EK News Article: Eric Kent  Duncanrig Rambling Club set out to Oban in the Argyll and Bute region on a 3-day walking and social break. When the coach reached Connel on the road to Oban we turned off onto the A828 and headed up by the coast towards Appin in dry but slightly overcast weather.  The alternate walkers were dropped off at Kinlochlaich farm on the outskirts of the village of Appin. This group walked up the lovely scenic Glen Stockdale and then down Salachan Glen to the coast where they were picked up by the coach. The walk up the glen is tough due to the ground conditions but if you are lucky you may see sea eagle as they often frequent this area. The main walk continued on in the coach for a few miles to a point close to Appin house and opposite the Island of Shuna where they started on a coastal walk down past the Sound of Shuna to the village of Port Appin. The scenery on this walk was outstanding with views over Loch Linnhe to the Morvern hills, the Isles of Lismore, Mull and Shuna and not forgetting Castle Stalker which was in view for most of the first part of the walk. The castle, which is completely cut off at high tide, was built in its present form around 1446 by the then Lord of Lorn, Sir John Stewart. Since that time, the inhabitants of the castle have led colourful lives often with murderous endings. The other highlight of the walk was crossing the Jubilee Bridge at the salt marshes on Loch Laich where you get the best views over to Castle Stalker. This walk finished at the Pier House hotel opposite the ferry to Lismore where the walkers enjoyed the Hotel’s comforts before being picked up by the coach and ten travelling to our Hotel in Oban. On Saturday after an overcast start we were blest with good weather for the rest of the day. The main group returned to Port Appin by coach and we crossed over to the Isle of Lismore by the small passenger ferry. Port Appin is also the terminus of a private ferry that runs across Loch Linnhe to Glensanda on the Morvern coast. This ferry allows local people to work in the Glensanda super quarry. Glensanda involves the quarrying of an entire granite mountain, Meall na Easaiche, before transporting the pulverised granite along a mile of conveyor belts in tunnels to a jetty, where it is loaded directly into bulk carriers. The walk started at the ferry and mainly followed the western coast line with occasional detours inland down past the remains of a lime kiln to Port Ramsay village a beautiful group of terraced white-washed cottages and as peaceful a settlement as one could imagine. The village dates back to around 1800 to provide homes for those working in the lime and fishing industries was established in the early 19th century to house workers in the local lime-burning industry. Lime-burning was carried out here until the outbreak of the First World War. Our route from there  passed the small cluster of houses named Fennachrochan we followed the general direction of the hills slightly above the coastline and from there could catch sight of the fish farms in the bay below. After a mile or so we descended down close to the ruin of Coeffin Castle which was built on the site of a Viking fortress. The name Coeffin is thought to come from Caifen who was a Viking prince, and whose sister supposedly haunted the castle until her remains were taken back to be buried beside her lover in Norway. The walk continued on past a ruined township and then on to the road which passes down the middle of the island. We walked along this road past the township of Balliveonlan and then down the Road to Achnacroish Village where the car ferry from Oban docks. The walking group split up at this point as some of the walkers had a notion of the 50 minute sail back to Oban on the next ferry. The remaining walking group walked along the shore path up past Castle Tirefour. This iron-age broch dates back 2000 years; once the walls would have been 15 metres high as well as 3 metres thick. Once past the broch we walked back to the ferry crossing to Port Appin admiring the views over to the mainland from this eastern side of Lismore. The alternative walker chose the fifty minute sail over from the Oban by the main ferry and walked along the eastern coast route but passed by  Loch Baile a Ghobhainn and then later in their walk travelled over to Port Ramsey and then round the coast to get the ferry over to Port Appin. On Sunday the weather was overcast but it only rained later in the day for a short period so we considered that we were lucky with the weather during the weekend . Both walks on Sunday involved ferry travel on to the Island of Kerrera. The main group travelled to the Kerrera ferry from Oban by Coach and after the ferry crossing they walked up the south side of the island along the coastline of the sound of Kerrera past Upper Gylen and down to Lower Gylen, which is both a tearoom and a bunkhouse. The group enjoyed the teas and homemade cakes at this watering hole. Close by is Gylen Castle. The Castle was a stronghold of the MacDougall's but fell to a siege in 1647 - although the defences were impregnable, the lack of a water supply led to its eventual downfall and ruin. There are fine views at the castle across to the mainland and the isles of Seil, Scarba, the Garvallachs and Mull are superb and The walk continued past on past Ardmore where there are more fine views across to Mull, Lismore and the mountains of Morvern appearing at times on the northern outlook of the walk back to point of descent back to the ferry. The alternate walk left the hotel in Oban and climbed up to the top of the pulpit hill above the town to enjoy superb views of the town and Oban Bay. The walk continued on an old drove road to the Kerrera ferry and then from the ferry walked up over the hill until we looking down to Slatrach Bay we took the track forking to the right and continued round on the northern side of the island past Otter’s bay following the track down to Ardentrive farm and bay and on to Hutcheson’s Monument This giant obelisk was built in honour of David Hutcheson in 1883; he was a manager of the Burns shipping company that ran the first steamers up the western seaboard, beginning in 1835. The views in all directions and especially over Oban bay and Oban from this point are superb. We returned over a rough track on the eastern side of Kerrera to the ferry. The social stop on the home ward journey was at the Arrochar Hotel where the club had an excellent meal.