Now that we were officially in the Highlands, I wanted to learn a few words of Scots Gaelic, the Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. For centuries, it was spoken in the Highlands until it was banned by the British government as part of their effort to eradict the culture of the Highlanders following the failed Jacobite revolt.
I found the language to be tongue-twistingly difficult and the spelling nearly impossible, but there were a few words and phrases I managed to learn, such as “failte,” which means welcome. And Oban, the name of the town where we were staying, means “small bay” in Gaelic. On our first afternoon in Oban, we met with a local community leader who told us that the Gaelic language is actually making a big comeback.
Oban is located on Scotland’s west coast facing a sheltered horseshoe-shaped bay called the Firth of Lorn. The town has about 8,000 year-round residents. However, in the summer months, its population swells to 13,000. While tourism is very important to Oban’s economy nowadays, it also relies on fishing, commerce, slate production, and marine research. Ferries depart from its busy terminal for the Inner and Outer Hebrides islands.
In August, the sun doesn’t set until quite late so there was plenty of time for an after-dinner walk around the harbor.
Oban was our base for three days of exploration in the coastal area and the islands of the Inner Hebrides. On our first morning in Oban, we set out to visit the island of Iona.
Right after breakfast, we took a short walk from the hotel to the ferry terminal.
To reach Iona, we first took a 50-minute ferry ride to the island of Mull, the second largest island in the Inner Hebrides. Leaving Oban’s sheltered bay, we entered the waters of Loch Linnhe.
From our landing point at Craignure, we traveled by bus across Mull on a narrow single-lane road, hemmed in by mountains on either side. The bus ride took over an hour, as drivers going in both directions were constantly pulling over to allow oncoming vehicles to pass by. At least it gave me a chance to appreciate some of Mull’s scenic landscape.
While we rode along, I learned from Stephen about a major geological feature, the Great Glen Fault, that runs under the island of Mull. In fact, this same fault runs through Scotland from southwest to northeast, shaping the landscape and creating a series of lochs (lakes) on the valley floor. As we saw the previous day in Glencoe, the geology also influenced human life.
Because of the fault, occasional tremors occur. Most of the earthquakes are minor, i.e. not higher than 3 on the Richter scale. The driver of our vehicle added that in the last few years, Mull has experienced four quakes.
Today, the most important industries on Mull are sustainable mussel farming and logging. Tourism is also a significant source of revenue, with many visitors coming for salmon and trout fishing on rivers and lakes. In addition, there are two whisky distilleries on the island.
Mull is one of 36 inhabited islands in the Inner Hebrides. The first recorded inhabitants were the Celtic Gaels. The islands were later occupied for long periods of time by the Irish, by Norse invaders, and by English-speaking invaders. During the Highland Clearances and the 19th century potato famine, the population of Mull and the other islands decreased greatly due to starvation and emigration. Finally, I learned that during World War 2, Mull was used as a naval base and access to the entire island was restricted to residents.
Our ride ended at Fionnphort, on a desolate beach at the extreme western edge of Mull.
From there, we took a second ferry ride, this time only 15 minutes in duration, to reach the much smaller island of Iona.
On Iona, one of the first things I noticed was a small group of black-clad monks strolling past. I later learned that they were members of the Orthodox Monastery of All Celtic Saints, a Christian monastic order that lives on the island.
After we enjoyed tea, sandwiches, and two kinds of scones at the Argyll Hotel, overlooking the beach, we met Rona, our local guide, who was born and raised on the island. Only 200 people live on Iona year-round. Before we set out on a walking tour, she showed us a beautiful colored stone that she had picked up on the shore. It’s a metamorphic rock called Iona marble or Iona greenstone. At one time these were quite common on Iona but they’re harder to find nowadays. They’re often used in jewelry.
We paused at the ruins of the red granite Augustinian nunnery built in the early 1200s while Rona explained some of Iona’s history.
She told us that archaeologists have found remains of camps dating back to the early Stone Age, around 7000-8000 years ago. Evidence also suggests that the first year-round human habitation occurred during the Iron Age, about 2000-3000 years ago.
In 563, an Irish monk named Saint Columba sailed to Iona with 12 companions to establish a monastery (the Iona Abbey). At that time, Scotland was inhabited by Picts, Britons, and Saxons who were frequently at war with each other. According to Rona, Columba’s goal was not to convert the people of Scotland but to find safe places for his community of monks to establish monasteries. Iona was easily accessible by boat from both Ireland and Scotland and eventually missionaries were sent out to spread Christianity to the pagan Scots.
Columba’s fame drew pilgrims to Iona as early as the 7th century and the island soon became a major religious center for the Irish Church. It also became a center for the arts, with an emphasis on sculpture, metalworking, and manuscript illustration. In fact, the Columban monks produced several illuminated manuscripts, including the famous Book of Kells, which is now housed in Dublin.
From 795 to the mid-800s, Iona was subject to frequent attacks by Viking raiders who damaged the abbey, pillaged its treasures, and killed dozens of monks. Eventually, the island came under the control of Norway. But a Gallic speaking king, an ancestor of the Clan Donald (aka MacDonald), wrested control of the Hebrides from Norway in the late 12th century. Around 1200, his son commissioned a new stone abbey for the Benedictine order along with the nunnery whose ruins we were viewing. The nunnery was established to provide support for the pilgrims who flocked to the island. The convent flourished for more than 350 years, until the Scottish Reformation in 1560, when the buildings were dismantled and abandoned.
Over the centuries, other clans, such as the MacDougalls, MacLeans, the MacLeods, and the Campbells, had a significant presence on Iona. In fact, Rona led us to Maclean’s Cross, a stone cross marking the spot where medieval pilgrims stopped to pray on their way to the abbey church. It dates from around 1500 and was paid for by the powerful Maclean family. Rona told us that the cross would have been brightly painted and that the carvings on the cross depict Biblical stories.
