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Summary

Description

Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park Planning Authority

Sited at a steep-sided inlet near the south end of Loch Katrine, the Trossachs Pier comprises a rustic timber covered walkway set on a rubble pier built in the mid to later 19th century. The N end is terminated by a gabled clapboard pavilion which gives access to a separate floating pier set at right angle. Noted both for its architectural curiosity and its part in the significant rise in tourism to the area resulting from the popularity of locally set 19th century Romantic Literature.

Random rubble pier extending NW along shoreline, mainly straight but curving slightly to W at far end. The pier is covered by an exceptionally long continous red tiled fishscale roof supported on regularly spaced treek trunk columns with rustic timber handrails and struts between. Clapboarding to bargeboarded gables. The floating pier consists of a riveted iron tank with timber rubbing strakes, linked to the pavilion by a hinged plate girder span. A cast iron handrail runs to the floating pier.

Statement of Special Interest

Loch Katrine became extremely popular as a tourist destination after the publication of Sir Walter Scott's novel - The Lady of the Lake (1810) and Rob Roy (1819). Initially the only tours carried out on the loch were in open rowing boats. The early 1840s saw the first paddle steamer (Gipsy) arrive at the loch. The Gipsy sank in mysterious circumstances in 1843 and was replaced by another paddle steamer called Rob Roy in 1845. By 1856 a larger vessel was needed, and a second Rob Roy arrived at the loch in pieces, riveted together at the slip at Stronachlachar. It seems likely that the pier was developed in response to the increasing number of tourists wishing to take a tour of the loch. It is possible that the walkway roof was originally covered with thatch, however photographs of the 1870s www.scran.ac.uk indicate that it was slated by this time. The red fishscale tiles to the roof are typical of buildings associated with railways and ferries in the west of Scotland from the early 20th century. A photograph of the 1850/60s www.scran.ac.uk shows what appears to be a fixed landing stage with multiple columns and a thatched roof. The floating pier arrangement was necessary once the loch became a reservoir. The Rob Roy was replaced in 1900 by the Sir Walter Scott which still transports visitors around the loch today, 2005.

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