Dunollie Castle, Oban

By Karen Campbell

A celebration of Oban's history at Dunollie and a tribute to happy memories made there
Image provided by Karen Campbell

Dunollie Castle stands on the cliff edge overlooking Oban Bay and is the first sight that passengers see from the ferries arriving from the surrounding islands. It is the ancestral home of the Clan MacDougall which goes back to the early middle ages.

As a wee girl we would spend our summer holidays going to wee Ganavan beach and had to pass the Castle every day. Living in Dunollie housing estate our childhood was spent playing down Dunollie Woods and the Witches - happy days.

Many thanks to Karen Campbell for sharing with us the story behind her journey stone, created as part of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.

WHAT IS A JOURNEY STONE?

Prior to the beginning of the stitching of each tapestry panel, each stitcher of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands was tasked with telling their interpretation of the 'Spirit of the Highlands and Islands' within a blank outline of a stone. The possibilities were truly endless - is it represented in the land? The people? A historical site? A favourite memory?

In any case, each journey stone represents the connection between each individual stitcher, their story, and their own sense, or 'spirit', of place. Discover more of the stories behind the journey stones of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands here.