# Clyde Estuary,, Lesser Ports



## cadetconway (Dec 16, 2012)

Recently I moved to Greenock Clydeside. Wanting to find out about the smaller ports on the Clyde I found was not easy. Clyde Port Authority did not seem interested. Perhaps someone can tell me about Campbletown, Lochstriven, Lamlash, Brodick, Ardrishaig, Holy Loch. These places have a shipping connection whether it be for loading/discharging cargoes or for some other purpose. cadet conway


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## Union Jack (Jul 22, 2009)

This should get you off to a good start:

www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/LochStriven

Jack


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## 5036 (Jan 23, 2006)

Ayr was the original port for Glasgow in the 1600 and 1700's. Troon was built on the ballast of ships from Northern Ireland and other countries who imported much from Scotland and returned empty for more cargo.

You might also start looking at all the paddle steamer history which although fascinating in itself is also an indication of how they were the DHL and Stagecoach of their day.

Interestingly, one of the largest ports built by the Romans outside of the Mediterranean is at Hunterston and was used to supply the Antonine wall. It is being investigated just now as to whether a large scale archaeological project is worth while.


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## A.D.FROST (Sep 1, 2008)

Suggest the DVD 'Doon the Watter'


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## janmike (May 4, 2012)

Janmike
Spent 4 months working out of Old Kilpatrick on the BP Distributer in the 
1960's bunkering ships in the river and docks. Bowling was another place to find us sometimes.


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## gwzm (Nov 7, 2005)

The Para Handy stories by Neil Munro mention most, if not all, of the little west coast harbours used by the puffers in the days when they were the main means of transporting goods to the communties that had no access by road. All works of fiction with enough facts and commentary on the time in which they were set to make them interesting and very funny as well.


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## janmike (May 4, 2012)

Janmike

Just remembered that Lock Striven was a discharge jetty for NATO fuel oils.
Had to wait a very long time for the mooring gang to arrive in their rowing boat!!


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## tom e kelso (May 1, 2005)

After Easter, if you care to make a day trip to the Isle of Arran,(via Ardrossan, dep. daily 0945 et al) a visit to the Heritage Museum in Brodick will lead to considerable information regarding Lamlash as a naval base in both WW1 and WW2. [Museum is only open during winter on a Wednesday, and then only for genealogical research] . Lamlash Bay, particularly in the days of sail, was a regular anchorage for vessels sheltering from the weather. Until the advent of ro-ro ferries, most of the island's coastal communities were directly served by puffers with cargoes of domestic coal, with some export of timber, and from about 1870 to 1920, dressed stone from the quarries at Corrie. Barytes was exported from a now defunct pier at Sannox. In recent years, timber cargoes have regularly been loaded onto a barge at Brodick, and towed to Troon.
Also, opening from Easter, at Irvine, the Scottish Maritime Museum, (research department) library has a considerable number of books dealing with the various Clyde ports, large and small.


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## holland25 (Nov 21, 2007)

The weather ships used to bunker in loch striven before going on station.


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## NZSCOTTY (May 20, 2006)

All brings back memories of leaving Gourock on the Duchess of Hamilton or Montrose, the Waverly or Jeany Deans, the Loch Fyne and others to do the trip in mid summer to all the ports doon the water for a day trip as a young fellow getting the urge to go to sea. Us guys would get a week pass to go on any ship.
Yes with a packed lunch from mum we all had a ball


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## John Cassels (Sep 29, 2005)

NZSCOTTY said:


> All brings back memories of leaving Gourock on the Duchess of Hamilton or Montrose, the Waverly or Jeany Deans, the Loch Fyne and others to do the trip in mid summer to all the ports doon the water for a day trip as a young fellow getting the urge to go to sea. Us guys would get a week pass to go on any ship.
> Yes with a packed lunch from mum we all had a ball


Was that before or after the midday session in the Bay Hotel ?.


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## John Cassels (Sep 29, 2005)

Winter of 1962 , Watt college Greenock pre sea course , we did a weekend 
trip in the school lifeboat , camping overnight on the eastern shore of
Loch Striven. A more miserable "excursion "is difficult to imagine.

Remember that NZSCOTTY ?.


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## gwzm (Nov 7, 2005)

"Winter of 1962 , Watt college Greenock pre sea course , we did a weekend
trip in the school lifeboat , camping overnight on the eastern shore of
Loch Striven. A more miserable "excursion "is difficult to imagine."

Aaaaaaaasrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was at Watt College at the time just before joining Brocklebank as an R/O. That was the year of the big freeze - Loch Lomond froze over and folks were skating around the islands. Some steam railway engines were immobilised because their boilers were frozen solid.

Really not a good time to be camping out.


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## NZSCOTTY (May 20, 2006)

John Cassels said:


> Winter of 1962 , Watt college Greenock pre sea course , we did a weekend
> trip in the school lifeboat , camping overnight on the eastern shore of
> Loch Striven. A more miserable "excursion "is difficult to imagine.
> 
> Remember that NZSCOTTY ?.


Yes I remember the trip well. Bloody toss oars etc!
The trips doon the water were at school summer holidays. Especially remember through the narrows to Tighnabruich.


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## Basil (Feb 4, 2006)

> That was the year of the big freeze


In which, having timed it to perfection, I'd first gone to sea and was swanning around the Caribbean aboard Fyffes SS Matina whilst you plucky chaps were holding the home front (Thumb)


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