Just when we began to think Oban was an innocent seaside town with a perfectly boring history, we saw signs otherwise.Â
There are the remnants of a coastal fortress. A couple memorials to battles long past. And sod ammunition bunkers. Lots of them. Trudging a bit further across the bay, human bones visible inside an above-ground tomb.Â
Though Oban’s a picturesque seaside village today, it was once a stronghold in the allies’ efforts to thwart u-boats and hold off the axis efforts to invade the UK during WWII.Â
Today, it’s a shining vision of the good life in the north. There’s a Michelin restaurant, good hiking trails on an island across the bay, fresh seafood, easy access to distant isles, a new leisure and sports centre, a village bowling green and a lovely bay. The perfect type of place to spend a few days.Â
And though I was sceptical of a crowded dance festival which would be in town during our stay, it turned out to be a lovely addition to our activity list. Though the Scottish dancing festival seemed a bit like something like an American beauty pageant, it was nice to witness all the brightly-clad dancers going about their dances in all their regalia.Â
We took in a show (music and dance), went to a concert (violin and accordion), visited a couple islands (Luing and Easdale), drove across the world’s smallest bridge over the Atlantic, ate our weight in Scottish breakfasts, fresh seafood and local chocolates, and marvelled at the fiery sunsets.Â
For me, the energetic lambs (spring is lambing season) and  tiny ferries from isle to isle were the best bits of the stop. But our friendly match on the local bowling lawn and our hike about the Isle of Kerrera were also hard to beat.Â
Oban treated us well…so well that it was hard to leave. Little did we realise that Skye would soon deliver a completely different vision of Scotland, stunning landscapes not to be outdone.Â