Dunollie Wood, the Dog Stone and Dunollie Castle walk

A walk · Oban

Dunollie – A Giant's Dog Stone and a Castle on a Wooded Crag

North of Oban's bay the esplanade gives way to a path under trees along the shore, and a few minutes along it a great pillar of rock stands in a meadow with a ruined castle on the crag behind.

This is the Dog Stone and Dunollie, the old seat of the MacDougalls, with Dunollie Wood on the slope above. It's about half an hour on foot from the station, and less from the seafront car park.

Time: 10 to 15 minutes each way on the flat from Corran Halls car park to the castle entrance, or about half an hour each way from the station. Longer with the wood or the castle.
The path: The way along the shore from Corran Halls is flat. In the wood the paths are mostly uneven and narrow, with short, fairly steep slopes, two kissing gates and two flights of steps near the car park.
Where to start: Corran Halls car park on Oban's seafront, a council pay and display. There are charged bays along the promenade too.
When to go: All year in daylight for the shore path and the wood. The castle and its grounds are open Tuesday to Sunday until the end of October 2026, then closed for the winter.
Dogs: On a lead in Dunollie's grounds.
Children: A short, flat walk to the stone. The wood is steeper.
Toilets: Oban's North Pier, about half a mile from Corran Halls.
Before you set out: Last recommended entry to the castle and grounds is 3.30pm. In December the sun sets at about a quarter to four.

The walk

Park at the Corran Halls car park on Oban's seafront, or start from the station and walk the esplanade round the bay. At the war memorial a path goes in under the trees along the shore. A few minutes on, the Dog Stone stands in a meadow beside the path, a great rough pillar of rock with trees growing from its top.

The story is that the giant Fingal tied his hound Bran to it. Dunollie Castle's ruined tower rises from the wooded crag beyond. It's 10 to 15 minutes on the flat from Corran Halls to the castle entrance, and about half an hour from the station.

The castle and its grounds take a ticket, and they close for the winter at the end of October. Dunollie Wood covers the slope behind, with a trail waymarked in white arrows from Corran Halls. Its paths are narrow and steep in places and slippery when wet, so from mid October to March wear boots and go while the light is good.

If it rains

The shore path is tarmac under trees and fine in a shower. The wood's steep paths are slippery when wet: in rain keep to the shore.