Portavadie Marina & Spa

Just 3nm across the loch from Tarbert is Portavadie Marina, a Five Gold Anchor award winning marina set in a man made lagoon on Loch Fyne with what is claimed to be the largest heated outdoor infinity pool in Scotland. We just had to check it out!

After a few nights on our user friendly mooring buoy in Tarbert we made the short crossing across the loch to Portavadie Marina. With just a light wind of around 7 knots from behind we sailed across under head sail alone, albeit very slowly. At one point we crossed over a depth of 194m, the deepest we had seen in the area, which caused our onboard depth gauge to go haywire and give us a reading of just 0.1m. In any other situation a reading of 0.1m would cause us to freak out but we knew we were simply in a depth beyond the limit of our transducer’s ping (100m)!

The marina has a dedicated alongside visitors pontoon (S pontoon) which is parallel to the main buildings. To our surprise there was only one other visiting boat which left about half an hour after our arrival. The cost for the night was £3.50 per metre (June 2024).

We had been previously advised to book in advance for the spa , something we hadn’t actually done, so as soon as we could we headed to the leisure complex. Fortunately there was still availability for later that day. A 90 minute ‘leisure experience’ session for those berthed in the marina costs £12 per person (June 2024).

We were actually allowed to enter the facilities a little earlier, meaning we ended up having around two hours of leisure time, and all we can say is ‘wow‘! The spa area was simply lovely, plus we pretty much had the place to ourselves. There is a a gym, toddler’s pool, a 16 metre indoor pool and a glass fronted Scandinavian sauna with views out over the loch. Outside the steam rising from the heated infinity pool was just so inviting, especially if, as in our case, the outside temperature has a wee nip in the air! Boasting spectacular views over Loch Fyne the pool, and the adjacent jacuzzi’s, offer the ultimate in relaxation 🙏 And for those wanting a little more indulgence then there are a number of spa therapies available at an additional cost.

The lagoon was originally developed as a yard for building concrete oil rigs, however this never materialised. Portavadie is now a popular marina with many cruisers using it as a stopover before entering the Crinan Canal. In addition to the marina there is a variety of accommodation options including luxury apartments, cottages, cabins and Shepherd’s huts. There is also a dedicated area for Motorhomes and RV’s.

The onsite shop was surprisingly well stocked with a good range of food and provisions, including alcohol. It also featured a variety of Scottish gifts and souvenirs, nautical clothing and chandlery. However it was only open between 10am and 5pm.

The onsite facilities were of a very high standard with modern toilet and showers, family bathroom, laundry room and a ‘crying room’. There is a waterfront restaurant and bar, wifi (handy as our Smarty network had zero coverage), yard services and fuel (diesel, petrol and gas).

Whilst the complex in undoubtably first class, there is nothing else in the vicinity and it felt somewhat ‘soul-less’  Perhaps this may have simply been down to the fact that it was a Monday and the weather so far this year has been a little dreary. But if you are sailing Scotland then we’d highly recommend treating yourself to a night here, purely for the fact that where else do you get to chill out in a steaming hot, outdoor pool overlooking the dramatic beauty of the Scottish landscape!