Rebirth of the River Forth’s ancient inland harbour
● Pontoon is first stage in plan to bring water traffic back to the city
It was once one of Scotland’s most important maritime landing places but has lain unused since the 1950s.
But yesterday the first wave of boats took to the water at a new pontoon intended to relaunch one of the nation’s oldest inland harbours.
The structure at Stirling Harbour has been installed by the local authority in an bid to make the River Forth a key feature for the city again for the first time in decades.
In the 16th century, Stirling Harbour was one of Scotland’s most important landing places, alongside Leith and Aberdeen. During the First and Second World Wars, it thrived as a gateway for supplies of tea to Scotland.
But the opening of the rival port of Grangemouth downstream and the increasing size of ships, which struggled to get up the serpentine upper reaches of the Forth, meant the town gradually lost its maritime trade.
The Dutch coaster Henriette, which discharged cargo at Stirling in August 1954 is believed to have been among its last commercial visitors.
In 2016, however, the local council and its partners on the Stirling City Commission announced a multi-million pound “vision” to put the harbour back at the centre of Stirling life.
Eventual plans include the development of a river taxi network with stops connecting key sites such as Stirling University, the Wallace Monument, the Forth Valley College Riverside campus, and the Stirling Sports Village and Forthside, a 40-acre hotel and leisure development which has already regenerated part of the riverbank.
The new landing stage is 30 metres long, with an additional five metre section for rowing boats and kayaks.
The state-of-the-art pontoon and access walkway rise and fall with the tide and are designed to be wheelchair compliant. The site was in such a previous state of disrepair that it had been closed off from public access and the new work was carried out in conjunction with the restoration of the Old Harbour Wall.
Jim Thomson, convenor of the council’s environment and housing committee, said: “This pontoon is an important step in bringing about the rejuvenation of the River Forth and integrating it back into the city again as a key asset.
“Up until the 1940s, ships were a common sight tied to the docks along Shore Road, but the river has been an untapped resource until now.
“We want to show that Stirling is far more than just our historic castle and this development will make it a massive draw for residents and tourists by offering river trips and creating an alternative gateway into the city for leisure vessels visiting us by river.”
Vice-convenor Danny Gibson said: “We are bringing the River Forth back into the heart of the city’s life. So many cities around the world make their rivers a focal point for tourists so this pontoon is about making the River Forth a significant natural and cultural asset again.”
The £270,000 project cost was met with £153,000 awarded through the Coastal Community Fund and the remainder from the council capital allocation.
The Coastal Communities Fund is funded with income from the Crown Estate’s marine assets and delivered by the Big Lottery Fund on behalf of the UK Government and the Scottish Government.