Loch Fyne

We have included four locations on Loch Fyne (including one really just outside the entrance), which we have enjoyed visiting, There are of course other locations on Loch Fyne well worth a visit, which we will hope to get to explore in due course – including Otter Ferry, Lochgair, and Inveraray, all further along the loch than the below locations; but cannot comment on these as we are yet to visit by sea. We will update as and when!

1. Ardrishaig

This is the Loch Fyne sea lock end of the Crinan Canal; we have visited only on the way out from the Canal, eastbound, though we did spend 2 days here (whilst waiting for the bridge to be repaired to allow it to open!). The Canal has some basic facilities ashore – one loo and two showers – which the canal office at the sea lock will give you the keypad code to use. There is a McColls (now part of Morrisons) which stocks most essentials, a community centre that allowed us to plug in our laptops, a pub (which we did not eat at), a museum (The Egg Shed) which is open only for a few hours at weekends that we were unable to visit, and a nice walk along the canal to Lochgilphead, about 2 miles each way.

*View from Ardrishaig south down Loch Fyne to Arran*

2. Loch Fyne: Tarbert

We have visited Tarbert at least once in both seasons; it is a good sheltered harbour, with both finger berths (a bit on the short side) and a long alongside pontoon – and some visitor moorings in the north east corner behind some rocks. The harbour shore facilities were built in 2021 and are first class. Tarbert has a good restaurant (Starfish) which is popular and where we have enjoyed a good meal; there are other cafes and pubs which we are yet to try. There is a good Co-op store, and a handful of assorted other stores; some of the waterfront property such as a former hotel is looking rather sad and neglected, in the same way as other similar places have declined, but perhaps reflects the different choices now available to the holidaying public, and the fairly remote location by road from the central belt of Scotland.

There are good walks locally; both on the north side of the harbour, through woodland and to a small beach outside the harbour; and on the South side, up the hill and past the old Castle, where clearly marked grassy trails offer a range of circular walks of varying lengths – including the Kintyre Way, along the whole Kintyre peninsula.

Tarbert hosts the Clyde Cruising Club Scottish Series, a yacht racing week held towards the end of May each year; the harbour will be quite full at these times!

*Tarbert from the North shore, overlooking the easternmost part of the harbour*

*Tarbert moorings in the north-east corner*

*Tarbert harbour from the town wall (near the Coop!)*

*New facilities for harbour users near the marina office*

3. Loch Fyne: Portavadie

We have visited Portavadie by sea only once so far, but have on a previous occasion stayed ashore there for a few days, in one of the lovely houses adjacent to the marina; we have also visited by car for lunch during the off season. The restaurant (and the views en route) is worth the drive!

The site was originally created as a project for the Scottish Office in 1975 for the construction of concrete oil rigs for the North Sea oil industry, and around the marina building, there are some interesting photographs from that time; unfortunately, the site was never actually utilised for this purpose, as steel rigs were settled as the way forward, and were built elsewhere. The marina opened in 2010, in the basin which had been built as a dry dock, together with the new apartments, houses, and restaurant, and was followed later by a hotel, and a spa building.

There are a number of resident yachts based here but plenty of space for visitors both alongside the inside of the long walkway, and at some finger berths. The facilities ashore are generally first class (apart from our bête noire, the continually annoying lack of hooks and a dry seat / bench in the shower compartment!).

There is a walk from here over the hill to Kames and Tighnabruaich – the Cowal Way starts from here – so with walkers on board, one could lunch at one end, drop the walkers off and sail around to the other end for dinner. There is also a small ferry (for vehicles and foot passengers) that connects across Loch Lyne to Tarbert.

*Portavadie marina from outside the restaurant building; visitor berths are alongside the long pontoon on this side*

4. Skipness

Almost Loch Fyne but not quite; listed here as it seems to fit best! A bay just at the entrance to Loch Fyne, on the West side, that is open to the South but sheltered from the North. It has a lovely (stony) beach, a ruined castle to visit, and in season (June to September) we are told that the Seafood Shack serves great seafood. We managed to visit only before they opened, and await suitable conditions to revisit.