Last updated on January 22, 2024
I’ve already shared all the details of our trip to west Scotland where we visited Oban, Tobermory and Ardlui. It was a beautiful introduction to a part of the UK we’d never visited before, filled with misty mountainous backdrops, charming seaside towns and sweeping views across the isles.
The last post has all the info you need to spend a weekend in west Scotland, including where we stayed and ate, how we got around and what we did.
And this post is all about the photos. Both Oban and Tobermory are such photogenic towns and we were really lucky with the weather, so we ended up with lots of snaps. This is my pick of the best – some photos to inspire your trip to west Scotland.
Oban
Oban is a little jewel on Scotland’s coast, topped by a castle crown.
If you only do one thing while there, make sure you walk up to McCaig’s Tower. The views along the way are stunning…
…and the tower itself is beautiful…
…shedding shadows on the ground…
…and framing the view perfectly.
The town specialises in cute, from little houses…
… to yarn bombing …
…to colourful, quirky shops.
For whiskey lovers, there’s the Oban Distillery…
…but it’s also a perfect place to simply stroll…
…walking by the waterside…
…and enjoying the views out to Mull.
From Oban, we caught the ferry to Craignure…
…but Oban would be a beautiful place to stay itself.
You can even dine on a ship.
Tobermory
Colourful houses line the shore of a town called Tobermory…
…where fishermen cast their nets…
…boats bob…
…and birds play.
It’s a peaceful place…
…far from urban life…
…where you can connect…
…to the beauty of nature.
Climb its hills…
…enjoy the view…
…and wander the quaint country streets…
…filled with hideaways…
…and wild flowers…
…of every colour.
And don’t forget to stop for some tea.
Tobermory will have you charmed…
…relaxed…
…and awed.
We hope you love both as much as we did.
Rail & Sail
We travelled to Oban and Tobermory with a Rail & Sail pass by ScotRail, which combines rail and ferry travel into one ticket. Our ticket was for Glasgow to Craignure, and the return journey was valid for up to a month from the day of departure.
For the outward journey, you have to travel all the way to your final destination on the first day, but on the way back, you can hop on and off the train as much as you like over the course of a month.
There is no need to book your seats on the trains or ferry in advance. One benefit is that you get to skip the queue for a ferry ticket, and jump straight on instead.
Disclosure: We were invited to Scotland by ScotRail to try their Rail & Sail pass. All views, as always, are our own.
This is just beautiful, Victoria, I want to be there, NOW! Xxx
These pictures are making me so mad at myself for not visiting Scotland when I was living in Europe!!!