FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We've complied a list of your most common questions below.  If you can't find an answer please email us at obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com

and we'll do our best to help.

 

WHAT DOES MY OBAN LESBIAN WEEKEND EVENT TICKET INCLUDE?

Your ticket includes:

  • Entry to our main venue, The Argyllshire Gatherings, for OLW activities from Friday 13th at 4pm to our Sunday evening closing party.  
  • Boat trips - Choose from our beloved Wildlife trip or visit the Isle of Mull
  • On our Wildlife trip you will sail around the beautiful Island of Kerrera, see some castles and go bird spotting, seal spotting and see other wildlife.  A minky whale circled one of the boats last year but we can't promise that they will this year!
  • Join our lesbian booze cruise or scenic cruise if you're not a drinker.  You can stay on the boat and enjoy the scenery or we have a variety of options on Mull.  Enjoy lunch by the sea, explore the fairy trails, join our forestry hike or cycle to along the shore and forestry tracks, while getting to know new friends. 

 

  • Solos Social, Ice breakers and small groups for workshops, walks, paddle boarding, sea swimming & more.  Around 70% of you come solo, so we understand it can be nerve wracking.  So we've designed OLW so you can come solo or with a friend or partner.  Either way we do our best to make it easy to meet new friends and maybe even a date or two.   
  • Hosted meal options, where we organise meals to suit all budgets, so you can meet new women over a meal.  We organise the meal, our friendly crew help with introductions. Food & drink are at your own cost.
  • We will be having more beach trips, foraging, paddleboarding (more sessions & you can borrow ours), sea swimming, yoga, meditation, scenic walks etc.

BLIND DATE'S GONE QUEER SHOW!

  • Comedy - Lesbian Comedian, Marie Gouldbourne is a regular at Lfest & Unity Fest
  • Angela Peach, Lesbian Fiction Author's book workshop
  • LGBTQ+ Dj's, and live music.
  • Brighton's non-binary DJ Tor Lloyd and Eliza Pink will have you dancing on our opening night
  • Other music includes Haylee Duo, who are a guitar and singing lesbian couple, playing the best rock ballads from the 80's to now & Edinburgh punk rock band, BLONDE SECRET.
  • Cassie & the Loch Dubh Ceilidh Band return for our very own ceilidh for LGBTQ+ Women 
  • Foraging - take a hike and find some munching!  Photography workshop & photography walk, scenic social hikes. 

More to be announced.

 

What your ticket doesn't include:

  • Food & Drink - We offer hosted meals to suit all budgets.  It's your choice as to whether you eat on a budget at your accommodation, have a budget buffet or join us for fine dining at Oban's Manor House, therefore we can't cover the cost of your food and drink.  We will send guests booking links for our optional group hosted meals nearer the time. 

 

 

 

NB: All events at Oban Lesbian Weekend are subject to change. 

The beach, the sea and the world class scenery are completely free!  

 

OPTIONAL EXTRAS ARE ON THE DROP DOWN ON OUR WHATS ON PAGE: THEY ALL HAVE A PRICE NEXT TO THEM BUT DON'T WORRY, WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED WITH OR WITHOUT ANY OPTIONAL EXTRAS.

WHAT IS A HOSTED MEAL?

A hosted meal means the meal is a group meal hosted with our crew, so you'll get introductions and our team will make you feel welcome, so if you've come alone, you won't be alone for long!!  

We understand that everyone may not be able to attend every meal, particularly the first and the last night or might want to split into smaller groups for the last meal (depending on numbers). 

Don't worry, we will have our main hosted meals all pre-booked and information on how to book other dinner in advance.  

More info coming soon but don't forget, it is Oban's busiest time in July, so advance booking is highly recommended.  

HOW INCLUSIVE IS THE EVENT?

Oban Lesbian Weekend is an LGBTQ women's centric event.  

We are inclusive of all LGBTQ+ women & non binary people and will not accept any discriminatory or bad behaviour.  

You are welcome to bring a well behaved friend, regardless of gender, as long as they support LGBTQ+ women! 

We have been asked if trans masc people and non-binary or other genders are welcome - yes, we are predominantly a women's weekend but the rules are simple - TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT & YOU ARE WELCOME, REGARDLESS OF GENDER!

HOW ACCESSIBLE IS IT IF I HAVE A VISIBLE OR INVISIBLE DISABILITY?

We want Oban Lesbian Weekend to be accessible for both visible and invisible disabilities.  Not all disabilities are visible. 

