Kyleakin

A historical perspective, drawn from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, edited by Francis H. Groome and originally published in parts by Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, Edinburgh between 1882 and 1885.

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Kyle-Akin, a village on the NE verge of Strath parish, Isle of Skye, Inverness-shire, at Kyle-Akin strait between Skye and the mainland of Ross-shire. The village, 7 miles SW of Lochalsh church, and 8 ENE of Broadford, was founded by the third Lord Macdonald, on a ground plan, as an intended considerable seaport, to consist chiefly of two-story houses with attics; but has never yet exceeded, and gives no prospect of exceeding, the limits of a mere village. A main thoroughfare between Skye and the mainland, and the seat or meeting-place of the synod of Glenelg, it has a post office under Lochalsh, with money order, savings' bank, and telegraph departments, a good inn, a chapel of ease (1875), a public school, and a regular ferry. Castle-Maoil, the neighbouring ruin of a strong old fortalice, has been separately noticed. Kyle-Akin strait, which gave name to the village, got its affix from King Hakon of Norway, on occasion of his expedition against Scotland in 1263. At the SW extremity of Loch Alsh, and forming the north-western termination of the long Sound of Sleat, which separates Skye from the mainland of Inverness-shire, it looks to be so narrow that a common fable represents the old method of crossing it to have been by leaping; averages ½ mile in breath for about 1 mile in length; was originally designed to be the terminus of the Dingwall and Skye railway, which eventually stopped short at Strome Ferry; and is overlooked by a lighthouse, showing a fixed light visible at the distance of 11 nautical miles, red towards the S, and white towards Loch Alsh and the Sound of Applecross.

An accompanying 19th C. Ordnance Survey map is available, or use the map tab to the right of this page.

Note: This text has been made available using a process of scanning and optical character recognition. Despite manual checking, some typographical errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be different and there are known to be occasional errors of fact in the original text, which we have not corrected because we wish to maintain its integrity. This information is provided subject to our standard disclaimer