Discussion
Anyone live or lived there?
We currently have a home on the Isle of Skye but live and work in Yorkshire at the moment.
Looking at all sorts of options about selling one/both moving etc etc as it's getting too expensive to maintain two places
Wife has seen a place she likes in Oban, we hae been to Oban before but just as tourists.
What's it like to live there?
Any motorsport (Tour of Mull and I've seen Classic Malts through there).
Any decent music venues/pub bands etc (know of Colin McIntyre)
Whats it like up the Pulpit Hill area?
Cheers
Oh and can anyone recommend a reasonably prices B&B thet'll take a dog too and has secure parking for a fully packed with luggage car?
We currently have a home on the Isle of Skye but live and work in Yorkshire at the moment.
Looking at all sorts of options about selling one/both moving etc etc as it's getting too expensive to maintain two places
Wife has seen a place she likes in Oban, we hae been to Oban before but just as tourists.
What's it like to live there?
Any motorsport (Tour of Mull and I've seen Classic Malts through there).
Any decent music venues/pub bands etc (know of Colin McIntyre)
Whats it like up the Pulpit Hill area?
Cheers
Oh and can anyone recommend a reasonably prices B&B thet'll take a dog too and has secure parking for a fully packed with luggage car?
I grew up there and left in my mid 20's. My folks both run small businesses in the area.
It could be a wonderful place to live or dire depending on your age/interests/standards and what you're looking for. The trappings and job restrictions of a small town are what sent me packing but as somewhere to settle later in life it must be a good option, plenty of people would appear to have done so.
Pulpit Hill is a good quiet area, my in-laws live up that way. Some of the properties have great views North across the bay and West across to Kerrera and beyond. You will find B&Bs up there with private/secure parking. Walk or drive to the view point at the top of the hill for the best view of the town.
To get the most of living in Oban I would look into sailing/boating/fishing of some kind. The waters and islands anywhere around the west coast are stunning and would take you years to explore just a fraction of them.
From a PH perspective the roads are brilliant albeit many of the surfaces (A816 and A85 in particular) are deteriorating badly. Check out some of the PH West Coast Run videos for a good sample of what to expect.
Happy to answer any specifics if I can!
It could be a wonderful place to live or dire depending on your age/interests/standards and what you're looking for. The trappings and job restrictions of a small town are what sent me packing but as somewhere to settle later in life it must be a good option, plenty of people would appear to have done so.
Pulpit Hill is a good quiet area, my in-laws live up that way. Some of the properties have great views North across the bay and West across to Kerrera and beyond. You will find B&Bs up there with private/secure parking. Walk or drive to the view point at the top of the hill for the best view of the town.
To get the most of living in Oban I would look into sailing/boating/fishing of some kind. The waters and islands anywhere around the west coast are stunning and would take you years to explore just a fraction of them.
From a PH perspective the roads are brilliant albeit many of the surfaces (A816 and A85 in particular) are deteriorating badly. Check out some of the PH West Coast Run videos for a good sample of what to expect.
Happy to answer any specifics if I can!
I'm moving to Oban in 7 weeks time (no idea where I'm living yet!!) but currently stay in Fort William. The town has everything you need with good restaurants for this part of the world. Not much motorsport in the town itself (Mull Rally being the big event of the year across the water).
I am originally from Oban and grew up with oedo who posted above, perhaps proving what a small place it is really. It is a nice place surrounded by beautiful scenery, wildlife, plenty of reasons to be outdoors and great driving roads. You don't hear of much aggro either. Can get busy if it is a good summer but the town is pretty bleak in winter.
I haven't lived there for 10 years but return to see the folks regularly. I know this may not specifically apply to you but if I had younger generations in my family I would probably want them to leave to broaden their horizons once they had finished High School. As already said if you are looking to throttle back a bit the area is a good choice.
Edit: Ganavan Road is another nice area of town. Had a few nice looking houses for sale when I was on my way to the little beach a few weeks ago.
I haven't lived there for 10 years but return to see the folks regularly. I know this may not specifically apply to you but if I had younger generations in my family I would probably want them to leave to broaden their horizons once they had finished High School. As already said if you are looking to throttle back a bit the area is a good choice.