The Great Abbey Church was built starting around 1200 when the Benedictines arrived on Iona. It stands on the site of Columba’s original church and was restored in the early 20th century. The intricately carved stone St. John’s Cross dates back to the 8th or 9th century.
The cloister of the abbey features a 1959 bronze sculpture by 20th century Jewish Lithuanian artist Jacques (Jacob) Lipchitz. Called the Descent of the Spirit, it depicts the Virgin Mary descending to earth surrounded by animals, birds, humans, and a dove representing the Holy Spirit.
Saint Columba is buried in the small chapel adjacent to the abbey church.
Another chapel, St. Oran’s chapel, built in the 12th century, is a short distance from the abbey church. The chapel’s graveyard is the traditional burial place for kings of Scotland. That includes Macbeth, king of the early Scottish kingdom of Alba, who was killed in battle in the year 1057.
As soon as we took the ferry back to Mull, the rain started. However, we stopped in the middle of the island to take some photos.
The other day trip we made from Oban was to the Cladich Farm. It was a very misty morning when we set out on the hour-long drive to the farm. The winding two-lane road took us through a very rural area of Scotland where there’s considerable poverty. Stephen told us that the majority of the land is owned by large estates belonging to dukes and earls. I recalled what I had learned about the Highland Clearances that took place from the mid-18th to the mid-19th centuries. The Clearances began immediately after the Jacobite defeat at the battle of Culloden. Large numbers of people who were tenant farmers were forced, sometimes through violent means, to leave their homes in the Highlands and islands. The landowners evicted them in order to make way for sheep farming and other agricultural developments that were more profitable. Many of those who lost their homes emigrated to other countries and distinct culture of the Highlands was lost.
Along the way to the farm, we stopped to look across Loch Awe at the ruins of Kilchurn castle, built by the Campbells in the 1500s. The tower and the barracks are still standing.
Highland cows, known as “hairy coos,” have been raised on the Cladich Farm since 1879. The current owners, John and Queenie (short for Victoria) have owned the property for the past 25 years. Before they purchased the 1500-acre farm, they were long-time CPAs in Edinburgh with no experience raising cattle. To remedy that situation, they immediately hired Stuart Campbell, a very knowledgeable young man, to rebuild and manage the fold (that’s what you call a group of cattle).
The cattle aren’t raised for meat or dairy products. Rather, the farm specializes in breeding pedigree Highland cows. Using IVF, they produce frozen embryos that can be transplanted into a surrogate female cow of any breed, anywhere in the world. The Cladich fold currently numbers 110 cows, all female, of which 40 are breeding cows. Of the 40 calves that they give birth to, only the females are kept. There are also two bulls on the farm. Stuart told us that ring in the bull’s nose is for control.
You can distinguish between adult males and females by looking at their horns. The horns of females go out and up while the horns of males go out and then around.
Pedigree is taken very seriously and the cattle enter frequent competitions to showcase their prized qualities. Queenie and John showed us some of the trophies and ribbons their cattle have won over the years. Unlike in the U.S., a red ribbon is awarded for first place and a blue ribbon for second place.
Stuart Campbell gave us an explanation of the lengthy grooming process that’s required to keep their long shaggy hair looking its best. He showed us combs, brushes, and the hair care products (Pantene, Tresemme, Head & Shoulders) he regularly uses, noting that volumizing products are particularly important. When entering an animal in a competition, he often turns to hair spray, spray-on hair color, and glitter spray. Based on the number of awards Cladich cattle have received, Stuart’s approach seems to be quite successful.
He proudly showed us a picture of a male calf born on the farm that had recently sold for $15,000.
In addition, Stuart told us about the constant care the cows’ long horns receive. He smoothes them with 120 grit sand paper, then rubs in engine oil to give them a shine.
The real highlight of our visit to the farm came next. We piled into a trailer pulled by a tractor that could handle rough terrain and drove off to see the fold in their natural environment.
As soon as I stepped out of the trailer, I felt like I had entered a landscape painting from an earlier time. Mist hung over the gently rolling hills where the majestic creatures serenely grazed.
Keeping in mind Stuart’s caution to approach the cows from the side (their fringe makes it hard for them to see directly in front of them), I gingerly laid my hand on the back of a russet-colored cow.
I remembered not to pet the top of the head but I used a heavy wooden comb Stuart provided to work through the tangles on the cow’s side. The animal never displayed the least bit of unease. Queenie had told us that the calves are raised from birth to be comfortable around people. I don’t know how long we spent in this magical setting because I completely lost track of time.
After our visit to the cows, we returned to John and Queenie’s house, left our muddy shoes outside the door, and went inside for lunch. In retrospect, I think this day is the one I’ll remember most from the entire trip. There was something surreal about the experience.
Since we were staying on the coast, I tried to eat fish or seafood whenever possible. On our first evening, I enjoyed luscious smoked salmon as part of my dinner.
Another evening, I dined on perfectly poached cold salmon with asparagus, new potatoes, and dill mayonnaise at Cuan Mor, a popular restaurant on George Street.
On our final evening in Oban, I opted for pan-fried seabass over homemade goat cheese and butternut squash risotto at a cozy pub called the Lorn Bar.
However, the most memorable eating experience I had in Oban was at a harborside shack where I devoured a generous portion of mussels cooked in garlic and white wine. I stood at a crowded outdoor table and ate them with my hands – so messy, and so good.
Oban certainly deserves its reputation as the seafood capital of Scotland. I’d have happily stayed longer on the coast but Inverness beckoned.
So after three days of exploration in Oban and the surrounding area, it was time to take a final walk along the waterfront in the early morning light.
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