equipment at Gallanach Bay.

[edit] Culture

In 2003, Oban hosted the 100th Royal National Mod (a Gaelic festival), in anticipation of which many signs were replaced with bilingual versions. Not only was Oban the venue for the 100th Mod but it also hosted the centenary Mod in 1992 (the year it became Royal). The reason for the different dates for the 100th and the centenary being stoppages for the wars. Oban is considered the home of The Royal National Mod as the Mod was first held in Oban in 1892 with 10 competitors on a Saturday Afternoon. The 2009 Mod is to again be held in Oban

The town boasts two screen cinema. Oban has also been used as a backdrop to several films including Ring of Bright Water and Morvern Callar. See [1].

[edit] Sport

The local amateur football team is "Oban Saints" with a small stadium situated in Mossfield. However, shinty is a more popular game locally, with two major teams, Oban Camanachd and Oban Celtic playing in the town. The Oban Times runs a popular Spot the Shinty Ball competition each week. The Highlanders are a WWE wrestling tag-team originally from (and billed) Oban.

[edit] Transport

Oban lies at the western end of the A85 road. It also has a railway station, and is an important ferry port. Oban is known as the Gateway to the Isles, with ferries sailing to the islands of Lismore, Colonsay, Coll, Tiree, Kerrera, Craignure on Mull, and to Castlebay in Barra and Lochboisdale in South Uist. A new extension to the ferry terminal was recently built on the railway pier, and a second linkspan is currently under construction to enable two ro-ro ferries to berth at any one time.

Oban is also reachable by plane via the small Oban airport at North Connel. The airport is currently being upgraded (costing some £4.2 million), so commercial planes can operate life-line island services, using Oban as a hub.

[edit] Town twinning

[edit] External links

 Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[edit] Further reading

  • Hughes, Mike, The Hebrides at War Canongate Books 1998, ISBN 0-86241-771-6
  • Batstone, Stephanie, Wren's Eye View, The Adventures of a Visual Signaller, Parapress Ltd 1994, ISBN 1-898594-12-0 Written by a Wren based in Oban for most of WWII.
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