Oban second page

The War and Peace Museum always seemed to be teetering on the brink of insolvency but is now more secure and worth a visit - and a donation - if for no other reason than to get an idea of how surprisingly important Oban was in the second world war, mostly as a base for antisubmarine flying boats (the museum features war rather more than peace). The volunteer staff seem mostly to be ex servicemen from that era, always keen to yarn about the old days - and very informative too, much better and of course interactive than one of those audio machines that posh museums give you to talk you round the exhibits.

The Atlantis Leisure Centre has a good swimming pool to take the family to on a wet day. There is an adult 25 metre pool which is a bit cold (and has a flume), a toddlers pool which is a bit warm, and a bouldering wall.

There is, or at least was until early 2010, a cinema for a wet day - the Highland Theatre now closed but maybe not for ever - the Corran Halls hosts various groups and acts, and there is the Skipnnish Ceilidh House which may offer something more than tartanery of an evening - I don't know.

The Oban distillery is right in the middle of town and takes up a surprising amount of space behind the main street. Of course it does tours.

Of course the most obvious feature from the sea is the late 19th Century Colosseum-like McCaig's Tower. McCaig died before it was completed and it has been left as it was then, best seen from afar, although close up is rather better than it was, with good views across the bay, no litter and nice shrubs. There are steps up to it from the end of the road by the Skipnnish Ceilidh House.

The walk to the ivy covered and atmospheric ruin of Dunollie castle on a 7th Century site takes in the Corran Esplanade with all its hotels and the truly architecturally awful Corran Halls. St Columba's Catholic Cathedral is a bit of a landmark but is hardly worth a look inside (very austere and a lot of granite, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott design from the 1930s). Further on past various stray bits of volcanic lava plug, past posh looking 20th century villas with cannons guarding the front door of one, is Ganavan Bay and the town beach.