Tarbert (Loch Fyne) - village in Kintyre, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, United Kingdom

Tarbert is a village in Argyll and Bute in Scotland. An Tairbeart is a Gaelic term meaning "carry across", ie an isthmus where small boats could be portaged from one body of water to another. It's therefore a common placename in Highland Scotland: this one is specifically Tarbert on Loch Fyne above the Firth of Clyde, a two-mile portage to reach the West Loch opening into the Atlantic.

Get in

By bus

Citylink Bus 926 runs daily every 2-3 hours to Tarbert from Glasgow via Dumbarton, Tarbet on Loch Lomond - don't get off by mistake here! - Arrochar, Inverary and Lochgilphead, taking 3 hours; one bus a day runs via Glasgow airport. They continue south via Kennacraig ferry terminal, Tayinloan (for ferry to Gigha) and Muasdale to Campbeltown, taking another hour.

By boat

Calmac car ferries sail four routes in this area:

• Tarbert 📍 (east pier) to Portavadie on the Cowal peninsula, hourly daily 08:00-18:00, taking 25 min. Until end of March 2024, return fares are £18.60 per car, £6 per adult including driver and £3 per child. This scenic route cuts off a lot of road distance around Loch Fyne but doesn't save any time, as you first have to reach Bute by ferry from Wemyss Bay, then reach Cowal by ferry from Bute to Colintraive. There are bus links between the various ferries.
• Kennacraig 📍 (6 miles south of Tarbert) to Islay, either Port Ellen or Port Askaig (for Jura). There are five per day April-Oct and two Nov-March, taking two hours, see Islay#Get in for fares. Once or twice a week the ferry continues from Port Askaig to Colonsay and Oban then returns.
• Claonaig 📍 (10 miles south of Tarbert) to Lochranza on the Isle of Arran, April-Oct daily every 75 min, taking 30 min. See Isle of Arran#Get in for fares. In winter Claonaig is too exposed, so there's just one daily ferry to Lochranza sailing from Tarbert east pier, taking 90 min.
• Tayinloan (15 miles south of Tarbert) to Gigha daily, hourly, taking 20 min. There's no other transport from that island so you have to come back to the mainland at Tayinloan.

Booking ahead is always wise, and at Kennacraig it's essential for caravans and motorhomes - these are not permitted to join the unbooked stand-by queue. You'd be sent away to make a booking, and if you couldn't sail that day, at least you'd have accommodation. This rule improves space in the queue but is more about capacity to shoehorn cars into odd spaces on the ferry, that couldn't possibly fit a caravan. The policy applies to most Calmac ports, but not Tarbert, Claonaig or Tayinloan which are just "turn up and go" routes.

Also with a caravan or motorhome, in summer be prepared at check-in to show a pitch reservation at your destination, else you may be turned away. All the Scottish islands have a problem in summer with visitor vehicles camping illegally on the verges and passing places.

Get around

The village can be easily explored on foot, and the east pier (for Portavadie) is half a mile away. You need wheels to reach the other ferry jetties. Kennacraig and Tayinloan can be reached on the inter-city buses from Glasgow. Bus 448 runs thrice (M-Sa) from Lochgilphead to Tarbert, Kennacraig, Claonaig and Skipness.

See

• Tarbert Castle, 55.863611°, -5.408611°. Ruined castle dating from the 13th century with some modern sculpture in the grounds. Free 2019-06-06
• The harbour is scenic especially during the regatta.
• Knapdale is the district north of Tarbert, with B8024 looping along the west coast then back to A83.

Kilberry Sculptured Stones are a collection of ancient grave markers, up a lane from the Kilberry Inn (see "Sleep") along B8024.

