[Illustration:  Kilchurn castle, loch awe.]

From Oban as a center, numberless excursions may be made to old castles, lakes of surpassing beauty and places of ancient and curious history.  None of the latter are more famous than the island of Iona, lying about thirty-five miles distant and accessible by steamer two or three days of each week in summer time.  We never regretted that we abandoned the car a day for the trip to this quaint spot and its small sister island, Staffa, famed for Fingall’s cave and the curious natural columns formed by volcanic action.  The round trip covers a distance of about seventy-five miles and occupies eight or ten hours.  Iona is a very small island, with a population of no more than fifty, but it was a place of importance in the early religious history of Scotland; and its odd little cathedral, which is now in ruins—­except the nave, but recently restored—­was originally built in the Eleventh Century.  Weird and strange indeed is the array of memorials rudely cut from Scotch granite that mark the resting places of the chiefs of many forgotten clans, while a much higher degree of art is shown in the regular and even delicate designs traced on the numerous old crosses still standing.  In olden days Iona was counted sacred ground after the landing of St. Columba in 563, and its fame even extended to Sweden and Denmark, whose kings at one time were brought here for interment.  We were fortunate in having a fine day, the sky being clear and the sea perfectly smooth.  We were thus enabled to make landing at both isles, a thing that is often impossible on account of the weather.  This circular trip—­for the return is made by the Sound of Mull—­is a remarkably beautiful one, the steamer winding in and out through the straits among the islands and between shores wild and broken, though always picturesque and often impressive.  Many of the hills are crowned with ruined fortresses and occasionally an imposing modern summer residence is to be seen.  Competent judges declare that provided the weather is fine no more delightful short excursion by steamer can be made on the British coast than the one just described.  Three miles from Oban lies Dunstafnage Castle, a royal residence of the Pictish kings, bearing the marks of extreme antiquity.  It occupies a commanding position on a point of land extending far into the sea and almost surrounded by water at high tide.  We visited it in the fading twilight, and a lonelier, more ghostly place it would be hard to imagine.  From this old castle was taken the stone of destiny upon which the Pictish kings were crowned, but which is now the support of the coronation chair in Westminster Abbey.  A place so rich in romantic legend could not be expected to escape the knowledge of the Wizard of the North and Scott made more than one visit to this solitary ruin.  As a result the story of Dunstafnage has been woven into the “Legend of Montrose” as “Ardenvohr” and the description may be easily recognized by any one who visits the old castle.