The pier at Blairmore replaced a large and commodious ferry boat at Portinstuck when it was built in the summer of 1855. The new landing point was particularly needed by the feuars who had built houses on the north bank of the Holy Loch as the piers at Kilmun and Strone had fallen into disrepair, and indeed, the pier at Strone was closed to traffic for a while in a dispute arising from the ownership by Mr. David Napier.

“A new pier about to built at Blairmore, situated upon Lochlongside, and at distance of a mile or so from Strone Point. A number of feus have been taken in the neighhoorhood, and the pier will be a source of convenience to all the feuars north of Port-in-Stuck. The bank of Lochlong, from Strone to Ardentinny, is admirably adapted for marine villas, and there is no doubt that after the erection of the pier, the shore will be dotted with a goodly number.”—Greenock Advertiser, January 12, 1855

Greenock Telegraph, February 6, 1855

“Substitute for the Strone Pier.—The new pier at Blairmore, Lochlongside (Port-in-Stuck), has been contracted for by Mr. Boyd of Paisley, and will be completed in about two months. It will cost upwards of £300, one-third of which sum has been generously contributed by Mr. Campbell of Monzie, upon whose lands it is situated. The gentlemen who have subscribed the balance are to be entitled to the benefit of the receipts of the quay for 12 years, Mr. Campbell only retaining the privilege of its use by some of his tenants free of dues. It will possess a great advantage over the quays at Kilmun and Strone, by having a break in the centre for landing and taking on board cattle, similar to that of Kim pier. When opened it will render the feuars perfectly independent of the Strone quay; indeed, as it is, steamers touch daily at Port-in-Stuck, where a commodious ferry boat has been provided for the transport of passengers, and these steamers have handsomely offered to carry any materials required for the erection of the new pier. The generous manner in which the laird of Monzie has acted in this matter has given much satisfaction to all the feuars.—Greenock Advertiser”—Glasgow Herald, May 25, 1855

Glasgow Herald, July 11, 1855

“Blairmore pier (Portenstuck) is now open to the public, and is proving most convenient to the neighbouring residents. The proprietors intend to celebrate the opening by a dinner in the Argyle Inn, Strone, on Thursday first.”—Greenock Advertiser, July 24, 1855

The new pier received calls from the steamers travelling to the Holy Loch as well as those sailing to Lochgoil and Arrochar, where the connections with the Loch Lomond tour were particularly popular with tourists. In this way, it experienced much more traffic than the typical Holy Loch Pier but its location was also more exposed to southwesterly gales.

Greenock Telegraph, April 1, 1856

“On Friday as one of the Kilmun steamers was leaving Blairmore Pier, on her upward passage, the bow rope got entangled with the paddles and the vessel was backed to get it cleared. A young lad, who had missed his passage, came alongside in a boat, unobserved by those on board, and just as it reached the gangway abaft the paddle-box the steamer set on ahead. The boat was sent adrift by the back wash of the paddles, but the lad clung to the iron ladder, and the accident having been observed, he was immediately released from his perilous position with a slight wetting.”—Greenock Advertiser, July 15, 1856

The earliest photograph I have of Blairmore Pier shows the Arrochar steamer Chancellor of 1864 at the pier around 1870. The full view is shown at the top of the page. (Washington Wilson)

By the end of the 1860s, the pier was falling into disrepair and with new owners, a rather radical improvement was proposed.

“Blairmore—Proposed New Floating Pier.— We understand that Mr Duncan, the proprietor of Benmore and Kilmun estates, and who is the laird of Blairmore Pier, has signified his intention of erecting a new iron floating pier at this place in room of the present very dilapidated structure. This will at once be a great boon to the locality and to steamboat masters, as in stormy weather, and especially with high tides, the steamers are often compelled to pass without calling, greatly inconveniencing passengers and annoying friends waiting their arrival.”—Greenock Telegraph, April 24, 1871

The repair appears to have been completed on the existing pier, however. A further major repair was required in February 1891, costing £700.

Glasgow Herald, September 4, 1879

In 1889, the Messrs Campbell sold the goodwill of the Holy Loch route to the Caledonian Steam Packet Co., and over the next few years it was the railway steamers of the Caledonian, Glasgow and South Western and North British that were calling along with the Lochgoil steamers.

Blairmore Pier around 1890

The Lochgoil company’s Edinburgh Castle with its large paddle boxes at a call at Blairmore on its way to Greenock.

Caledonian Steam Packet Co., Caledonia on the Holy Loch route at Blairmore

Another innovative introduction was the demonstration of Macfarlane’s new patent safety telescopic gangway for passengers and cattle that was demonstrated at Blairmore Pier on Monday August 22, 1898. Sir Andrew Macbean was in the chair for the occasion. Presumably, it was not a great improvement over the traditional gangways.

The South Western Viceroy leaving Blairmore around 1905 (Stengel)

Caledonia at Blairmore around 1900

Edinburgh Castle at Blairmore in 1905 (Stengel)

Edinburgh Castle at Blairmore around 1905

After the first world war, consolidation of the railway companies meant that the Caledonian Company’s Caledonia became the main Holy Loch Steamer.

Caledonia leaving Blairmore for Cove in 1929 (Valentine)

Caledonia with winter boarding at Blairmore

The Caledonia was replaced by the 1935 Marchioness of Lorne that became a favorite on the Holy Loch for nearly twenty years.

Marchioness of Lorne approaching Blairmore in the late 1930s

Marchioness of Lorne at Blairmore in 1950 (Valentine)

The advent of the motor vessels in 1953 signaled the demise of the Marchioness of Lorne. The Maid of Ashton was most frequently on the route.

Maid of Ashton approaching Blairmore in 1953 (Valentine)

Maid of Ashton leaving Blairmore in 1953 (Valentine)

Blairmore Pier remained open until about 1973 although regular calls by the larger ferries ceased at the end of May, 1971. The pier is now in the hands of the “Friends of Blairmore Pier Trust,” that seeks to preserve one of the last traditional piers on the Clyde.

“Clyde Piers,” J. Monteith and I McCrorie, Inverclyde District Libraries, Greenock, 1982.