Kyleakin (Gaelic: Caol Àcain) is a village is a small town on Skye. It has become quieter since the Skye Bridge replaced the ferry to the mainland, but is an attractive small town and worth a stop.

The Skye Bridge from Kyleakin

Castle Moil, Kyleakin

Get in

By train: four trains run M-Sat from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh just across the bridge taking 2 hrs 40 min, one on Sunday. Their stops include Dingwall, Achnasheen, Stromeferry and Plockton. Buses onward to Skye connect with these trains.

By bus: Scottish Citylink Bus 915 runs twice daily between Glasgow and Skye. The route north is from Buchanan St Station via Glasgow Airport, Dumbarton, Loch Lomond west bank, Crianlarich, Glencoe, Fort William and Invergarry taking six hours to Kyleakin. The route continues across Skye via Broadford, Sligachan and Portree to Uig, for ferries to Tarbert on Harris and Lochmaddy on North Uist.

Scottish Citylink Bus 917 runs twice daily from Inverness via Loch Ness, taking two hours to Kyleakin then onward to Portree as above.

Stagecoach Highlands Bus 55 runs three times M-F from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin and Broadford, with two continuing to Torrin and Elgol.

By road: follow A87 across the toll-free bridge.

Get around

Kyleakin is small enough to walk around.

See

• 1 Castle Moil (Caisteal Maol). Always open. Scrappy ruins of a 15th century castle, you come for the stroll and views over the straits. Free. (updated Apr 2019)
• 2 Skye Bridge. See Kyle of Lochalsh for the story of this bridge. There's a sidewalk so you can walk or cycle across. Midway is Eilean Bàn, with the Gavin Maxwell Cottage and lighthouse - see Brightwater visitor centre for tours. Free. (updated Apr 2019)

Do

• The Brightwater visitor centre organises tours of Eilean Bàn. They're on The Pier, open M-F 10:00-16:00.
• Seaprobe Atlantis run boat trips Easter to October.

Buy

There's a convenience store-cum-gift shop next to Castle Moil Restaurant.

Eat

• 1 Taste of India, main road, Kyleakin, ☏ +44 1599 534134. Daily 17:00-22:30. Traditional Indian cuisine. (updated Apr 2019)
• Castle Moil Restaurant on South Obbe Rd is open daily 11:00-20:30; Sat & Sun to 23:00.
• Saucy Mary's Lodge: see Sleep
• Harry's Coffee Shop on Pier Rd is open daily 10:00-16:00.

Drink

• King Haakon Bar is behind Castle Moil Restaurant.

Sleep

• 1 White Heather Hotel (Am Fraoch Geal), The Harbour, Kyleakin, IV41 8PL, ☏ +44 1599 534577. Small, basic hotel, open April-Oct with views over the straits. B&B double from £80. (updated Apr 2019)
• MacKinnon Hotel (A87 roundabout), ☏ +44 1599 534180. Six rooms in main building, 8 in Garden Lodge. B&B double from £110. (updated Apr 2019)
• Cliffe House, The Pier IV41 8PL, ☏ +44 1599 534577. Sea-front B&B. B&B double from £95. (updated Apr 2019)
• Saucy Mary's Lodge on Main Street has an 86-bed hostel plus 11 en suite private rooms.
• Skye Backpackers, ☏ +44 1599 534510. Has 5 Dorm rooms, 2 Twins, 1 Double room and one Family room that sleeps 4. Dorm £20 ppn. (updated Apr 2019)
• Kings Arms Hotel, King St IV41 8PH. Hotel with 81 en-suite rooms. B&B double from £120. (updated Apr 2019)

Go next

• The road across Skye leads to Broadford. From there the main road continues towards Portree; the road south leads to Armadale for ferries to Mallaig.
• Back on the mainland, the main road leads past Dornie with Eilean Donan Castle; or branch north for the picturesque village of Plockton.

Routes through Kyleakin

Portree ← Broadford ←

W  S

→ Kyle of Lochalsh → Fort Augustus