Day 24 - Mid Argyll's Historic Past

Despite a windy and wet night we overslept and didn't make it in time for church in Oban this morning, so a quick tour of the various churches was the best we could do, although Anne was tempted to go to the Gaelic service in the afternoon!

As we were too late for church we decided to go the secular temple "Costa" for coffee. Oban like so many towns isn't short of coffee shops, but Costa had them queuing almost out of the door. I reflected that they had more people both inside and trying to get in than many churches that morning, what is that saying to us as Christian's today. In the 18th century coffee houses were places people gathered to discuss every thing from religion, politics and the equivalent of football, best of all one you had purchased your first cup, refills were free! - I wonder where John Wesley would be on a Sunday to speak to the crowds?, Jesus we know would be drinking coffee, branded a heretic when he was accused of "eating and drink with publicans and sinners"

Lunch was at Tesco that other great temple of consumerism - I know how to splash out!

The afternoon saw us drive to the Craignish Peninsula a scenic tour of part of the local coastline, stopping at Arduaine Gardens - a hidden gem of 20 acres on the Arduaine peninsula created in 1898. The following picture best show the garden. I regret that we couldn't spend longer here. but our purpose was to visit Kilmartin and among other things the church graveyard!

Kilmartin

 The 'kil' element in the name kilmartin indicates an ecclesiastical presence in the area since 8th or 9th century - this is verified by the dates on some of the carved crosses to be found in the church graveyard. The church originates from 1601 which was replaced in 1798, the present building was built in 1834. The churchyard has the best collection of tomb-stones in West Scotland and are of a 'Loch Awe design' - with armoured men, swords and spears and fantastical beasts.

For over five thousand years, humans have treated the Glen as a special place. Evidence suggests that it was a significant place in prehistory, particularly in the Bronze Age. People left their mark carved in stone and the artefacts found in the burial cairns here tell us that the occupants were important and wealthy.

What makes this place so exciting is the huge number of historic sites in the area. Within 6 miles of Kilmartin village there are over 800 historic monuments, including cairns, standing stones, stone circles  including the only "Henge" in Scotland, found at Ballymeanoch, probably dating from Early Bronze Age. Rock Art is the other feature of the area some carved over 5000 years ago - We didn't manage to find any but often "cup" motifs were carved into the rock. We need however see several burial Cairns- which contained a cist (Gaelic for chest) a stone chamber which was sealed by a slab of stone and then covered with cobbles.

Standing Stone & Burial Cairn

Part of a Ring of stones

We also saw at Kilmartin Museum a replica of a Monk's Cell - similar to that used by the early monks on Iona and St Columba.

Monk's Cell

We drove back to Oban following part of the route taken by the Crinan Canal which was made as a short cut in the late 1700 for sea going ships going between the Clyde and the west coast of Scotland. It has 15 locks as it climbs 19 meters above sea level. Standing Stones, stone Henges, Canals and a flight of 10 Locks - it has a "feel" of Wiltshire about it!

Crinan Canal

We eat this evening at a fish restaurant next to the ferry port in Oban when looking out of the window we saw a beautiful double rainbow, and inspirit of the twists and turns of illness and weather we had the feeling that all was well!