Kyleakin
Kyleakin
| |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | NG752263 |
| Civil parish |
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| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ISLE OF SKYE |
| Postcode district | IV41 |
| Dialling code | 01599 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Kyleakin (
History
The etymology of Kyleakin is disputed. The most popular account is that the name is derived from 'Strait of Haakon' named after the King
In the early 19th century, Lord Macdonald conceived a grandiose plan for the development of Kyleakin, to be re-christened "New Liverpool". A contemporary print, intended to illustrate his plans, shows row upon row of tenement buildings but the project never came to fruition.
The village of Kyleakin is also the site of
According to Alexander Smith (poet) in his 19th century works "A Summer in Skye", the village was the first in Britain to successfully grow watermelons in hothouses (then, a popular means of growing in adverse conditions).
Transport
From 1841 to 16 October 1995 a ferry service operated from Kyleakin to the mainland across the narrow strait of Loch Alsh, until it was replaced by the controversial Skye Bridge. Initially a toll bridge, the tolls were discontinued in 2004 following protests by local people.
Sport
Kyleakin plays host to Kyleakin Football Club, who won the Skye and Lochalsh Bagshaw league in 2009, goalkeeper Lennie Chiffers is also part of an accomplished bowls team in the village. It also hosts a new year football match between bachelors and married men. It is also a breeding ground for shinty players, including John "Slippy" Finlayson, who won the Camanachd Cup with Skye Camanachd in 1990 and Steven Morrison, Scotland Under-21 Captain. Kyleakin Primary School are also the only primary school age team to have ever won the Mod Cup in 2001.
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The Skye Bridge spanning Kyle Akin. -
Bronze Otter at Kyleakin, by sculptor Laurence Broderick
See also
References
- ^ "Details of Kyleakin". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ^ "Stonehouse - Stromness Pages 500-519 A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland". British History Online. S Lewis, London 1846. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
- ^ Miller, James W. (1877). Miller's royal tourist guides to the Highlands and Islands. p. 32.
- ^ Forbes, Alexander Robert (1923). Place-names of Skye and Adjacent Islands: With Lore: Mythical, Traditional, and Historical. With Index. A. Gardner. p. 230.
External links
