A Quick Look At The Town Of Oban – Argyll And Bute
A quick look at the town of Oban – Argyll and Bute reveals a piece of classic Scottish town living in a very large local council area. Located on the Firth of Forth, the town has a year-round population of about 8200 people and is the largest of its sort between Helensburgh and Fort William. In the tourist season, Oban’s population can swell to as much as 25,000 people.
Oban also is gifted by its location on Oban Bay, a nearly perfect inlet of horseshoe-shaped proportions. Its weather also is moderated because of its proximity to Kerrera island, which sits in the bay and which is further sheltered by the very large Isle of Mull. The town benefits from its proximity also to a collection of mountains known as the Morvern and Ardgour as well as the Isle of Lismore.
Within Scotland, Oban is sometimes referred to as the “Gateway to the Isles, ” and is also well-known for the number of residents that can speak Gaelic (over 10%). The town also has several notable historical attractions as well as being the home of a famous Scotch whiskey distillery and several castles of some note in Scottish history.
Many tourists stay in and around the town in order to go out and explore the wider region known as Kilmartin Glen. That particular area is known for the quality of its Neolithic and Bronze Age remnants and ancient monuments. There are also remnants of an ancient fortress nearby in the Glen, which many tourists and sightseers make a special effort to visit.
Historically, Oban was an important World War II port used by many Royal Navy and merchant marine ships. During the Cold War, the town also played host to the famous “Hot Line” transatlantic cable, which came ashore at a nearby bay called Gallenach. That particular cable was the main means of communication between the presidents of the United States and the old Soviet Union during that time.
In Scotland itself, the town is also known for being the host of one of the most famous Gaelic festivals of its kind in the country, the Mod. It first took place back in 1892, as a matter of fact. Over here, it is perhaps best known as being a sister town to Laurinberg, North Carolina. Back in Scotland, its location at the western end of the A85 makes it accessible by one and all.
Argyll and Bute, the local council area in which the town resides, has a population of around 92,000 people. It is a very large council area when coastline is added into the equation. With all of its islands counted, there’s well over 3000 miles of such coast, giving it more than the total coastline of France. Both Oban and Argyll and Bute are emblematic of Scottish history and tradition.
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