Corran Esplanade, Oban

This is a view that will be familiar to every visitor to Oban as it can be seen from all round the curving seafront and harbour. Any boat in or out of Oban will have to come past the Corran Esplanade with its two landmark Churches.

On the left is St Columba's Cathedral. The foundation stone was laid in 1931 but it wasn't finished until 1959 with the blessing of the great bells, Brendan and Kenneth. It has the rather grand title of the Seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Argyll and the Isles.

Money to build the Cathedral was raised not only within the Diocese, but from as far afield as the USA, Canada and Ireland. It's constructed of pink Peterhead and blue Inverawe granite.

On the right, the white church is the Church of Scotland which opened in 1957. I've never been inside [have tried, found it locked] though it has a rather nice sensory garden with wheelchair access outside, open to all.

In between the two churches is the Alexandra Hotel, now a thoroughly refurbished Victorian building, and tucked in between that and the Cathedral are the Bishop's lodgings. I can't think of a better spot for either, looking out over Oban Bay [Oban or An't-Oban literally means little bay in Scottish Gaelic] to Kerrera and Mull.

Last night we ate at the Oban Bay Hotel nearby, excellent Scottish steak, the second in our celebration dinners.