Kyleakin
Kyleakin (Gaelic: Caol Àcain) is a village on the island of Skye, traditionally a ferry port. It has become quieter since the Skye Bridge replaced the ferry from the mainland, but is an attractive small place worth a stop. In 2011 the population was around 300.
Get in
[edit]
By train: two trains run daily from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh just across the bridge, taking 2 hr 40 min. Their stops include Dingwall, Achnasheen, Stromeferry and Plockton. Buses to Skye connect with these trains.
By bus: Citylink Bus 915 runs twice daily from Glasgow Buchanan 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.
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.
These buses turn off A87 to come into the car park next to Castle Moil Restaurant then turn and head on.
By road: follow A87 across the toll-free bridge.
Get around
[edit]Kyleakin is small enough to walk around. Car hire is available in Kyle of Lochalsh.
See
[edit]- 1 Castle Moil
is the scrappy ruins of a 15th-century castle, you only come for the stroll and views over the straits. - 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.
Do
[edit]
- Seaprobe Atlantis run boat trips Easter to October.
Buy
[edit]- The Post Office is open Tu Th 10AM-1:30PM.
- For food items go into Kyle of Lochalsh, which has a Co-op Food.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Taste of India, Main Road, Kyleakin IV418PQ, ☏ +44 1599 534134. Daily 5-10PM. Traditional Indian cuisine.
- Castle Moil Restaurant on South Obbe Rd is open M-Sa 10AM-11PM, Su 3-11PM.
- Saucy Mary's restaurant gets better reviews than its dismal accommodation.
- Mana Skye on Pier Rd is open Tu-Sa 10AM-3PM, 5:30-8PM.
Drink
[edit]
- King Haakon Bar is part of Castle Moil Restaurant.
Sleep
[edit]- Isle of Skye Guesthouse (formerly Mackinnon House), Caol Acain Rd IV41 8PQ (at A87 roundabout), ☏ +44 1599 263102. Smart comfy hotel just off main road. B&B double £260.
- Blair Dhu House is a B&B south of the A87 roundabout on Old Kyle Farm Road.
- Mo Dhachaidh is a B&B 50 yards further south on the farm lane.
- Maclennan's is a B&B on the waterfront in the main village.
- Kings Arms Hotel, King St IV41 8PH, ☏ +44 1599 534109. Hotel with 81 en-suite rooms, run-down and frankly grubby. B&B double £170.
- 1 Skye Backpackers, Meuse Lane IV41 8PH, ☏ +44 1599 534510. Open April-Oct with 5 dorms, 2 twins, 1 double room and one family room that sleeps 4. Some accommodation is in caravans. Dorm £28 ppn.
- Saucy Mary's Lodge in the old church on Main Street is an 86-bed hostel getting rotten reviews.
- 2 White Heather Hotel (Am Fraoch Geal), The Harbour, Kyleakin IV41 8PL, ☏ +44 1599 534577. Small simple hotel open May-Sept, with views over the straits.
- Cliffe House, The Pier IV41 8PL (just north of White Heather), ☏ +44 1599 534577. Welcoming sea-front B&B. B&B double 160.
Connect
[edit]As of June 2024 Kyleakin has 4G from EE, O2 and Vodafone, and a basic mobile signal from Three. This extends along A87 from Dornie across the bridge and onward to Broadford and Portree. 5G has not yet reached this area.
Go next
[edit]- The road across Skye leads to Broadford. From there the main road continues towards Portree, while 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 |