Advent(ure) Calendar
2021

Introducing the 2021 ‘Advent(ure) Calendar’!

Relive 24 of our favourite memories from the first year of Adventure Oban.

'It all started with a toilet...' One of the first things Adventure Oban got stuck into was leading a volunteer rota to keep the Ganavan toilets open throughout the winter.

'It all started with a toilet...' One of the first things Adventure Oban got stuck into was leading a volunteer rota to keep the Ganavan toilets open throughout the winter.

'A long time coming...' Adventure Oban launched at the start of 2021, led by this crew of volunteer directors. However, the launch only came after many months of setup, logistics, design and local conversation. So really, Adventure Oban has been a lo

'A long time coming...' Adventure Oban launched at the start of 2021, led by this crew of volunteer directors. However, the launch only came after many months of setup, logistics, design and local conversation. So really, Adventure Oban has been a long time coming and we're excited to see how it can benefit the local community for many years to come.

‘Wouldn’t ‘it be cool if…’ One of the best, and most fun, ways of finding out how Adventure Oban can make a difference has been through One Million Miles. This crazy notion that we had of finding a way to record all the exercise and outdoor activity

‘Wouldn’t ‘it be cool if…’ One of the best, and most fun, ways of finding out how Adventure Oban can make a difference has been through One Million Miles. This crazy notion that we had of finding a way to record all the exercise and outdoor activity done in the name of Oban has proven a huge hit. We’ve just passed 65,000 miles on the Totaliser and so far the journey has helped us understand what needs and challenges there are locally which Adventure Oban can help with - particularly amongst young people. One Million Miles is here to stay, so keep uploading those miles and keep telling us how we can help!

‘OSCR is pleased to confirm…’ That’s the start of an email we were waiting a long time to read! The month of May brought a significant milestone in the life of Adventure Oban: we became a registered charity! Being a charity affects how Adventure Oban

‘OSCR is pleased to confirm…’ That’s the start of an email we were waiting a long time to read! The month of May brought a significant milestone in the life of Adventure Oban: we became a registered charity! Being a charity affects how Adventure Oban works in a number of important ways. The activities we run and the way in which we operate as an organisation are now regulated by OSCR - this helps to further embed our commitment to public and community benefit in everything that we do. We’re also able to access funding that we wouldn’t have been able to apply for otherwise which will open more doors for Adventure Oban as we continue our journey.

'What about a bear?!' Miltean's been on the journey with Adventure Oban nearly since the beginning - coming into our lives towards the end of February. Named after the Gaelic for Miles, Miltean is the Adventure Oban mascot and helps spread the word a

'What about a bear?!' Miltean's been on the journey with Adventure Oban nearly since the beginning - coming into our lives towards the end of February. Named after the Gaelic for Miles, Miltean is the Adventure Oban mascot and helps spread the word about our projects - helping young people understand and get on board with One Million Miles in particular. Since joining the gang, Miltean has got stuck in travelling around numerous schools, bagging Munros, paddling out to open sea and generally doing his bit to help you all get to know Adventure Oban. Here's to many more Miles with Miltean!

'It's like an Easter Egg hunt, but with hills...' Adventure Oban launched in the middle of a global pandemic, this obviously had a pretty big influence on how we went about things. It also encouraged us to be creative, leading in no small part to Egg

'It's like an Easter Egg hunt, but with hills...' Adventure Oban launched in the middle of a global pandemic, this obviously had a pretty big influence on how we went about things. It also encouraged us to be creative, leading in no small part to Eggventure Oban - an adventure Easter chocolate hunt hosted at a variety of sites around North Argyll. In spite of the restrictions, we were able to do something for the young folk (and not so young folk...!), give us all a sense of coming together whilst still staying safe and, most of all, have fun! Who would like to see Eggventure Oban return next year?!

‘I’m there at least twice a day, we practically live at the beach!’ As Adventure Oban got underway, we found ourselves gravitating towards the same sites - certain spaces lend themselves better than others to the various activities that we’re all in

‘I’m there at least twice a day, we practically live at the beach!’ As Adventure Oban got underway, we found ourselves gravitating towards the same sites - certain spaces lend themselves better than others to the various activities that we’re all interested in. Ganavan Sands is a special one of these, it hosts so many activities! Whether you need access to the sea, cliff, beach, safe cycling or roller sports areas or many many others, it’s hard to beat! We’re lucky to have community spaces like Ganavan near us here in Oban and it’s been a treat to see so many of us making use of, enjoying and looking after this local gem over the past year.

