Oban

On Wednesday last week, we set off for the west coast of Scotland to have a look at Oban. The Gaelic name An t'Oban means The Little Bay and it's easy to see why.

The bay is protected from the worst of the weather by the island of Kerrera and the much larger Isle of Mull as can be seen in the above picture.
Looking inland and, high above the town is the impressive edifice of McCaig's Tower perched on the looming Battery Hill.

This folly is built of Bonawe granite and has a circumference of about 650ft. It has two-tiers of 94 lancet arches (44 on the bottom and 50 on top).
It was designed and built by a prominent local banking magnate John Stuart McCaig as a memorial to his family and to provide work for the local stonemasons.

Finished in 1902 on the death of McCaig at the age of 78 it was only part of the property portfolio of the McCaig family. He also owned the North Pier in Oban but was forced to sell/rent it to the newly formed Harbour Authority in 1895.

The drinking of alcohol is prohibited in the tower under local by-laws. Cheers!