Scotland’s Art Deco Heritage 8. Tarlair Swimming Pool Near Macduff
Posted in Art Deco, Pink Floyd at 10:46 on 12 March 2009
I haven’t done one of these posts in a while as I was waiting till I got over to Glasgow to take a few photos, but I was browsing the old internet and came across this.
Click on the photo for the Flickr page information.
Apparently it’s just been listed by Historic Scotland. Good on them.
I remember there was a tidal swimming pool by the Clyde at Levengrove Park in Dumbarton. There’s another at St Andrew’s. Both are silted up/worn away now and neither were anything more than a stone wall in a rectangular shape. No Art Deco building.
This is almost like a lido but the location is surely all wrong. You’d have to be hardy soul to brave the Moray Firth, even with this as a backdrop.
See also this picture and this at Flickr. The second of these reminds me of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here album cover.
The colour photos below show the degree of dilapidation. (But the tide is out.)
Tags: Art Deco, Pink Floyd, Scotland
NeilW
12 March 2009 at 11:48
Despite being almost an anti-swimmer, I have a great fondness for Scotland’s tidal pools. I spent a sizeable portion of my youth at the Step Rock pool in St Andrews so, it’s lovely to see these pics.
You’re right though – I wouldn’t fancy a dip in the Moray Firth. You’d think the west coast would be a warmer site.
Jane Capot
10 August 2009 at 01:26
I remember many Sunday school picnics spent at Tarlair, and choking on seawater as I competed in butterfly in a swimming gala in the 70’s!! I was from Keith.
Sandra Lyell
8 September 2009 at 22:30
I used to go to Tarlair every weekend with my brothers in the late 60’s I loved Tarlair. We moved away from Macduff in 1970 but my mum amd I would visit on holiday. The last time we went was 1979. I went to visit last year with my young daughter and was sad to see it all closed down. So glad it is now a listed building. I wish they would spend some money and restore it.
Sandy McMillan
24 April 2012 at 09:08
I visited Tarlair only once in the 1960s with some friends. We would be teenagers. The weather was fantastic and the place was very busy. I remember a pipeband was playing on the poolside – I think it was the McLean Ladies pipeband. What a shame to see it neglected. I used to cycle to Step Rock pool at St Andrews more often as I lived in Dundee. Had to use the ferry (Fifie) though, before the bridge was built.
jackdeighton
24 April 2012 at 20:26
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for commenting.
I’ve never actually been to Tarlair myself.
It would need nice weather, though.
Victor Greig
1 May 2012 at 22:12
Hi, There is a facebook group been formed to try and get something done with Tarlair, please take a look and sign our petition. We are holding a public meeting on 10th May at the Banff Springs Hotel. the facebook page is called Save Tarlair.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151003810889466&set=o.127528840671017&type=1&theater¬if_t=photo_reply#!/groups/334798843249775/.
jackdeighton
1 May 2012 at 23:40
Thanks for looking in, Victor, and for the information about the petition.
I’ll certainly sign it.
DodDodrix c
1 May 2012 at 22:19
there is now a group on facebook called “save tarlair ” which is over 7,500 in members and was setup to try get aberdeenshire council to get Tarlair sorted out and up and running again .
jackdeighton
1 May 2012 at 23:40
Thanks Dod.
It’s nice to know people care.
YvonneH
10 August 2012 at 22:54
We used to go to Tarlair swimming pool for an annual swimming gala with the towns around the NE of Scotland (Huntly, Keith, the Broch (Fraserburgh) and Peterhead if not more.) Very competitive. We also competed in an “it’s a Knockout” style competition again with the local towns competing every summer, from memory mainly water based just like the TV programme with Eddie Waring. this was in the very late 1960’s / early 1970’s. The water in the pool was always really cold, but the best year was when there was a thunder and lightning storm when the water was the same temperature as the air, even if we were meant to shelter in the pavilion. I also remember playing football on the grass area behind the pool in between swimming races.
jackdeighton
10 August 2012 at 23:57
Thanks for this, Yvonne.
That sounds like fun.
I don’t suppose they do anything like that now.