Herb Riddle's photos with the keyword: Arrochar

A look at this popular little village on Loch Long where we stayed overnight in 16 on our way to the north west coast town of Mallaig. On the left you can see the old ruined pier photographed in 2022 on our way to the Mull of Kintyre. See Pip Enjoy full screen

The A83 is quite a beautiful road going all the way from Talbet to Campbeltown for almost 100miles. It is accompanied by lochs, mountains and sea but it also has quite an infamous section that could be described as 'challenging'. I am stood on the ‘resting place’ of ‘The Rest and be Thankful’ pass, looking down the big glen towards Arrochar. We can see the road we had just come up with the traffic on the left. The traffic is actually moving in ‘convoys’ past very dangerous new workings trying to repair two giant landslides that brought thousands of tons of mountain slide down through the fragile road. The road has been closed for long periods recently with no other suitable alternative nearby so creating a very long detour of 59 miles. Fortunately for us, it was open again for our journey. See PiP for close-up of road. More info: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-53922077 Enjoy full screen.

On the very northern tip of Loch Long, Arrochar has always been a popular stop-off-point both for road traffic and sail. One of the first sets of sailors were in fact Viking invaders sailing up the length of Loch Long (20miles) from the sea, then transporting their long-boats the small distance overland to Tarbet on Loch Lomond towards Glasgow plundering the lakeside villages. Later it was also a very popular place for steam ship tours that plied the Clyde and Loch Long as part of the’ Three Lochs’ tour. It was that traffic that brought about this pier built in 1850 to service those steamers as part of what was also called the Arrachar Route. Steamers would come here from such places as Rothersay (Bute), Dunoon and Gourock. In 1968 traffic was down to three times a week mainly serviced by ‘Waverley’. Today it is all a distant memory with only the odd pleasure craft seen up here with the roar of road traffic across the water, heading for 'The Rest and be Thankful’ pass. We see across the loch, part of the ‘Arrochar Alps’ towards Crianlarich. The distinctive toothed peak is known as ‘The Cobbler’. More info: www.arrocharheritage.com/HistoryOfArrocharPier.htm Enjoy full screen.