Here are some points you might want to consider:

  • The Argyllshire Gatherings has two steps to enter with the option of a ramp. If you have a wheelchair and need the ramp or have specific needs, please contact Obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com and we will do our best to help you.  
  • Our ferry to trip to Mull is fully accessible.
  • The Mull Ferry has a lift and also a ramp to access it. 

 

Mental & Physical Health

  • We want to do as much to support people with mental and physical health disabilities as possible.  Please email us on obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com if you have a health condition and would like us to support you in being able to attend.
  • CLICK HERE to watch a Tik Tok interview with a solo lady traveller, who came to our 2023 event and stayed at the YHA ground floor room with her carer.  
  • At OLW 2024, we will have acupuncture, mediation and recomended quiet areas to assist with mental health.
  • Please speak to our crew or email us if you have neurodiversity needs or need a carer pass. 

Accommodation

For fully accessible accessible accommodation we recommend the Premier Inn or our fully accessible room at the YHA.

PRIORITY ROOMS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

We appreciate that the premier inn can be quite expensive.  Therefore we have prebooked:

  • 4 x ground double & twin floor room at the YHA
  • 1 x fully accessible twin room at the YHA
  • 3 x ground floor single rooms at Dunmoore/Dunarl.

These rooms will not be advertised on the main website.  Please email us at the address below to book. 

If you have specific needs or wish to check details, please get in touch with us at  obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com and we'll do our best to help you!

Quote from one lady last year (more quotes are on our home page)

"I was apprehensive before coming as I’m autistic (albeit high functioning) and find all the social stuff hard going at times and making new friends can always be difficult but I was so pleasantly surprised as everyone was so friendly and welcoming. The crew all did a wonderful job and I would just like to say thank you to Maz for creating this event. It was a fantastic weekend and one I will remember forever and look forward to seeing everyone next year!"

Kerrera Trip

  • The Kerrera Ferry is accessible and staff are on hand to assist.
  • The walk to the Kerrera Ferry is approximately 20-30 minutes, led by our lovely crew.
  • If you have a disability or would prefer to share a lift or taxi to the ferry, please contact obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com.   
  • Once on Kerrera, there will be different walking options for people including any with disabilities.  This includes a short walk of just a few minutes to the nearest grass banks to relax, enjoy a swim, take in the scenery and for those who want to explore the delights of Kerrera’s own homemade ice cream at the farm shop, it’s a very steep but short walk up the hill.  These will be led by our amazing, friendly crew.

 

 

CAN I SPLIT MY PAYMENT?

Yes!

You can split your event ticket payment into 2 payments.  Payment 1 for your early bird ticket is £45 plus booking fee, payable via Outsavvy.

Payment 2 is due by bank transfer.

  • Earlybird payment 2 is due by February 5th.
  • Mediumbird payment 2 is due by May 5th.

We will email your booking confirmation and bank transfer details.  

All tickets are strictly non-refundable.   If you need to cancel after the first payment, there is no refund. 

You may sell on your ticket provided you have paid for both payments and subject to an admin fee.  Tickets that are sold on must be approved by the organiser in advance. 

 

SPLIT PAYMENT LATE BIRD TICKETS

 

**** Our split priced, late bird ticket payment offer expires at midnight on June 11th, 2023.****

 

**** After June 11th, if late bird split payment tickets have not been paid in full, we will assume that you do not want your ticket and so your ticket will no longer be valid.  This is part of our terms and conditions and means your ticket may be put on sale to the general public again. 

 

 

CAN I GET A REFUND?

Event Tickets are non-refundable but may be re-sold with afmin fees, as below. If tickets are re-sold, this must be done with the organisers consent and the full name of the replacement person must be given and approved by the organiser, prior to sale.  Tickets resold that have not been transferred to the new name by the organiser will not be valid. ID may be asked for on arrival. This is for the safety of our attendees. 

IMPORTANT - EARLYBIRD TICKETS RESALE 

  • Earlybird tickets are discounted by £40 as a discount for being committed to attend early on. Medium bird tickets are discounted by £20. 
  • Therefore in the unfortunate occasion that you cannot attend, there will be a £40 admin fee to transfer an earlybird ticket to a new name, £25 admin fee for a medium bird and £12 admin fee for a general priced, late bird ticket transfer. 
  • Tickets sold on will only be valid on transfer fee payment and that the new person has been approved by the organiser. 
  • ALL CANCELLATIONS & TICKET RE-SELL / ROLL OVERS MUST BE EMAILED TO OBANLESBIANWEEKEND@GMAIL.COM. 
  • if you would like to roll over your ticket to next year, the admin fee is £25. 

