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LOCHGOILHEAD
JETTY TRUST

​Annual Raft Race


The popular annual Lochgoilhead Raft Race returned on Saturday 3rd August 2024. A family-friendly event which sees a variety of quirky, fun and hilarious homemade rafts bringing together groups of neighbours, colleagues and friends.
This event begin in the 1980s and continues to be a fun filled occasion and this year it was celebrating 200 years of the RNLI.
This high spirited event saw 11 teams enter their homemade rafts donned in fancy dress determinedly paddling across Loch Goil and believe it or not in the sun!!

 

Photos to follow
 

Charges

Visitor Mooring, Pontoon Services & Berthing Charges

Boats over 10m long can only drop off and pick up at the pontoon. They then must moor at one of the Jetty Trust outside swinging moorings, or their own. Jetty Trust mooring Donation £15.00 per night.

Boats 10m and under can berth overnight on the pontoon. Donation of £20.00 per night.

Boats 10m and under can tie up at the pontoon for up to 4 hrs. Donation of £10.00

Boats 10m and under can tie up at the pontoon for the day. Donation of £15.00

Tender dinghies used from boats on moorings can tie up at the pontoon dinghy section of the pontoon, on the shore side of the two fingers at the bottom of the walkway. Free of charge.

Small private dinghies visiting Lochgoilhead can tie up at the, dinghy section of the pontoon to go ashore to visit Lochgoilhead. Donation of £5.00.

 

Please pay by either:

BACS: Royal Bank of Scotland Account Number 00182166 Sort Code 83-1817.

The honesty box at the top of the walkway. Complete and seal your payment in the envelope and place in the honesty box.

Cheques please made payable to Lochgoilhead Jetty Trust and seal it in the envelope and placed  in the honesty box.

Please always refer to the Notice Board

INTRODUCTION
a lovely jetty picture.png

The first moorings registered in Lochgoilhead were for the Marksmen Moorings Group in the 1970s for local boat owners and by 1995 the total number had risen to over forty with five visitor moorings. In 2002 it was decided to form a Jetty Trust as a charity, to replace the old wooden jetty with a steel pontoon and walkway to the shore and to administer these moorings.

In recent years we have added a further five visitor moorings which are often full during the yachting season. The funding of this enterprise was through the Crown Estate, Argyll & the Islands Enterprise, Awards for All, Lochgoilhead Scout Association and local businesses. 

Replacement of the old Pontoon

Replacing the Old Pontoon

During the financial year 2020/2021 the Lochgoilhead Jetty Trust was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic dropped the visitors to Lochgoil to zero.

The Trustees adhering to the Scottish Government lockdown restrictions continued to be active working towards the replacement of our ageing pontoon. The Trustees raised funds  in the early days by holding Coffee mornings, dances, and BBQs receiving donations from the community by placing collection tins in the local pubs, shops, etc. We did receive anonymous donations too, which was generous of our community. All in all, we raised over £10,000 in this way. Several mainline funders were contacted, Awards for all, Weir Trust, Barrack Trust, etc. These all came back negative. Unfortunately, Watersports and access to Lochgoil was not something the funders appeared to support at the time.

We were fortunate to have a Hydro Community Fund in Lochgoilhead and we managed to secure £18,000. This funding was not easy to receive as our Hydro Fund is managed by the Lochgoil Community Trust and they put several objections and blocks in our way. However, as a Trust we remained independent and with the support of the community we were successful. 

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An Unique Challenge
 

We received significant progress from Argyll & Bute who agreed to donate Rothesay's old pontoons.

 

On the 16th. December the Jetty Trust Trustees attended a site meeting in Rothesay Harbour Master regarding  the pontoons. While there, the Ardmaleish Boatyard, and the inner harbour at Rothesay Pier was visited to view the pontoons. We contacted Crown Estates, and the permission for the new pontoon layout was underway. The Crown Estates were delighted with the news of our close collaboration with Argyll and Bute Council in Rothesay with respect to the procurement of their second-hand pontoons. The Crown Estates informed us this is a positive way forward for co-operation between organisations in Argyll to improve the Marine environment and promote tourism and they will be publishing a feature on this. A feather in our cap one would say? 

 

Uplift and delivery of the pontoons to Lochgoilhead was arranged and discussions with the Lochgoilhead Watersports Club held in respect to using their quarry land to carry out the refurbishment This permission was granted, and we thank the Water-sports club for their backing, and the free use of their facility. The Mini mesh grating was purchased and delivered. This modern material is ideal for flooring the pontoon and link-span. It is non slip, hygienic, aesthetically pleasing, and lighter than steel.

 

Our main aim over the coming weeks was to re-furbish two rectangular pontoons and four fingers, fit the Mini mesh grating to these units, re-install the link-span, fit the Mini-mesh grating, and reconnect the link-spa and phase 1 will be completed and this will allow the Jetty Trust to partially open the new pontoon for the summer season. 

Unique Challenge

Welcome to the Village of Lochgoilhead 

Lochgoilhead village is a quiet coastal village and is situated at the head of the fjord-like Loch and is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful areas in Argyll, a secret gem!  It is ideal for walking and cycling.

It has one Inn, Post Office and  they settle snugly around the Lochgoilhead welcoming pontoon. 

The Goil Inn which is a friendly old coach Inn and is set in the heart of the village offering a selection of the finest Whiskies and Real Ales whilst the restaurant serves up some delicious pub favourites.​

https://argyllholidays.com/jfood-drink/goil-inn

The local Post Office as well as being able to purchase stamps etc is a well stocked general store and has a free cash/ATM machine.

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder/2118599/lochgoilohead

 

On the west shore of the loch Costcutter a local shop with a wide range of products for everyday. https://argyllholidays.com/parks/drimsynie-estate-holiday-village

The View Bar & Restaurant is also on the west shore of the Loch and is situated in an elevated position with stunning panoramic views over the Loch.

https://argyllholidays.com/food-drink/view-bar-restaurant

The Boat Shed Cafe is on the west shore close to Lochgoilhead and is ideal spot for either

 gourmet toasties or coffee and cake.

https://ww.theboatshedcafelochgoil.co.uk

The local Bowling Club welcomes visitors, within easy walking distance and has amazing views of Loch Goil and the surrounding hills. A booking procedure is in place phone 07585 167674. The club has bowls and all they ask is for you to have flat soled shoes.

Local Area
Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery in February 2021 of the unique  
challenge to replace the old pontoon

Photo Gallery in June/July 2021

Videos
Contact Us

 Contact the Jetty Trust

If you have any enquiries, comments or suggestions please contact  :

 

Irene McAllister: imcallister@live.co.uk

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