West Loch Tarbert, Argyll
Encyclopedia
West Loch Tarbert, Argyll is a long and narrow sea loch
on the western side of the Kintyre
peninsula in Scotland.
and it reaches the open sea at Ardpatrick Point some 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) distant.
The island of Eilean Ceann na Creige
, off the south shore, is connected to the mainland by a causeway
. It is the ferry terminal for Islay
.
, King of Norway had his longship dragged across the isthmus at Tarbert between West Loch Tarbert and East Loch Tarbert
as part of a campaign to increase his possessions in the Hebrides
. He made an arrangement with King Malcolm III of Scotland
that he could take possession of land on the west coast around which a ship could sail. Magnus declared that Kintyre had "better land than the best of the Hebrides", and by taking command of his ship's tiller and "sailing" across the isthmus he was able to claim the entire peninsula, which remained under Norse rule for more than a dozen years as a result.
began operating a car ferry, with a simple stern-loading ramp, from Kennacraig
on the south shore. This served Port Askaig
on Islay
, in competition with the mail steamer, operated by MacBraynes
from West Tarbert near the head of the loch. The new service soon won a significant share of the traffic and stimulated MacBraynes to modernise the Islay route. In January 1970, hoist-loading MV Arran
was transferred from the Clyde. She gave two daily return sailings, one each to Port Ellen and Port Askaig, as well as sailings to Craighouse on Jura
, Gigha
and Colonsay
. Over the winter 1972/73, Arran's hoist and side-ramps were removed, along with the superstructure aft of them. She was converted to a stern-loading vessel, with a stern ramp and an open car deck. In this guise, she took on a new timetable – three double crossings a day between modified at terminals at Port Ellen and West Loch Tarbert. Port Askaig was left to Western Ferries.
With the introduced of MV Pioneer
in August 1974, CalMac started to win back Islay traffic. Over the next five years Pioneer became well established, running to Port Ellen and Gigha. In 1978, Caledonian MacBrayne
took over the Western Ferries
terminal at Kennacraig
, with the deeper-draught MV Iona
, again providing a service to both Port Ellen and Port Askaig, as well as calling at Gigha
. In 1989, the more spacious, MV Claymore
became the Islay ship, with the drive-through MV Isle of Arran
taking over in 1993. Since 2001 MV Hebridean Isles
has been the main Islay vessel.
Loch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
on the western side of the Kintyre
Kintyre
Kintyre is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The region stretches approximately 30 miles , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south, to East Loch Tarbert in the north...
peninsula in Scotland.
Geography
The head of the loch lies near the village of TarbertTarbert, Argyll and Bute
Tarbert is a village in Scotland. It is built around East Loch Tarbert, an inlet of Loch Fyne, and extends over the isthmus which links the peninsula of Kintyre to Knapdale and West Loch Tarbert...
and it reaches the open sea at Ardpatrick Point some 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) distant.
The island of Eilean Ceann na Creige
Eilean Ceann na Creige
Eilean Ceann na Creige is a small island near Kennacraig in West Loch Tarbert in Scotland. Ceann na Creige is Gaelic for head of the rock....
, off the south shore, is connected to the mainland by a causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
. It is the ferry terminal for Islay
Islay
-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...
.
History
Around the year 1093, Magnus BarefootMagnus III of Norway
Magnus Barefoot or Magnus III Olafsson was King of Norway from 1093 until 1103 and King of Mann and the Isles from 1099 until 1103.-Background:...
, King of Norway had his longship dragged across the isthmus at Tarbert between West Loch Tarbert and East Loch Tarbert
East Loch Tarbert, Argyll
East Loch Tarbert, Argyll is a small sea loch on the eastern side of the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland. It is a part of the much larger Loch Fyne...
as part of a campaign to increase his possessions in the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
. He made an arrangement with King Malcolm III of Scotland
Malcolm III of Scotland
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada , was King of Scots...
that he could take possession of land on the west coast around which a ship could sail. Magnus declared that Kintyre had "better land than the best of the Hebrides", and by taking command of his ship's tiller and "sailing" across the isthmus he was able to claim the entire peninsula, which remained under Norse rule for more than a dozen years as a result.
Ferry services
In the 1960s, Western FerriesWestern Ferries
Western Ferries is a private ferry company with its headquarters in Dunoon, Scotland. It currently operates on the River Clyde running a year-round, high-frequency service between Hunters Quay and Gourock in Inverclyde.-History:...
began operating a car ferry, with a simple stern-loading ramp, from Kennacraig
Kennacraig
Kennacraig is a hamlet situated on West Loch Tarbert, Argyll, a few miles south of Tarbert on the Kintyre peninsula.Caledonian MacBrayne ferries sail from the terminal, on the rocky islet Eilean Ceann na Creige, to Port Ellen or Port Askaig on Islay and to Colonsay....
on the south shore. This served Port Askaig
Port Askaig
Port Askaig is a port village on the east coast of the island of Islay, in Scotland.-Transport:Port Askaig serves as the main port of Islay, sharing passenger services to the Scottish mainland with Port Ellen...
on Islay
Islay
-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...
