All this for £18? A CalMac day return is the best value boat trip! Caledonian MacBrayne and dolphins

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Boat trips from Oban in are plentiful, after all the west coast of Scotland is stunning and needs to be explored 'on the water' to be best appreciated. But rather than shelling out for a (sometimes very expensive) boat trip, how about a day return on a Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) ferry? Join me on the Oban - Coll route to see what all the fuss is about. £18.10 is what I spent on this, and I still can't quite believe the value...

Hi, I’m Steve. I am a travel reviewer and post my trip reports here on YouTube. I pay for my own travel and produce my own videos. If you have any questions about my journeys or travel advice in general, please drop me a comment - I do my best to respond to every single one. I’d also love to hear any recommendations you may have for future content, or why not challenge me to try something a little out of the ordinary! If you are looking to collaborate on any type of project, I’d love to hear from you - email me your ideas and hopefully we can work together in the future.

Music courtesy of epidemic sound - thanks to you as always!

#SteveMarsh

[sosagecaserol]

Proud to say I work for CalMac. Travellers like yourself make the job very much worth doing, those who appreciate the beautiful Scottish Islands and the effort it can take to take people here ;) Great video. Thank you

[greensam]

When I was 16, I started working as an apprentice Sculptor, all over the West coast of Scotland and proudly told my mum, after visiting Morar & Arisaig, “it’s like the Bahamas”, only to grow up, get married on a beach in the Bahamas and realise, that the West coast of Scotland and especially Morar & Arisaig, are 100 times more beautiful, than anywhere i’ve ever travelled to in the Bahamas & Caribbean.

What an amazing & beautiful country we live in ❤

[dpvisser]

Absolutely stunning! And people often wonder why I call Scotland a little peace of heaven on earth.

[antonrudenham]

I'm a merchant seaman and I've worked on Calmac quite a few times, it is without a doubt one of the few jobs that actually gives satisfaction and a sense of worthiness.
I've always maintained that if I get a permanent start I'd move to Oban in a heartbeat.
Stunning place and you haven't been to Scotland unless you've sailed the islands on Calmac.

[baywanderer]

Great voyage. We were at a loss as to what to do with our day in Oban when we saw the Calmac ferry in the harbour. We wandered over and jumped on board for a return trip to Mull. It included the coach from the harbour on Mull to Tobermory where we saw the Balymory cat in the window! I can honestly say it was our favorite ever day in Scotland. I now, 15 years later, still recommend that trip to anyone heading to Scotland. Thanks for the memories.

[andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

Ha ha, the dreaded “car alarms”. CalMacs signature tune on all departures. 😂
The scenery through the Sound of Mull is stunning. Thank you for sharing. 👏👏👍😎

[superally]

I am Scottish, I live in Ontario now. I am so homesick after seeing this video. Its incredible! Thanks so much for making it.

[GLICKMIRE]

Beautifully photographed and edited. Just the right background music. Job well done!

[jeffpatterson]

There’s just nothing that makes me quite so content as a trip on a CalMac ferry. I have travelled to a good many places on the West Coast over the past few years but never yet to Coll or Tiree - nor have I yet been fortunate enough to set foot on MV Clansman. My favourite memory was a midsummer day-trip from Kennacraig to Colonsay via Port Askaig and back. Magnificent scenery, unbelievable weather and over 6 hours visiting idyllic Scottish island life. A 15+ hour trip and a day I’ll never forget.

[malahammer]

Stunning! Who needs a West of Scotland tourist board when you have Steve.

[MjrMeerkat]

We spent our Honeymoon in the scottish Highlands, we visited Iverness, Sterling, Killin, Fort William, Mallaig and ofcourse Oban the Gate to the Hebrides. That day we had a Hot Chocolate at the Oban Chocolate Companys Cafe´ with a great view at the Harbour and we ate at the legendary Green Shack too watching the Ferrys coming in and going out like every 10 Minutes.
The People of Scotland were super welcoming and decent, all the stereotypes we had went out of the window. We crave the day we can visit Scotland again, this time maybe the eastern Coast.
Your Video brought the Memories back, thank you!
Greetings from Saxony, Germany!

