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The
village of Ardrishaig sits at the eastern end of the Crinan
canal just south of
Lochgilphead at the mouth of Loch
Gilp on the shores of bonny Loch Fyne. The origins of the
village came about because of the local herring industry and the
building of the Crinan Canal which allowed boats to travel from
the Clyde to the West Coast of Scotland without going round the
treacherous Mull of Kintyre. The Canal was started in 1793 and
finished in 1801.
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The
importance of the canal cannot be underestimated, as puffers
and other steam ships carried their cargo to and from the
islands in the west as well as mainland ports such as Oban
to the Clyde Islands and the Industrial south Clyde shores.
It would be common to have coal going west and slate from
the many quarries at Luing
and Easdale going east.
This made all the ports of call a little more prosperous.
Today, the
canal is very busy in the summer months with yachts getting
safe passage to and from the clyde. |
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The pier in
Ardrishaig is also used as a loading point for timber,
thankfully taking thousands of tons of timber off the roads
every month.
Ardrishaig
itself offers a few shops and hotels who serve meals, and the
canal-side offers a haven for cyclists and walkers. There is
also a very interesting walk known as the Adrishaig 39 steps. A
path which goes through mixed woodland and is highly acclaimed.
Click on our Local
Interest button to visit a descriptive site about this
lovely walk.
This
village is also right at the top of the Mull of Kintyre and is
really a gateway village to all to the south as there is only
one road down the Mull.
To find
out about accommodation in and around Ardrishaig, just click on
the appropriate button on the side menu.
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