‘A library but instead of books: gear!’ Throughout this first year of Adventure Oban, we’ve been listening out for the needs and challenges facing our community. We know that something like Adventure Oban will only make a difference and do good if i

‘A library but instead of books: gear!’ Throughout this first year of Adventure Oban, we’ve been listening out for the needs and challenges facing our community. We know that something like Adventure Oban will only make a difference and do good if it works to help these needs and find solutions to these challenges. One such challenge is access to and affordability of kit and equipment. The Oban area hosts an amazing array of fun sports and activities but participating in some of these requires specialist, often pricey equipment. That’s why the Adventure Library was born: a kit lending initiative offering an affordable entry to outdoor sports and adventure activities, pipeline to existing clubs and support for local business. The Adventure Library will launch next year and seek to counter that, helping everybody tap into this stunning natural playground that surrounds us.

‘When you say lifetime…?!’ Adventure Oban is a community organisation - that means it’s really important the community have an easy way for their needs to influence the work that Adventure Oban does. Membership is a brilliant way to do this so we lau

‘When you say lifetime…?!’ Adventure Oban is a community organisation - that means it’s really important the community have an easy way for their needs to influence the work that Adventure Oban does. Membership is a brilliant way to do this so we launched our signup process earlier this year. An active and engaged membership not only helps us hear more about local needs, it also keeps us accountable to that community. And the best bit? - Adventure Oban memberships last a lifetime!

‘We just went around the world!’ It’s been a year of milestones but one of the most significant was when we realised One Million Miles had circumnavigated the globe! We cruised past the 25k mark after just over a month, with miles chalked up from a

‘We just went around the world!’ It’s been a year of milestones but one of the most significant was when we realised One Million Miles had circumnavigated the globe! We cruised past the 25k mark after just over a month, with miles chalked up from a range of fun sports activities - by that stage we’d had windsurfers, kayakers, paddleboarders, hill-runners - even horse riders! The Totaliser hasn’t stopped since then too, 66.5k miles and counting!

‘I never knew picking up rubbish could feel so good!’ As well as enjoying it, one of our core aims and objectives as Adventure Oban is to do our bit to look after our natural environment too. That’s a big old topic: there’s so much to learn about nat

‘I never knew picking up rubbish could feel so good!’ As well as enjoying it, one of our core aims and objectives as Adventure Oban is to do our bit to look after our natural environment too. That’s a big old topic: there’s so much to learn about nature and our impact on it. Really though, it can start as simply as picking up litter when out for a stroll. Our One Million Miles Beach Clean series showed us that this can be lots of fun too, giving a great chance to catch up with friends and make some new ones. A little goes a long way!

‘First: Safety First’ We’re super aware of how good the outdoors are for us and how much fun they can offer: we’re also aware of how dangerous they can be. From the off, we wanted to make sure we provided as much access to safety advice and training

‘First: Safety First’ We’re super aware of how good the outdoors are for us and how much fun they can offer: we’re also aware of how dangerous they can be. From the off, we wanted to make sure we provided as much access to safety advice and training as possible. We’re really fortunate where we live because we have some excellent people and organisations aim our community who have fantastic knowledge and experience that we can learn from. So, when it came to kicking off what will hopefully be a regular series of mountain safety talks, we partnered with Hebridean Pursuits and Oban Mountain Rescue. Hill Skills was born and will be back soon with another edition!

‘We wanted to be part of the solution’ On Day 8 we remembered the early days of the Adventure Library together. Even though we haven’t launched yet, we’ve still received donations of kit and safety equipment. These donations come from all sorts of pl

‘We wanted to be part of the solution’ On Day 8 we remembered the early days of the Adventure Library together. Even though we haven’t launched yet, we’ve still received donations of kit and safety equipment. These donations come from all sorts of places and people - like @scottishseafarms, who noticed an increased number of swimmers around Ganavan Bay which they use on a daily basis. They wanted to see if they could help keep everyone safe and be part of the solution, so they donated a supply of tow floats to the Library! This kickstarted a relationship that has since produced a series of safety events and materials - it’s one thing donating kit, it’s another following up and making sure people know how and why to use it.

