Polphail

Mrs F and I had a great day out today heading up the coast to take the ferry to Dunoon. From there we headed over to the Kyles of Bute and on to Portavadie before returning via the Rest and be thankful and Loch Lomond.

The basin that makes up the marina at Portavadie was originally constructed in the 70's as part of the oil boom to produce oil rigs for the North Sea, close by lies the derelict unused village of Polphail.

The modern village was built to house the workers, up to 500, that would have worked in the oil rig construction yard. Alas the yard never opened and the village never saw a single occupant.

In 2006 a proposal was made to create a village of similar size to Tighnabruaich along with a marina for 250 vessels.

In June 2009 the media ran a story indicating that the site would be demolished to make way for up to 270 homes overlooking Loch Fyne with views towards the Mull of Kintyre.

Again in 2012 agents indicated that the site was up for sale with no price mentioned, they made no mention of the 2009 story but did suggest that it would make a fantastic housing or leisure development.

In October of 2009 a group of 6 graffiti artists were given permission to paint on the derelict buildings prior to its demolition.

Today Polphail still stands derelict although the marina at Portavadie has now been built and it is a wonderful place.