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Kilchattan Bay

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Wikipedia

The village of Kilchattan Bay is at the southern end of the Isle of Bute in Scotland. It lies along the coast road at the foot of a steep hill called the Suidhe Chattan which shields the village from the prevailing westerly wind. The village faces the mainland to the east across the Firth of Clyde. A sandy bay known locally as the Wee Bay sweeps around to the north.

To the south along the coast is the start of the West Island Way which leads along the rocky shore and past the lighthouse which marks the southern end of the island.

History

The village is named after the sixth century bishop, Saint Cattan, who established a hermitage at this location in AD 539.. His nephew was Saint Blane and a chapel was established in his honour in the 12th century. St. Blane's Chapel still exists as a ruin, two miles to the northwest.

The village developed as a row of fisherman's houses. Further developments included a quarry, stone pier and a lime kiln which can still be seen behind St. Blane's Villa. A new pier was constructed when the village became a regular port-of-call for steamers which carried trippers from the great city of Glasgow and local traffic such as the output of tile factory at Kingarth. St. Blane's Hotel was constructed between the two piers and still services the tourist trade today.

Queen Elizabeth II and her consort landed at the new pier from the Royal Yacht Britannia in the 1960s and drove through the village. Since that heyday, the steamer traffic has disappeared and the new pier has been closed. The old stone pier, being more durable, has been renovated and now serves as the main landing point.