This short walk to Port Ban, or the White Shore, skirts the northern side of Tarbert harbour with lovely views back over the boats and then reaches the small beach. There is an optional 0.5 km extension over rough ground to a viewpoint and back through the woods which is included on the map and GPS of this walk.
Summary
Rough path, can be boggy. Optional extension includes steep rough climb.
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1. Start from the harbour at Tarbert at the junction with Campbeltown Road and Harbour Road, opposite the Co-op. Tarbert is still a fairly busy fishing port with a number of small boats landing fish and shellfish most days. The harbour walls that can be seen today were designed by Thomas Telford. Begin by walking north, passing the yellow Victoria Hotel and heading up the hill on the main road towards Lochgilphead for a short while.
2. Take the next right to pass the fire station and skirt the north side of the harbour. Here the marina, which has made Tarbert popular with Clyde yachtsmen, can be seen. Keep following the road which also has good views across to Tarbert Castle, a 13th century stronghold once used by Robert the Bruce to hold the Scottish Parliament. At the end of the road curve to the right into a parking area for the houses and follow the signed path to the left, past the garden of the end house.
3. The path now undulates through the woods that line this part of the coastline. There are a number of small sheds belonging to the moorings in the deep inlet alongside the path. This is a good place to spot seabirds and the occasional seal. Keep on the main path, which can be muddy, ignoring a small path to the left, and eventually crossing the end of the inlet on a boardwalk.
4. The path now climbs through the woods, at a fork keep right to descend to Port Ban where there is a picnic bench. Depending on the state of the tide it is sometimes possible to walk across to the jetty on the left which was used before the main harbour at Tarbert was constructed. Much of the sand here is actually crushed shells and many winkles, anemones, and mussels can be found clinging to the rocks at low tide. This is also a good point to watch the Calmac ferry as it departs or arrives on its regular sailings to Portavadie in Cowal across Loch Fyne.
5. You can now either retrace your steps or take a rough 0.5 extension loop which climbs steeply to a viewpoint at Cnoc Mor and then follows a path, which is often wet underfoot, through peaceful woods. To take the extension return from the beach to the fork and turn right. Follow the footpath until the lump of rock called Cnoc Mor is reached. The path starts up good steps but near the top the path deteriorates. There are great views back over Tarbert from the top and a little way north, a view indicator on a rock marked with a small cairn. From the cairn follow the path heading inland (north west) which descends through bracken to reach a gate. Don't go through the gate but turn left and follow the fence. When alongside the next gate bear left following the path through the trees, there are infrequent waymarkers, and soon this returns to the outward path. Turn right along this to retrace your steps to the road end and then back to the harbour at Tarbert.
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