[tabby]

I love Calmac Ferries.!!!
I take tham every time we are in Scotland normaly in May .My Favorite Route is from Kennacraig to Isle of Islay 2 hours . And than from Islay back to Oban. 4 hours Great Journey So beautifull. Only Every Wednesday+ Saturday that goes from Islay to Oban . Please film more Ferry and Scotland Vids. You currently are my fav. Person on You tube . Thanks.

[spectrumisgreen]

yet another wonderfully therapeutic relaxing festival for the eyes and soul so beautifully edited ... Thank you Steve M

[stevenweaver]

this is one of my favourite videos. One day I will get to Coll. one of the best places in Scotland for star gazing. Thank you again Steve for taking me there.

[collachsyoutubechannel]

A great video, Steve as I am an original 'Collach' (Not that many left) being born in a cottage on the island in 1954. Keep up the good work Steve and your girlfriend when she joins you.

[neilmackinnon]

I have been an occasional CalMac passenger for close to 60 years as my family are from Mull. These days I return every two years in early June to cycle on the island. This years trip was postponed, for obvious reasons so it was great to see Oban, Duart, Tobermory and Mull. I remember a few of the ferries and have very fond memories of them all.

[hughrainbird]

Steve, thanks for posting all your videos of travel around the Scottish Islands. This one brought back many recollections of sailing out of Oban in the 1980's with pals on "Max's Tours" from the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. 
Firstly in 1983 for a cruise around Mull (and through the Corryvreckan) aboard the Paddle Steamer "Waverley" as the prelude to the first of a number of unforgettable steam sailings in the Firth of Clyde and the sea lochs aboard the "Puffer" VIC 32 in the following years.
We spent a week exploring Mull, Islay and Jura with CalMac in 1988 including an amazing three day/two nights "cruise" aboard the elegant "Columba", CalMac's last "proper" Hebridean ferry (not Ro-Ro) in her last year of service before being converted to the ultra-luxury "Caledonian Princess", accessible only to Royalty and the rich. Then it cost us a reasonable £70 each, for a shared cabin, and all meals - including Scottish "High Tea" - served in a proper restaurant, not a floating Motorway caff, during a "round trip" of sailings. To Colonsay; around Mull, with a landing on Iona; and Tiree and Coll. I see from your film there's a Wetherspoon's now on the pier at Oban, but we spent our evenings in the "Harbour Bar", with its amazing stock of malts. A novelty for us Sassenachs in those days, before licensing laws were eased down South, was to enjoy a Sunday morning pre-lunch pint there. The "Fishnish" on Tobermory's waterfront was memorable, too. There used to be a little Isle of Mull narrow-gauge railway that ran along the coast from near the ferry landing at Craignure to Torosay Castle, which we took (I think the castle's closed to the public now). After exploring the Castle and grounds we had tea on the terrace, which we shared with flocks of small colouful finches that came unafraid to our table to pinch sugar and cake crumbs. It's a wonderful, magical part of the World (with "interesting" variations in weather and in spite of the midges, who particularly seem to thrive on Southerners' blood!) and I have so many memories of those days. My wife and I have enjoyed going "Doon the Watter" on "Waverley", and sailing on Loch Katrine aboard the "Walter Scott" in later years.
I'm subscribed and look forward to sharing your posts of future journeys.

[kathleenjohnstone]

I just love Calmac there's something magical about these ferries & the people that work on them the boats are like friends & I'm sure the workers feel lots of love for them to & will miss them when they go in for repair's and as for all the loveable islands & islanders who live on them to visit whats not to love about the west coast of Scotland!! ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!! 🥰🥰💖💖

[charlottemaclean]

The guy that you handed your ticket to first is my uncle. That made me laugh

[muchasgracias]

I truly love Scotland. The scenery is truly breath taking and the people are amazing. Thanks Steve, this was s blinding video!