Carrick Castle, Loch Goil

Beautiful location for a dive training site.

Easy access
Adequate parking
On-site toilet

Carrick Castle Information

This dive site is on the western shore of Loch Goil in a very picturesque setting. It is suitable for trainee divers. Parking is easy, as is access to and from the water. Having picnic benches and a small public toilet is a welcome bonus.

Location Map and Directions

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Directions

Take the A82 along Loch Lomond to Tarbet, then continue along this road as it becomes the A83. Follow the A83 for 8.3 miles, passing through Arrochar and round the head of Loch Long then down the west shore, passing the Twin Piers and Conger Alley dive sites, before turning inland at Ardgartan campsite. Keep following the A83 until you come to the junction with the B828 at the summit of the Rest and be Thankful. Turn left onto the B828 and follow it for 3.3 miles. Continue to follow this road as it becomes the B839 and drive for a further 2.2 miles. Turn right at the junction and follow the road for a further 5.3 miles until you reach the car park at Carrick Castle.

Dive Site Details

As a dive training site, Carrick Castle can be a worthwhile location for what it provides, depending upon your requirements and group size, and may make a welcome change to other busier dive sites.

It’s a lovely location on land, but that isn’t matched to the same degree below the water, which tends to feature an unremarkable, sloping sandy/silty seabed. (Snorkellers, however, may enjoy pottering about the castle and pier area in shoals of small fish, depending upon the season.)

The largely featureless seabed may be ideal for beginner divers, as they focus on technique rather than marine life.

The shingle beach on the right of the castle should be the easier entry/exit point, then heading towards the pier. Variable visibility and a defined target may make this site worth considering for navigation practice. Visibility may also be influenced by whether there has been any submarine or other major naval traffic in the vicinity.