‘We won a what?!’ Absolutely safe to say that up there with our proudest moments of the whole year was seeing one of our most dedicated young adventurers take home the Young Sports Leader of the Year Award at LiveArgyll's Volunteer Awards. Faraid Win

‘We won a what?!’ Absolutely safe to say that up there with our proudest moments of the whole year was seeing one of our most dedicated young adventurers take home the Young Sports Leader of the Year Award at LiveArgyll's Volunteer Awards. Faraid Winterton was nominated for her enthusiastic commitment to One Million Miles, inspiring and encouraging her Dunbeg Primary school mates to contribute miles to the project. In turn this motivated her teachers to renew their commitment to school-wide activities such as the Mile-A-Day initiative. As a result of Dunbeg’s enthusiasm, other schools have followed suit - so Faraid’s impact has been felt all over the area! As if that wasn’t enough, Adventure Oban were also awarded the Community Sporting Hero award in the same evening!

‘An island adventure!’ As restrictions have continued to ease throughout the year it’s been possible to dip a toe back into events, with one in particular forever sticking in our minds. The inaugural Kerrera Kids Bike Event was a fantastic celebratio

‘An island adventure!’ As restrictions have continued to ease throughout the year it’s been possible to dip a toe back into events, with one in particular forever sticking in our minds. The inaugural Kerrera Kids Bike Event was a fantastic celebration of not only cycling but the island community of Kerrera as a whole. We joined with IKDT in a fun-filled day of activity that warmly welcomed the tiniest to the biggest and what a blast we all had together!

‘Everyone has a story’ So much of what we do as Adventure Oban is about finding and sharing other people’s stories - everyone has a story and everyone’s story is interesting. We wanted to record as many of the stories that we come across as possible,

‘Everyone has a story’ So much of what we do as Adventure Oban is about finding and sharing other people’s stories - everyone has a story and everyone’s story is interesting. We wanted to record as many of the stories that we come across as possible, sharing them as a way to explain the wonderful opportunities on offer in the Oban area. Enter Adventurers of Oban: a series that hears from different guests as they explain why they love Oban and in what way it’s the perfect location for them to enjoy the outdoors. Young, old, local, visitor, professional athlete or everyday enthusiast: everyone’s story is valid and interesting. You can find the stories told so far on our website. Keep an eye out for more coming soon!

‘Now, that is one long cycle!’ It’s sometimes quite easy to get wrapped up in all the various bits and bobs of Adventure Oban and forget to take a step out and enjoy some of the opportunities and fun we find ourselves in. The Oban Sportive offered th

‘Now, that is one long cycle!’ It’s sometimes quite easy to get wrapped up in all the various bits and bobs of Adventure Oban and forget to take a step out and enjoy some of the opportunities and fun we find ourselves in. The Oban Sportive offered that kind of reality/pinch yourself moment for us this year especially. Out of the confusion of Covid and restrictions and ‘will we/won’t we be allowed’ the Sportive team put on a fantastic event where the only rule seemed to be to wear a big smile on your face at all times (even when you’re slogging up a seemingly never-ending hill!). We helped pull together a pack of volunteers to help marshal the course and together we all had just such a hugely enjoyable day that felt both very special and very needed all at once. Thanks Sportive gang!

‘Second: Still Safety First’ On Day 12, we remembered the first Hill Skills session, keeping safety at the heart of what Adventure Oban does. Following hot on the heels came the launch of our Water Safety series. A series of seasonal socials, these e

‘Second: Still Safety First’ On Day 12, we remembered the first Hill Skills session, keeping safety at the heart of what Adventure Oban does. Following hot on the heels came the launch of our Water Safety series. A series of seasonal socials, these events are designed to offer sport-specific advice whilst also providing somewhere for like-minded people to meet each other. The programme also offers us a chance to team up with our pals at the RNLI and Oban Sailing Club, kicking off our Autumn Water Safety Meet with a focus on open water swimming and paddleboarding. We had a brilliant night hearing from local experts about what to watch out for, simple, handy tips to staying safe and a good few tales thrown in for good measure. Most importantly, new connections and friendships were made. We’re excited to see how future meets also show that learning how to stay safe can be fun!

