The Kelpies

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It’s a long drive to Oban from Edinburgh, so I like to break the journey up early on with a stop at the Kelpies. These are the tallest equine sculptures in the world at 30m high, created in 2014 by artist Andy Scott. They’re a nod to the Clydesdale horses that once pulled boats along the Forth-Clyde Canal here, but also to creatures from Scottish mythology. Kelpies are shape-shifting water spirits that often take the form of horses to lure travellers onto their back and to their doom down in a loch or river!

Stop At Doune Castle

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Close to where the Lowlands meets the Highlands, Doune Castle is one of the best-preserved Medieval fortresses in Scotland. Most of what we see today was built by Robert Stewart the Duke of Albany, a devious man who usurped power from his brother the King. Doune is also famous from film and TV, popping up in Monty Python, Outlander and Game of Thrones. It’s always worth spending an hour to wander it’s old stone walls!

Loch Lubnaig

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Translated as the Crooked Loch, a quick stop here is the perfect place to take your first breath of fresh Highland air!

Lunch At Artisan Deli Café

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Between Crianlarich and Tyndrum, you’ll find this old church hidden off the road and converted into an amazing café. As well as delicious food, they have a great selection of Scottish products on sale, including the Hidden Scotland magazines!

Kilchurn Castle Viewpoint

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Kilchurn Castle is one of the most picturesque ruins in Scotland, although you won’t get that view from the normal car park! Instead, turn off the A85 onto the A819 and you’ll soon see lay-bys to pull into on either side of the road. Over the stile, into the field and down to the water gives you the iconic scene over Loch Awe to the castle with the mountains in the background. Built in the 1400s, this was once home to the Campbells of Glenorchy. From this spot, the clan’s power grew and their territory spread, with castles right across Scotland. The chief moved his family to Taymouth Castle in Perthshire and Kilchurn was abandoned. Unfortunately, there’s no access inside the castle at the moment due to conservation works.

St Conans Kirk

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Another big highlight on the banks of Loch Awe is St Conans Kirk. The jumble of architectural styles makes it seem as if the building is centuries old, but it was actually only constructed in the late 1800s! Walter Campbell had recently moved to the nearby island of Innis Chonain, but his elderly mother wasn’t able to make the weekly carriage ride to church in Dalmally. He solved the problem by building her this incredible church beside their home. When Walter died, his sister carried on the work, extending St Conans to what we see today.

Pass Of Brander

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The Pass of Brander isn’t somewhere to stop, but it’s worth noting these steep slopes as you drive through it on your way to Oban. In 1308, his was the scene of a crucial battle during the Wars of Independence. King Robert the Bruce had come to Argyll to get revenge on Clan MacDougall who had ambushed him two years earlier. The MacDougalls thought they had trapped Bruce’s army in this narrow pass. However, half of the King’s men had climbed over Ben Cruachan and were now bearing down on them from above. The ambushers had become the ambushed and the MacDougalls were practically destroyed!

Dunstaffnage Castle

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Shortly before you reach Oban, turn off to Dunstaffnage Castle. It’s an incredibly historic fortress, perched on solid rock and while the building dates back the 1200s, it was the site of an even earlier fortress from the 7th century! 

It was home to the Lord of Lorn, passing from MacDougalls to Stewarts to Campbells and even being used as a prison for the Jacobite heroine Flora MacDonald. The castle is open for visitors and there’s a ruined chapel hiding in the woods.

Oban’s Green Seafood Hut

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If you arrive in Oban early enough, then make sure to visit the Green Seafood Hut near the ferry terminal. While everything is always fresh and delicious, at this stage in the day lots will be sold out, but you can usually rely on a portion of mussels in white wine and cream to enjoy beside the harbour!