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Oban – |
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 Campbell's
Dunstaffnage Castle is a classic Scottish stone castle, originally
built by the MacDougalls in the 13th century, but given to the Campbells
in the 1470. The castle, built on a hunk of rock with excellent turreted
defenses, guarded the entrance to Loch Etive. Kids can keep their eyes peeled
for the castle ghost, a lady dressed in green. |
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Oban
Seal and Marine Centre (Barcaldine, near Oban) – Here at the Oban
Sea Life Centre, located on Loch Creran, you can see schools of herrings,
shrimps, sharks, and abandoned seal pups being tended and reared at the
center. Wildlife trails and playground too. |
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Cruise
Loch Etive – Pick up a boat from Taynuit for a cruise around this
scenic long narrow loch. In 1831, William Wordsworth described this area
as a land of rainbows, rock-built glens hung with rainbow colored mists. |
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Oban
Rare Breeds Park – This park has interesting breeds of sheep, cattle,
pigs, goats, deer, ducks, donkeys. Animals are child-friendly and you can
get close to the animals or feed them. |
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Kilmartin Standing Stones and Forts (Kilmartin) – Kilmartin
has a number of fine prehistoric stone circles, cairns, and barrows. The Templewood Standing Stones are at least 2,000 years old and associated
with burials and the winter solstice. Archeoastronomers believe the stones
at Nether Largie were used to track the movements of the sun and
moon. Most impressive is Dunnad Fort, an old mound of stones overlooking
the River Add. In the 6th to 8th century, Dunnad was where the Dalriadic
kings were inaugurated. Don't miss the "footprints" of the Dalriadic kings. |
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Inverary – At Inverary, a picturesque town on
the edge of Loch Fyne, a popular attraction is the Inverary Jail Museum.
The museum is a reconstruction of the jail, complete with waxwork inmates
(undoubtedly model prisoners). For a view of the Loch, climb up the bell
tower of Episcopal Church of All Saints. On the pier, tour the Arctic Penguin, a sailing ship, or look at glass making
demonstrations. |
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Check
out Inverary Castle, the seat of the Duke of Argyll, head honcho
of the Campbell clan. The castle is in good shape, since it was rebuilt
in the 18th century. Kids won't want to miss the Armoury Hall with scads
of weapons, including pikes, claymores (they look like big swords), shields,
cutlasses. |
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Auchindrain
Folklife Museum – South west of Inverary is Auchindrain Folklife
Museum, an open air museum of farming life in the Highlands. Wander through
stone cottages with thatched roofs to catch a glimpse of how farming families
lived. (Back home, remind your kids that they are lucky they don't have
to get up at the crack of dawn to do the farm chores …) |