SPLIT PRICED / DEPOSIT TICKETS CANCELLATION

  • If you have paid the initial £25 or £45 deposit for a ticket and unfortunately need to cancel, the deposit is non refundable, as these tickets have been discounted and offered as a split price as your commitment to attend.
  • If you have paid the second part of your split price ticket, so that you have paid the full amount, tickets are non refundable but you may sell them on with the admin fee that brings the sale price to the full, late bird priced ticket.  So for eg if you have paid a total of £115 medium bird priced ticket, plus admin fee and you wish to sell on your ticket, there will be a £20 admin fee when you sell it on.  It is up to you the price that you choose to sell it on at.
  • This is a similar policy to most festivals.  OLW is not government funded and therefore we rely solely on ticket sales and early ticket sales to fund this amazing event. 

LATE PAYMENT OF SPLIT PRICE OR DEPOSIT TICKETS

  • If you have a discounted ticket and have paid the deposit but do not pay the remainder of the balance by the agreed date on the ticket, the discount will be void and should you decide later in the year to pay for the rest of the ticket, the full ticket price of £135 will be due.
  • So for eg, if you paid for a medium bird, split price discounted ticket at £45, £90 will be due and if you've paid a £25 deposit on the ticket, £110 will be due.  
  • All deposits are non-refundable and tickets not paid for in full will be considered null and void.  

 

ACCOMMODATION CANCELLATIONS

The Lancaster Hotel, Dunmoore & Dunarl Guesthouse Accommodation

  • Cancellation in writing prior to June 1st - 50% refund minus booking fee 

Cancellation in writing after June 1st - no refund.  However you do have the option of selling on your accommodation with the organisers consent.  This would be subject to a 12% admin fee.

Oban Backpackers & Oban Youth Hostel Accommodation

  • Dorm rooms no refund.  However you do have the option of selling on your accommodation with the organisers consent.  This would be subject to a 12% admin fee.
  • PRIVATE ROOMS DEPOSIT- the £65 deposit is non refundable should you choose to cancel. 

  • We will send bank transfer details at the beginning of December. If the second account talent is not made by feb 4th 2024, your booking will not be valid and your deposit will not be refundable.

Please contact the organiser on obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com for questions regarding cancellations.  All cancellations must be done through email.  

ARE CHILDREN WELCOME?

Yes, absolutely!

Well behaved children are welcome, though they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.

Contact us for child tickets at obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com

CAN I BRING MY DOG?

Well behaved dogs are allowed on Ferrys and welcome at most day time activities.  

Dogs are not allowed into The Argyllshire Gatherings, therefore we do not recommend bringing your dog unless you can make suitable arrangements for your dog when you are at The Argyllshire Gatherings.

Click here to contact Tracy Gilmour, a local dog sitter who does boarding.

 EARLY BIRD TICKETS SOLD OUT - MEDIUM BIRD, DISCOUNTED TICKETS GOING FAST - £45 DEPOSIT ! ! !

TERMS & CONDITIONS

  • Oban Lesbian weekend is an LGBTQ women's centric event, open.  We are inclusive of all LGBTQ+ women & non binary people and will not accept any discriminatory or bad behaviour.   You are welcome to bring a well behaved friend, regardless of gender, as long as they support LGBTQ+ women.

 

  • The organisers reserve the right to refuse or refund a booking in response to any alleged inappropriate or illegal behaviour.  The organiser also reserves the right to refuse and refund a booking at their own discretion.  If the organiser or security staff refuse entry
    for any alleged inappropriate behaviour, there is no right to refund.

 

  • PLEASE NOTE: NB: Food, drinks, travel and optional activities are all at an extra cost.

 

  • All attendees for OLW events including the Treshnish Islands trip or to stay at the YHA need an OBAN LESBIAN WEEKEND EVENT TICKET  

 

  • In the unlikely event that the event is cancelled due to covid, guests will be offered to transfer the ticket to next year or tickets will be refunded minus a 12% booking admin fee.

 

  • Boat trips are subject to weather condition. In the unlikely event that boat trips are cancelled, we will reschedule them for another day where possible but there are no refunds on boat trips. If the Treshnish Islands trip is cancelled, the refund will be minus Outsavvy's booking fee.

 

  • Tickets for host guesthouse accommodation are non-refundable.  They may be sold on and if you do have to cancel with reasonable notice, it is likely but not guaranteed, that there will be a waiting list or it will be easy to sell on host guest house accommodation.

