About The Picturesque Fishing Village Of Tarbert

Tarbert is a small picturesque fishing village built around a natural stone walled harbour part way on the west coast of Loch Fyne. Loch Fyne has been renowned for herring for centuries, although today the fishing fleet are ill equipped to fish for herring mainly due to the overfishing decades ago and the focus is now on langoustine and other shellfish for export throughout Europe.

Tarbert is surrounded by conservation areas, and offers stunning views from various hillside locations above this sheltered harbour at the isthmus of Kintyre. The harbour is very much the focus of the village and is the location of various events throughout the year. The facilities of the harbour allow berthing of a good number of boats, and is convenient for the newly developed Portavadie marina.

In terms of location, everything in Kintyre is within about an hours drive - Carradale, Campbeltown and Machrihanish. Skipness is only about twenty five minutes from Tarbert, just after the Claonaig to Arran ferry terminal. The other ferries are also only a short distance away from the village. The Islay ferry is less than ten minutes drive from Tarbert, the Gigha ferry from Tayinloan is only thirty minutes drive from the village of Tarbert, and the ferry to Portavadie leaves from the east part of the village (by the Yacht Club) across Loch Fyne.

Tarbert is the starting point for the relatively new Kintyre Way walk which finishes at Southend, the walk is divided up into sensible sections, which individually can be managed in a day and passes through locations where there is accommodation and places to eat such as Carradale, Campbeltown and Machrihanish. The walk takes in some of Kintyre's most interesting heritage, such as Tarbert Castle, Skipness Castle, Saddell Abbey and of course the famous Mull Of Kintyre and some of the best scenery on offer.