‘The Adventure Games!’ Now, we know that Summer feels like a very far and distant memory but we’re still basking in the memory of some of the things we got up to. In particular, we were invited along to the Argyllshire Gathering to help them celebrat

‘The Adventure Games!’ Now, we know that Summer feels like a very far and distant memory but we’re still basking in the memory of some of the things we got up to. In particular, we were invited along to the Argyllshire Gathering to help them celebrate their 150th anniversary! We had a think, partnered up with Jan Kersel of ECKO Orienteering Club and put on the very first Adventure Games! This included an assault course, ‘Orient-a-maze’ and a sprint across the Games park dressed in wetsuit and flippers! All while basking under one of the summer’s loveliest days. Come join us next year?!

‘The Adventure Shack!’ Sometimes, the biggest difference is the simplest. Throughout this first year, we’ve been listening and gathering information on what is needed by the Oban outdoors community. One recurring requests was for some sort of shelter

‘The Adventure Shack!’ Sometimes, the biggest difference is the simplest. Throughout this first year, we’ve been listening and gathering information on what is needed by the Oban outdoors community. One recurring requests was for some sort of shelter at Ganavan. So, we teamed up with Colin and John from Oban’s Men’s Shed to return a disused lean-to at Ganavan back to a fit state. The ‘Adventure Shack’ had previously been boarded up to avoid vandalism. There are still some tweaks to be done but this was a fun project to get off the ground and we hope to see the Shack offer a little shelter from the Argyll weather for years to come.

‘She just opened her eyes!’ A huge part of the joy of being involved in Adventure Oban has been the way in which other organisations have welcomed us throughout this year. This was definitely the case when STORM came to visit Oban back in October wit

‘She just opened her eyes!’ A huge part of the joy of being involved in Adventure Oban has been the way in which other organisations have welcomed us throughout this year. This was definitely the case when STORM came to visit Oban back in October with BID4Oban generously including us as part of the festivities. After the chaos and confusion of the last two years, this felt like a significant day for Oban. Lots of people enjoying community together safely outdoors, with the otherworldly presence of STORM peacefully moving through the crowd - that’ll stick with us for some time!

‘Adventure Oban = RideOban!’ As the year zipped through Summer and into Autumn, our thoughts returned to one of the original ideas that helped Adventure Oban get off the ground in the first place. The idea behind the RideOban Weekender was to come up

‘Adventure Oban = RideOban!’ As the year zipped through Summer and into Autumn, our thoughts returned to one of the original ideas that helped Adventure Oban get off the ground in the first place. The idea behind the RideOban Weekender was to come up with a model that could work for any sport - giving all abilities access to great community training and expertise with plenty of social elements thrown in along the way. And what an inaugural weekender it turned out to be! It may have poured all weekend but that only seemed to widen the smiles of everyone that took part. Here’s to more Weekenders in 2022!

‘Support local!’ We’ve learnt so many things this year but perhaps the most significant is an ever-renewing appreciation for what the Oban area has to offer. We have SO much on our doorstep. We also have an array of clubs, organisations and informal

‘Support local!’ We’ve learnt so many things this year but perhaps the most significant is an ever-renewing appreciation for what the Oban area has to offer. We have SO much on our doorstep. We also have an array of clubs, organisations and informal groups who are actively getting out there and diving into the great big natural playground surrounding Oban - mostly just for the sheer fun of it! One of our greatest privileges in getting up and running as Adventure Oban is getting alongside some of these, helping where we can and together helping increase what makes Oban such a great spot to be. Go local!

‘Happy Christmas!’ And then, just like that, it was Christmas Eve! What a wonderful first year we’ve had as Adventure Oban, full of fun, activity, good people and great community. We’re excited for next year and all the other years to come. For now,

‘Happy Christmas!’ And then, just like that, it was Christmas Eve! What a wonderful first year we’ve had as Adventure Oban, full of fun, activity, good people and great community. We’re excited for next year and all the other years to come. For now, a very Happy Christmas from Isla, Iwan, Doreen, Laura, Dave, Neil, Jane and Ben - Team Adventure Oban.