  • In these Terms & Conditions, "event" means the event for which have purchased a ticket.  "The promoter, we, our and our" means OLWand the "ticket" means any valid ticket, email confirmation or wristband which permits you to attend the event.
  • All tickets are sold subject to these T's and C's.  Purchase and / or use of a ticket to enter the event consitute acceptance of these T's and C's  on your behalf of the behalf of any person for whom you are purchasing tickets.
  • The promoter reserves the right to vary these T's and C's from time to time without notice and at our sole discretion.  Updates will be published on this website.

 

ACCOMMODATION COSTS

  • Accommodation prices may be subject to change, so people who book later in the year may pay more than those who book early. This is because the accommodation owners have some rooms still to be announced that may cost more & the accommodation reserves the right to increase their costs throughout the year, but if you have booked a price, you have it guaranteed.

PHOTOGRAPHY & MEDIA AT OLW EVENTS

  • Oban Lesbian Weekend reserve the right to use photos and videos taken on our events to promote Out and About in any and all media now existing or to be invented.
  • Event participants who do not wish to be included in such materials are responsible for advising OLW photographers of this and not participating in any photography or filming at events.
  • To assist with this, we have blue dots that are available on reception or underneath toilet mirrors, along with an accompanying sign. The blue dots are to indicate that you would like not to be in our photos. It is your responsibility to put a blue dot on every day and to make yourself known to our photographers and not pose for any photos.
  • Oban Lesbian Weekend and Oban Lesbian Weekend on tour events will have official photographers & crew taking photos and these photos may be used for social media and promotion purposes.  

 

  • Please be aware there might be a few large group photos of real life, like on the dance floor. If we have accidentally caught your face in these we will blur it out but we may not be able to remove you if you are in a photo from the back or side and your face is not visible, so you would be unrecognisable.
  • Please also be aware that other attendees may take photos you are in & post them on socials. We cannot be responsible for photos taken by attendees or if they post them on social media but our blue dot and not posing for photos, generally works well.

 

License to use assets
Oban Lesbian Weekend will want to use and re-use assets from events (these include photographs, videos, film or any other content). 
To assist with this, our event participants grant to Oban Lesbian Weekend an irrevocable licence to use that asset for the purpose of OLW for perpetuity, in any and all media now existing or to be invented and in territory that Out and About operates or seeks to operate.

 

DRUG POLICY

 

  • Oban Lesbian Weekend has a zero-drug policy. Any person/s found to be either possessing, using, or distributing any type of illegal drug/substance will be asked to leave the festival and will be reported to the police.

REFUND/CANCELLATION POLICY

 

  • Event tickets are non-refundable.  In the unfortunate event that a ticket holder can no longer attend the event, it will be up to the ticket holder to resell their ticket.  Tickets may be transferred to Oban Lesbian Weekend, 2024 with a £25 admin fee.  If you cannot attend and want to transfer your ticket to next year, please email obanlesbianweekend@gmail.comThere may also be a price increase will, the difference between the price paid (excluding booking fee) and the price at the time of rebooking and paying for any excess (i.e early bird, medium bird or late bird).  

 

  • Please note that any reselling of wristbands must only be sold to the appropriate audience and you MUST inform Oban Lesbian Weekend organisers of the exchange along with the new holders’ details approved: obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com PRIOR to the sale.  

 

  • If the festival is unable to go ahead beyond OLW'S control for such reasons as Covid-19, national mourning, acts of god, or if the organiser has to cancel for whatever reason, then wristbands will automatically be carried forward to 2024. If you do not wish for your wristband to be forwarded to 2023 then please email us at Oban Lesbian Weekend within 1 month of the date of cancellation and we will issue a refund. Please note that all refunds will be subject to a £10 administration fee and any card/booking fees will not be refunded.

 

  • For our accommodation refund policy, please see our FAQ.

 

 

LATE PAYMENT OF SPLIT PRICE OR DEPOSIT TICKETS

  • If you have a discounted ticket and have paid the deposit but do not pay the remainder of the balance by the agreed date on the ticket, the discount will be void and should you decide later in the year to pay for the rest of the ticket, the full ticket price of £135 will be due.
  • So for eg, if you paid for a medium bird, split price discounted ticket at £45, £90 will be due and if you've paid a £25 deposit on the ticket, £110 will be due.  
  • All deposits are non-refundable and tickets not paid for in full will be considered null and void.