My wife and I will be in Oban in late October (24-26th). It appears that most of the tours to Mull and Iona are discontinued earlier in October. Can anyone confirm? Do you know of tours to the island in late October?
If no tours to the island, what would you recommend doing in the Oban area?
thanks!
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Lake District, England
8033 posts
The tours will be pretty much over by then. There aren't the visitor numbers, and the ferries are on a winter timetable with 1.5 ferries running to Mull, rather than a 2 ferry shuttle service as in the summer- https://www.calmac.co.uk/winter-timetables/oban-craignure
In particular note that the last ferry back from Mull except Friday and Saturday is at 5pm (1700).
However the island bus services to Tobermory and Fionphort (for Iona) will be running- timetables to be published onward from 21 October-
https://www.westcoastmotors.co.uk/services/isle-of-mull
However only go to Iona if it is a good forecast- that is a difficult little strait and the boats over are very vulnerable to cancellation.
That is another reason for the trips to Staffa etc not to run- apart from low numbers the likely sea conditions on the small vessels.
But, apart from Mull and Iona under your own steam there is the Isle of Kerrera out in Oban Bay and the Isle of Lismore (which the Mull boat passes)- it has it's own little ferry.
You could do Fort William- out by bus, return by train or vice versa (a scenic spectacular). There is the prehistoric village at Kilmartin Glen- accessible both by car and local bus- https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Kilmartin-Glen/
Drive or bus to Elleanabeich for the wee ferry over to the remarkable Easedale- the one time centre of the Scottish Slate Industry
There is the Hollow Mountain at Cruachan (a hydro electric scheme)- the bus goes out there, but it's private railway station is summer only- https://www.visitcruachan.co.uk/
Take the Glasgow bus to Inveraray for the Castle and the other attractions there.
In fact if the weather is terrible you could even go to Glasgow for the day on the train.
That's some of what is possible. You need to be flexible and decide each day depending on the weather which is likely to be variable at that time of year.
You could even do a non landing day cruise to the Isle of Tiree via Coll, and have lunch on board the ship. I especially like doing that on a Sunday. On a nice day you could get off the ferry at the Isle of Coll for nearly 3 hrs ashore to explore that little island.
Or on the Friday a non landing lunch cruise on the ferry to Colonsay.
For something a bit special fly one way/ferry the other to Coll, Tiree or Colonsay with Hebridean Air Services from Oban Airport- these are wonderful sightseeing flights on little Islander Aircraft- on a good day a total aviation treat- https://www.hebrideanair.co.uk/
(They do serve the Islanders and on a Monday and Friday are also school flights for island children who board at Oban High School)