Faslane Bay

Faslane Bay lies on Gare Loch, an inlet of the Firth of Clyde in Argyll and Bute. The bay forms part of HM Naval Base Clyde, the Royal Navy’s main base for submarines. Before the naval base opened in the Second World War, the shore was quiet apart from Garelochhead village. Steamers and a railway once linked the village to the wider Clyde coast. A shipbreaking yard stood at Faslane until the mid-1980s, when the yard’s site was absorbed into the expanding base. The vanished Faslane Castle once overlooked the bay, giving the spot a longer history. The naval base brought jobs and changed the local economy after its arrival. Submarines now patrol from the pier, while support ships and crews work inside the base. The loch’s deep, sheltered water makes it an ideal spot for such operations. Visitors can walk along the shoreline near the base entrance to watch submarines enter and leave. The hills around Garelochhead offer views across the water to the naval piers. A small car park sits close to the shore, giving easy access to the bay. The contrast between the working base and the quiet lochside is striking.