• Kintyre is the peninsula stretching south of Tarbert.
• Skipness Castle, Skipness PA29 6XU (From B8001 follow lane past Claonaig ferry pier), 55.76810°, -5.33606°. Castle always open, tower Apr-Sept daily 09:30-17:30. Castle built from the 13th century, abandoned and falling into ruin in the 17th. Nearby Kilbrannan Chapel is of similar age and ruin. Also in Skipness village, St Brendan's Chapel and the village hall are Victorian. Free 2019-08-19
• Ballochroy 📍 is a line of three prehistoric standing stones, the tallest being over 11 feet. They're by the A83 12 miles south of Tarbert.
• See Campbeltown for sights and amenities in the southern part of Kintyre.

Do

• The Five Ferries is a cycle route of 51 miles, starting in Ardrossan, crossing to Brodick on Arran then from Lochranza to Claonaig and Tarbert, thence to Portvadie in Cowal then via Colintraive onto Bute and back to the mainland at Wemyss Bay. There are steep gradients along the route and you need to keep the pace up else you miss the next ferry and your day unravels. It's often done as a charity challenge.
• Scottish Series Sailing is an annual regatta in late May. The next event is 26-29 May 2023.
• The Seafood Festival is in early July, the next is 1-2 July 2023.
• Tarbert Fair is in usually late July, originally a cattle market it is now shows and ammusements.
• The Music Festival is mid-September, the next is 15-17 September 2023.
• The Book Festival may be in late Oct.

Buy

• Prints and original art at Loch Fyne Gallery (daily 10:00-17:00).
• Art Studio (daily 09:00-18:00) has work by Stuart Herd.

Eat

• Anchorage Bistro, Harbour Street. W-Su 17:00-22:00. Good seafood restaurant, central in Tarbert. 2019-06-06
• Others in Tarbert town centre are Marine Bistro (M-Sa 08:00-20:00), Starfish (Tu-Sa 18:00-21:00), Loch Fyne Fish Bar (M-Sa 12:00-14:00 & 16:30-22:00) and Cafe Ca' Dora (daily 08:00-21:00).
• Near Skipness Castle, The Seafood Cabin is open May-Sept daily 11:00-19:00. Excellent food, licensed, pricey but you're paying for the view & setting.

Drink

• The Corner House is the village pub, open daily 11:00-01:00.

Sleep

• You can wild-camp along many of the lanes of Kintyre and Knapdale.
• Dunivaig B&B, Pier Road, Tarbert PA29 6UG, 55.86415°, -5.39434°, +44 1880 820896. Comfy 3-room B&B along quiet road east of village. B&B double from £80 2019-06-06
• West Loch House (formerley West Loch Hotel), Campbeltown Road, Tarbert PA29 6YF (On A83 south), 55.85505°, -5.4381°, +44 1880 820283. 8 room guesthouse in a 1780 inn on the west loch. B&B double from £100 2023-03-29
• Stonefield Castle Hotel, Tarbert PA29 6YJ, 55.8911°, -5.4171°, +44 1880 820836. Set in 60 acres of woodland gardens 2 miles from Tarbert, 36 room hotel in a Baronial "castle" built in 1837. B&B double from £120 2019-06-06
• Skipness Holiday Cottages, +44 1880 760207. Six self-catering cottages near Skipness castle, usually let weekly. 2019-08-19
• Kilberry Inn, Kilberry, Tarbert PA29 6YD, 55.817°, -5.650°, +44 1880 770223, relax@kilberryinn.com. Charming small inn in the middle of nowhere (ie mobile not-spot) with top-notch cuisine. Double half-board £250 2020-05-21

Go next

• Ferries west take you to Islay, those east bring you to Cowal.
• See Skipness castle then take the ferry from Claonaig to Lochranza on the Isle of Arran. You can return to the mainland from Brodick on the other side of Arran.
• A83 south follows the west coast; turn aside at Tayinloan to see Gigha. A scenic minor road follows the east coast from Claonaig to Carradale and Campbeltown, the obvious base for visiting the Mull of Kintyre. Campbeltown has a ferry in summer for foot passengers to Ballycastle in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
• A83 north leads to Lochgilphead, from where you either continue north to Oban, or return east via Inveraray and Loch Lomond to Glasgow.