Conger Alley, Ardgartan, Loch Long
Alternative Names: Conger reef; Conger Ali; Ali’s reef; Jenny’s reef (West Lothian SAC). Also called Ardgartan or Ardgarton reef like the small reef beside the Two Piers.
Type of Dive: Reef
Suggested experience: Suitable for trainees and novice divers
Travel directions: Take the A82 up Loch Lomondside to Tarbet. Take the LH fork onto the A83 and pass through Arrochar driving around the head of Loch Long. Two miles out of Arrochar is a long straight with a long tarmac lay-by for 15+cars opposite the loch about 100m north of Lochside Cottage.
Parking directions: For Conger Alley park as far south on the tarmac lay-by as you can. It is usually best to continue to Ardgarten Campsite turnoff and turn car round so you approach lay-by from south. Chancers park right by the cottage.
From Little Chef, Milton: 25.8 miles; 30 to 45 minutes
OS Map & Grid Ref: OS Map 56, 27909, 03521
Lat & Long: 56:11:590N; 04:46:509W
1:200 000 Map
1: 25 000 Map: Divesite is below ‘O’ in FOREST
Site entry/exit: Kit up at lay bye, cross A83, walk 100m south from lay-by and climb over a low fence opposite Lochside Cottage. An obvious path takes you to the site entry/exit by a line of boulders running into the water. The entry/exit is on shingle. There is an obvious rectangular block of stone on the shore to LHS of the entry/exit.
Underwater directions: The three reefs are made up of steeply sloping boulders in mud, lying from 8 to 25m depth (see J Nicolson diagram).
Head out at 90 deg to the
shore to the bottom at 30m and turn up the loch approx 30 deg keeping to the
edge of the slope. After a 2min fin you come to the bottom of the bottom reef.
Zig zag up the reef to the top. At the top of the bottom reef continue up from
23m to 17m and come to the bottom of top reef. Stay here as long as your computer
or air lets you and then back to the small reef and then out at the big rock.
If you head down to 12-15m turn left and fin to the middle of top reef; you miss
out the bottom reef completely. Few divers even look at small reef at all. If
you venture out on the muddy flat at 30m use a compass as it’s easy to get lost.
Come back to the reef on 315 deg.
Divesite map/sketch: By John Nicolson
Site Hazards: Cars on A83, Silt can cause poor visibility.
Nearest Public phone: Phone at entrance to Ardgarten campsite
Mobile Network service: Vodaphone
Pub: Many in Arrochar. Try the Village Inn
Café: Pit Stop Diner or the Snack caravan at ESSO petrol station Arrochar
Other comments: Originally named for Ali Abubaker, a BDO with Clydebank SAC in the 60s and 70s who fed the congers and ?put down tyres for them to live in. One of the most popular evening and night dive sites from Glasgow and commonly used for training.
Links:
http://www.musac.man.ac.uk/directory/sites/uk.wscot.carrick.conger.htm
http://www.neptune-divers.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/dive_site_reports_on_the_interne.htm#Conger
http://www.boness-sac.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/conger_ali.htm
http://www.divernet.com/travel/5edllong599.htm
http://www.musac.co.uk/musac/Loch_Long_Sites/Ardgarton%20Reef.pdf
Photos by Gordon Mackie
http://www.gordonmackie.com/slacdiving/photo_conger_alley_jun.htm
Version: 1.0 by alex maclennan July 2006
1.1 by alex maclennan August 2006
1.2 by alex and John Nicolson Nov 2006
Surface Photos: Tarmac lay bye looking south on A83
Block that marks entry site, looking south from path along A83
Path to shore opposite Lochside cottage
Conger Alley entry/exit site
UW Photos: By John Nicolson
