If Oban, Scotland, is known for anything, it is whisky. If it were Ireland, whisky would be spelled with an “e” and it would look like this: whiskey. But it’s not, so no hate mail. Oban, however, is more than just the distillery bearing its name. It is a vibrant community with a connection to the sea and fisheries that are found here. It is also a bustling tourist town and has many sites to see and participate in.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 07 Aug 2019
Oban, Scotland, 8/7/2019, Lord of the Glens
- Aboard the Lord of the Glens
- Scotland
Steve Morello, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Steve Morello has had a long and colorful career in the natural history world. Born in New Jersey, he was lucky to be able to summer on the shores of Cape Cod. Whether it was exploring the tidal pools, snorkeling along the beach, or hiking in the dun...
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Scotland's Highlands and Islands Aboard Lord of the Glens
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Corpach, Neptune’s Staircase, and Fort Augustus
Today, we started our journey up the Caledonian Canal, leaving the ocean behind. The 60-mile-long canal follows the Great Glen, a fault line that began forming 430-390 million years ago. We will sail within the canal to our final destination at Inverness. Our canal venture began with a morning climb up Neptune’s Staircase, a series of eight locks that raises the canal by 19 meters. Almost two thirds of the canal consists of freshwater lochs. Today we crossed over several of these, including Loch Oich, the canal’s high point at 106 feet above sea level. After lunch, we had a chance to stretch our legs with the opportunity to disembark and walk the last couple of miles into Fort Augustus, our berth for the night. The activities weren’t over though. Just before dinner some headed off for another walk, looping through the outskirts of Fort Augustus, while others explored the town on their own. The day was capped off with a presentation on the Scottish kilt and plaid.
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Oban, Corpach, Glenfinnan
Oban is a bustling town that provides services for surrounding communities as well as transportation for visitors and locals alike. Ferries, busses, and trains all leave from here. We had the morning to explore Oban before setting sail onto Loch Linnhe, heading towards our day’s destination at Corpach at the beginning of the Caledonian Canal. The ship tied up at Corpach, with the UK’s highest mountain Ben Nevis rising above. From there, many disembarked for Glenfinnan Estate, historically significant as the point where Prince Charles landed in the 1745-46 Jacobite rebellion. A few ventured out to kayak in Loch Linnhe, while others walked the canal bank. All of us enjoyed the sunny, calm weather. Glenfinnan’s Estate Manager Alistair Gibson joined us after dinner, providing a bit of insight into what it takes to run an estate like Glenfinnan.