Dundarave Point, Loch Fyne

Type of Dive:                                   Muddy slope

Experience suggested:                Sport Diver

Travel & Parking directions:       Take the A82 up Loch Lomondside.  At Tarbet take the LH fork onto the A83.  Continue through Arrochar, up the Rest and be Thankful and round the head of Loch Fyne.  At the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar rig your BCD/tanks/regs.  The usual divesite entry is several hundred yards from the parking spot.  Drive 3.7 miles past the Oyster Bar.  You come onto a straight bit of road with an obvious mound jutting out into the sea and big locked gates leading to the castle.  Drop off the gear and go back several hundred yards to a forestry track that is leading up the hillside.  Park there and walk to gates to get dropped off gear.

From Little Chef, Milton:               41.1 miles. 1 – 1 ¼ hours

OS Map & Grid Ref:                       OS Map 56; 14605; 10316

Lat & Long:                                      56:14:699N; 04:59:522W

1:500 000 Map

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=250000.53987192&Y=700000.52517718&width=700&height=400&gride=249746.53987192&gridn=670045.52517718&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=500000&left.x=6&left.y=144

1:100 000 Map

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=220000.53987192&Y=710000.52517718&width=700&height=400&gride=249746.53987192&gridn=670045.52517718&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=100000&left.x=5&left.y=146

1:25 000 Map:

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=215000.53987192&Y=710000.52517718&width=700&height=400&gride=249746.53987192&gridn=670045.52517718&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=1&scale=25000

Site entry/exit:                     From the drive by the locked gates, there is a steep slope/ short wall leading to the water.  Scramble down the slope and to the waters edge.  Either walk on the stony beach or surface swim to the stone dyke that reaches the waters edge just before the mound.  Dive from here.

It is also possible to go through a gap in the fence directly opposite the parking spot and dive from there.  The UW topography is similar for both entry points.

Underwater directions:    Fin straight out and follow the slope down.  It is a fairly featureless muddy slope with occasional boulders and plumose anemones.  There is the usual small sealoch life.  Pick your depth and work back to the entry point.  No divesite map or sketch.  Watch depth as it falls off quickly after the first 15m.

Site Hazards:                      Depth as the slope falls off quickly.  Poor viz if mud is kicked up.

Nearest Public phone:      Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

Mobile Network service:  Not checked

Pub & Café:                         Loch Fyne Oster Bar

Other comments                 G Ridley in Dive West Scotland Vol 1 suggests there may be ‘artifacts’ on this divesite as a castle has been here for centuries.  Dundarave Castle tower dates from ~ 1500 AD.  It is the clan seat of the McNaughtons.  The more powerful Campbells ousted them a couple of centuries later, and the castle went to ruins.  It was restored and extended about 100 years ago

Thanks to:                            Charlie Ramage of Dumbarton Scot SAC for divesite information

Version:                                1.0

Created by:                          alex maclennan

Date:                                      April 2007

Photos                                  Parking up entrance to forestry track.  Mound of Dundarave Point in the distance looking down Loch Fyne

Dundarave Castle gates

Slope to shore side of gates

Mound and wall of Dundarave point

Dundarave Castle from the south (Inveraray side)