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CROSSINGS
Main Crossings Tayinloan - Gigha

Tayinloan - Gigha
Crossing Time: 20 Minutes
Regular Ship: Loch Ranza

 ROUTE TIMELINE:

Ships to Serve:
Pre 1979: Islay ferry - on passage to Port Ellen
1979 - 1991: Bruernish
1992 - Present: Loch Ranza
Additional Ships:
Various members of the Island Class and Loch Class ferries on relief duties

 Terminal Facilities:

Gigha: Simple concrete slipway located close to the island's main village. The ferry berths close by when not in service.

Tayinloan: Slipway and pier accessed by a short lane from the car park and queuing area. Traffic is directed forward by red/green lights operated from the ferry slip.


 Route History:

Prior to 1979 the tiny island of Gigha was served by the Islay ferry which called in while crossing to and from Port Ellen. When the IONA took over from the smaller and shallower-draughted PIONEER in 1979 this was no longer possible. A temporary solution was to employ one of the spare 'Island Class' ferries on a crossing from Kennacraig to a new slipway on Gigha.
Upon completion of a suitable facility at Tayinloan, nearly twenty miles south of Kennacraig and only twenty minutes sail across the Sound of Gigha, the BRUERNISH was placed on the lifeline service and was able to operate an hourly service to and from the Kintyre peninsula to the island.

The crossing was to remain in the care of the BRUERNISH, or whichever of her sisters happened to be available to relieve her for overhaul, until the summer of 1992 when the former Kilbrannan Sound ferry LOCH RANZA rounded the Mull of Kintyre and took up the Gigha service. This could happen because she had been replaced on her previous crossing by the new LOCH TARBERT.


Loch Ranza approaching Gigha

The Tayinloan - Gigha crossing has been operated by the LOCH RANZA since 1992. It is a route that is unlikely to see the traffic increases that have been seen on other shorter crossings because it really is just a lifeline service used by islanders and a few tourists. It is unlikely that demand for a vessel with a capacity of 12 cars and 200 passengers will be exceeded. For that reason, the LOCH RANZA is likely to stay the dedicated ferry for the people of Gigha. She is usually to be found on the crossing, providing a reliable and regular service all year round, except for when she goes for overhaul and is relieved by one of her sisters; usually LOCH LINNHE


Loch Ranza off to Tayinloan

Images from Ships of CalMac Collection

SoC Useful Links:
To see a more detailed description of the islands and photos, visit Undiscovered Scotland and click on a place.


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