Ardtaraig is a hamlet lying at the head of Loch Striven on the Cowal Peninsula, in Argyll and Bute, West of Scotland.

[1] The Cowal Hydro Scheme is part of the Sloy/Awe Hydro-Electric Scheme and produces 8MW from the stored waters of Loch Tarsan (artificial reservoir), located close by in Glen Lean.

[3][4] Ardtaraig was known as HMS Varbel II, a secondary base to HMS Varbel, where navigation was taught to the men who manned the midget submarines or X-craft.

[5][6][7] Ardtaraig is on the NCR75 a route from Edinburgh to Tarbert on the Kintyre peninsula.

The hamlet is served by the 478 Dunoon–Portavadie bus, operated by West Coast Motors.