Tighnabruaich is now part of a continuous coastal strip of housing that joins onto Kames.
Transport
An Optare Solo M880SL running the 478 route in Tighnabruaich in 2006
Tighnabruaich is on the A8003 road, which is 8 miles (13 kilometres) long and travels to the A886 in the east. The A8003 was built in the 1960s.[3] The B8000 the original road, travels down the west coast of the Cowal peninsula from Newton in the north again on the A886, 25+1⁄2 miles (41 kilometres) away.[4] The village was more reliant on the sea for the transport of passengers and freight until the completion of the shorter A8003.[5]
A pier was possibly built in the 1830s by the Castle Steamship Company, a forerunner of Caledonian MacBrayne. It was a stopping place for paddle steamers and Clyde puffers. The wooden pier was rebuilt in 1885 by the Tighnabruaich Estate who owned it from 1840 until 1950. George Olding owned it until 1965 when it became the responsibility of the local council.
Passenger services on and around the Clyde were developed after the PS Comet was introduced into service in 1812 and tourism developed with the introduction of cruises through the Kyles around Bute, to Arran and along Loch Fyne.[5]
The 1st Glasgow Company of the Boys Brigade own a camp-site near Tighnabruich which is used by many Boys' Brigade Companies from around the country. This follows in the tradition of the 1st Glasgow camping in the area since 1886.
The Royal an Lochan hotel was established in 1865.[7]
The pier at Tighnabruaich is called at by the paddle steamer Waverley during its summer season sailings on the Firth of Clyde.[12]
Tighnabruaich is popular for sailing and yachting and has a sailing school.[13]
Tighnabruaich was voted "the prettiest village in Argyll, Lomond and Stirlingshire" in 2002[citation needed] and featured in the More4/Channel 4 programme Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages (Series 3, Episode 2).
