The B8024 is a long single-track road serving the west coast of southern Knapdale. It is one of those roads which is not so rare in the Scottish Highlands, in that it takes 30-odd miles to do what the main road (in this case the A83) accomplishes in a mere seven! All of this is done as a meandering, undulating single-track road with light traffic. Our road was originally unclassified but had gained its number by 1932.
Route
Loch Arail
Inverneil - Kilberry
At its northern end the road starts at a junction with the A83 in the tiny village of Inverneill, and immediately heads into the forest, running in a south-westerly direction as it starts to climb. After about a mile it crosses the Inverneil Burn at Achabraid and subsequently follows a tributary, the Allt nan Nathiar, steeply up a forested glen to the small Loch Arail, which lies outside the forest andjust across the watershed. This is the highest point of the whole route at about 200m above sea level. The road then steadily descends alongside the Allt Clagionnaich through another forested glen to the first real settlement at Achahoish, most of which lies off to the right along a side road around the head of Loch Caolisport. A track continues from the end of this road to the unclassified road at Kilmory, which leads north back to the B8025 many miles away near the Crinan Canal.
The B8024, meanwhile, continues south-west, and after a brief climb behind a hill it crosses the Baranlongart Burn and finds the southern shore of Loch Caolisport, with its expansive beach. It passes a number of tiny settlements, although none are any more than a loose collection of houses scattered along the winding road. The road climbs away from the shore again for a time, before dropping back to the waters edge at Ormsary, where it passes a large fish farm site. For the next mile or so, the road runs very close to the shore, with good views across the loch; then it climbs quite steeply inland over low hills, winding past scattered farms and forestry plantations. The road offers many fine views out across the water to the Isles of Jura and Islay, particularly on a clear day, but just as often there are screens of trees, or low hills providing a different view.
Kilberry - Stonefield
Eventually, after about 16 miles, the road reaches Kilberry. In reality, the 'village' is no bigger or more important than any other along this road; it is simply that it lies roughly half way between the two ends, so is seen as the best place to sign from the A83! There is a holiday park, Inn and a few historical sites to see in the area, and the more adventurous can find their way to one of the small secluded sandy coves along the shoreline. The road, however, continues to meander southwards, rising and falling across the gentle slopes that dip down into the Atlantic. The views are now as much to the south and Kintyre as across to Islay and Jura, which are fast disappearing behind. The road gets deceptively close to the coast above Port Mor, but there is a steep slope down to the water. It then turns away and starts climbing once more.
A couple of miles further on, after skirting the forest over some more short, steep hills, the road passes through a seemingly nameless settlement at the head of Loch Stornoway. This is where the only notable realignment of the whole route is found, where a replacement bridge spans the Abhainn Learg an Uinnsinn a short distance downstream from the older stone arch. After winding across the flat lands at the head of the loch, another gentle climb lifts the road up to Dunmore, a long straggly collection of buildings scattered along the roadside and hidden away in clearings in the forest above the road. The shore is finally reached again here, on the northern shore of West Loch Tarbert. The road is now heading north-east, along a wooded shoreline, and for a couple of miles rarely loses sight of the water. There are, however some sharp bends and blind summits to negotiate before it once more diverts inland at Torinturk, over a steep hill and then out of the trees onto open moorland.
Heading back into the trees, the road follows the Abhainn nan Gillean downhill to the shore once more, this time right at the head of West Loch Tarbert, before crossing the river. At the head of the loch, a small unclassified road leads off to the right at a double bend to give access to the village of Tarbert but the B8024 itself continues onwards, climbing for the final time to end at a second junction with the A83 just south of the Stonefield Castle Hotel. This end of the B8024, in conjunction with the minor road, have seen improvements in recent years to provide a 'bypass' for Tarbert, predominantly for Timber Lorries. These improvements have not, however, extended to widening and the road remains single track throughout.
