The Oa & American Monument
An Obha
A lighthouse-shaped memorial on a clifftop, commemorating American soldiers who died in 1918 in the waters offshore after two troopships were lost.
In 1918, the American troopships Tuscania and Otranto were lost. The Tuscania was sunk by a torpedo, and the Otranto sank after a collision, and hundreds of American soldiers died. The American Red Cross erected this memorial on the cliffs of the Oa peninsula in 1920. It is now managed by the RSPB reserve. A circular path of about 1.5 km (roughly an hour there and back) leads from the car park up to the monument. Below the cliffs lies the Atlantic, where you may spot golden eagles and red-billed choughs, and on clear days you can see Northern Ireland. It is very windy, so bring a windproof jacket.
Opening hours
All day, free
Nearby sights
- Singing Sands (Tràigh Bhàn)
- Port Ellen Distillery
- Port Charlotte
- Museum of Islay Life
- Kilarrow Parish Church (Round Church)
- Bowmore Distillery
- Bruichladdich Distillery
- Laphroaig Distillery