Edit: Ganavan Road is another nice area of town. Had a few nice looking houses for sale when I was on my way to the little beach a few weeks ago.
Edited by xu5 on Thursday 28th June 10:12
Skyedriver said:
What's it like to live there?
Wonderful. Like Heaven on earth. 
Skyedriver said:
Any motorsport (Tour of Mull and I've seen Classic Malts through there).
No. Mull rally (as has been mentioned), and quite often car runs will pass through Oban (including some PH runs), but no motorsport. The closest thing to motorsport was the local rally karting place, but that now does off-road Segways...
Skyedriver said:
Any decent music venues/pub bands etc (know of Colin McIntyre)
The only real music venue is the Skippinish Ceilidh house, which does Scottish Ceilidh & traditional Scottish music (mainly aimed at tourists, but the band Skipinnish are excellent at what they do).The Lorne bar usually has live music on a Saturday night (local band 'Chunks' play regularly) and is quite good - although the band take up about a third of the overall floor area. 'Marky Dans' also have the occaisonal band playing at the weekends.
If you like Folk music, 'the Barn' in Lerags (just south of oban) usually have some Folk-y people jamming there on a Sunday afternoon.
Skyedriver said:
Whats it like up the Pulpit Hill area?
Mixed. There's no 'bad' areas so to speak up there, but prices will vary on whether you have a sea view or not. You might get tired of the road up there if you lived there (very narrow and windy and is a pain in the backside if you contstantly meet traffic coming the other way)Skyedriver said:
Oh and can anyone recommend a reasonably prices B&B thet'll take a dog too and has secure parking for a fully packed with luggage car?
I know one 10 miles from Oban. Any good?Lived there many moons ago. We ( mrs & I ) spent our honeymoon in a caravan in Ganavan, before I took up my job in the GPO/POT cable terminal in Gallanach ( now defunct). We had some great nights out in the town . Loved the place, but that was over 40 years ago ( as we've noticed ,looking at the age of our daughter ,who must be a native of Oban , where she first started life 
Well, made a trip down to see where I'll be living. Accomodation comes with the job, and includes a view over the bay if you stand up in the living room so very happy at that. Drove north via Glen Orchy and Glencoe and gave the 205 a bit of a ragging. Roads badly need resurfaced but can't beat the scenery.
Thought I'd update this thread seeing as I'm now living in Oban. It's busy enough especially with the touroids at the moment. Staying in a lovely spot just on the edge of Pulpit Hill with a view over the bay. There's much more happening in town that there was in Fort William.
Only downside is narrow streets and hellish potholes on most of the roads (and I don't have enough space for more than 2 cars here!)
Only downside is narrow streets and hellish potholes on most of the roads (and I don't have enough space for more than 2 cars here!)
We were there on the 4th August, unfortunately we stopped at a nice B&B BUT they had cats and possibly feather pillows. I'm allergic to both so had a bad night followed by a bad day..
Fish & Chips from below that stupidly noisy place on the front, we took them up to Ganavan Sands, very nice too. THose places are/were damn expensive weren't they.
Wewere looking at a plot on Pulpit Hill and thought the same as you, theroad access is bad but the view good.
Seems very touristy now but there is plenty of shops businesses etc so thplace must be doing alright.
Glad you are enjoying it, keep us updated
Saw a couple of 205's around, wondered if it was you.
Fish & Chips from below that stupidly noisy place on the front, we took them up to Ganavan Sands, very nice too. THose places are/were damn expensive weren't they.
Wewere looking at a plot on Pulpit Hill and thought the same as you, theroad access is bad but the view good.
Seems very touristy now but there is plenty of shops businesses etc so thplace must be doing alright.
Glad you are enjoying it, keep us updated
Saw a couple of 205's around, wondered if it was you.
sjabrown said:
Thought I'd update this thread seeing as I'm now living in Oban. It's busy enough especially with the touroids at the moment. Staying in a lovely spot just on the edge of Pulpit Hill with a view over the bay. There's much more happening in town that there was in Fort William.
Only downside is narrow streets and hellish potholes on most of the roads (and I don't have enough space for more than 2 cars here!)
How is Oban, one year on?Only downside is narrow streets and hellish potholes on most of the roads (and I don't have enough space for more than 2 cars here!)
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