Victorian

Victorian Tours: Access to the area in the Victorian era became easier with the building of the West Highland Railway line in the 1890s, though this ‘progress’ came at a price: a total of 37 navvies died near Arrochar, Tarbet or Ardlui during the construction of the railway, and are now commemorated by a memorial in Ballyhennan graveyard.

The West Highland Railway: The line runs between Craigendoran and Fort William and was a major development on the isthmus. It was opened in 1894 and Arrochar and Tarbet station is said to have Swiss type of architecture with an 'island platform' in order to complement the scenic Alp-like route it followed. The station stands proudly in the middle of the isthmus. It is said by some that the original shingle for the roof of the station was imported from Switzerland!

The Tarbet Hotel: This is a grand example of Victorian opulence! A 'public house' was depicted on Ross's Map of 1777 at the same site.

Steamers: The Victorian era also saw a steady stream of paddle steamers bringing visitors up Loch Long from Glasgow to Arrochar, from where they could visit the local hotels, or travel across to Tarbet to catch another steamer to explore the scenery of the world famous Loch Lomond. One of the most famous steamships at that time was the Waverley, which is still in operation today and is the last ocean-going paddle steamer.

Please visit the Arrochar, Tarbet and Ardlui Heritage Group website for more details.