, in competition with the mail steamer, operated by MacBraynes
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
from West Tarbert near the head of the loch. The new service soon won a significant share of the traffic and stimulated MacBraynes to modernise the Islay route. In January 1970, hoist-loading MV Arran
MV Arran
MV Arran was a pioneering Clyde vehicle ferry introduced by Caledonian Steam Packet Company in 1953. She spent fifteen years on the Upper Clyde crossings, followed by five years at Islay. Initially hoist-loading, via side ramps, these were replaced by a stern ramp in 1973. During her final years...
was transferred from the Clyde. She gave two daily return sailings, one each to Port Ellen and Port Askaig, as well as sailings to Craighouse on Jura
Jura, Scotland
Jura is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, situated adjacent and to the north-east of Islay. Part of the island is designated as a National Scenic Area. Until the twentieth century Jura was dominated - and most of it was eventually owned - by the Campbell clan of Inveraray Castle on Loch...
, Gigha
Gigha
The Isle of Gigha is a small island off the west coast of Kintyre in Scotland. The island forms part of Argyll and Bute and has a population of about 150 people, many of whom speak Scottish Gaelic. The climate is mild with higher than average sunshine hours and the soils are fertile.Gigha has a...
and Colonsay
Colonsay
Colonsay is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, located north of Islay and south of Mull and has an area of . It is the ancestral home of Clan Macfie and the Colonsay branch of Clan MacNeill. Aligned on a south-west to north-east axis, it measures in length and reaches at its widest...
. Over the winter 1972/73, Arran's hoist and side-ramps were removed, along with the superstructure aft of them. She was converted to a stern-loading vessel, with a stern ramp and an open car deck. In this guise, she took on a new timetable – three double crossings a day between modified at terminals at Port Ellen and West Loch Tarbert. Port Askaig was left to Western Ferries.
With the introduced of MV Pioneer
MV Pioneer (1974)
MV Pioneer is a stern / side loading ferry built in 1974, in service for 29 years covering nearly all of Caledonian MacBrayne's routes. She now serves the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea and was chartered to rescue Liberian refugees....
in August 1974, CalMac started to win back Islay traffic. Over the next five years Pioneer became well established, running to Port Ellen and Gigha. In 1978, Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
took over the Western Ferries
Western Ferries
Western Ferries is a private ferry company with its headquarters in Dunoon, Scotland. It currently operates on the River Clyde running a year-round, high-frequency service between Hunters Quay and Gourock in Inverclyde.-History:...
terminal at Kennacraig
Kennacraig
Kennacraig is a hamlet situated on West Loch Tarbert, Argyll, a few miles south of Tarbert on the Kintyre peninsula.Caledonian MacBrayne ferries sail from the terminal, on the rocky islet Eilean Ceann na Creige, to Port Ellen or Port Askaig on Islay and to Colonsay....
, with the deeper-draught MV Iona
MV Pentalina-B
MV Pentalina-B was a fast and extremely versatile ferry operated on a variety of Scottish routes. Launched in 1970 as MV Iona, she was the first drive-through roll-on/roll-off ferry built for the David MacBrayne Ltd fleet. She was the first ship in the company's history to have bridge-controlled...
, again providing a service to both Port Ellen and Port Askaig, as well as calling at Gigha
Gigha
The Isle of Gigha is a small island off the west coast of Kintyre in Scotland. The island forms part of Argyll and Bute and has a population of about 150 people, many of whom speak Scottish Gaelic. The climate is mild with higher than average sunshine hours and the soils are fertile.Gigha has a...
. In 1989, the more spacious, MV Claymore
MV Claymore
MV Claymore was a car and passenger ferry built in 1978 for Caledonian MacBrayne. For ten years, she operated between Oban and the Outer Isles. Between October 2002 and March 2009, she was the Pentland Ferries relief vessel on the Short Sea Crossing to Orkney...
became the Islay ship, with the drive-through MV Isle of Arran
MV Isle of Arran
MV Isle of Arran is a ferry owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited and operated on the west coast of Scotland by Caledonian MacBrayne. Built for the Arran service, she has more recently been at Kennacraig and the winter relief vessel.-History:...
taking over in 1993. Since 2001 MV Hebridean Isles
MV Hebridean Isles
MV Hebridean Isles is a ro-ro vehicle ferry a ferry owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne on the west coast of Scotland. She was the first MacBrayne vessel to be built outside Scotland and the first to be launched sideways. With bow, stern and side ramps,...
has been the main Islay vessel.