| Kyleakin (picture by Peter Watts) |  |
Kyleakin
Kyleakin
Panorama of the approach road to Kyleakin (Scottish Gaelic: Caol Acain), a village on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Kyleakin is on the east coast of Skye in the Inner Hebrides. This panoramic photograph shows the view over Loch Alsh from Kyleakin looking over to Kyle of Lochalsh on the Scottish mainland. From here you can also see the famous Skye Bridge, which until 2004 was a toll bridge and is now the main entry point to Skye. Previously, the ferry landed at Kyleakin port slipway but ceased to operate after the opening of the Skye bridge in October 1995.The Skye bridge was built in a Scottish Executive commissioned joint venture by Miller Dywidag. The design of the central span of the bridge made this the longest cantilever bridge in Europe and was designed with sufficient height to allow clearance underneath for Her Majesty's yacht, Britannia, which passed through these waters ever year prior to decommissioning just two years later in 1997.
Part way across the Loch, the bridge passes over the tiny island of Eilean Ban (Scottish Gaelic: White Island). Now a wildlife reserve and otter sanctuary, Eilean Ban island is owned by the Virginia McKenna's Born Free Foundation. Previous owners of the island include businessman Tom Farmer, tv actor Michael Bryant and - most famously - Gavin Maxwell, author of "Ring of Bright Water". Maxwell's fictitious Tarka the Otter was inspired by his real life companion, Teko the Otter, buried near the observation hut.
Eilean Ban also has a lighthouse, 150 years old, standing 70ft tall but now dwarfed by the Skye Bridge (100ft). Eilean Ban lighthouse is notable for having been built by David & Thomas Stevenson, brother and cousin of Robert Louis Stevenson.
Apart from being the first port of call on Skye, Kyleakin is also the site of the ruins of Castle Moil, a fortress guarding the entrance to Kyleakin harbour. Built in the 15C, possibly for a Norwegian princess known as 'Saucy Mary' who used to charge a fee for landing on Skye. The name 'Kyleakin' comes from the 'Strait of Haakon' named after the King Haakon (Håkon Håkonsson) of Norway who had a fleet moored here prior to the inconclusive Battle of Largs in 1263.