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
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
Kyleakin is small enough to walk around. Car hire is available in Kyle of Lochalsh.

See

 * is the scrappy ruins of a 15th-century castle, you only come for the stroll and views over the straits.
 * : 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

 * Seaprobe Atlantis run boat trips Easter to October.

Buy

 * 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

 * 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.
 * Mana Skye on Pier Rd is open Tu-Sa 10AM-3PM, 5:30-8PM.

Drink

 * King Haakon Bar is part of Castle Moil Restaurant.

Sleep

 * 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.
 * Saucy Mary's Lodge in the old church on Main Street is an 86-bed hostel getting rotten reviews.
 * Saucy Mary's Lodge in the old church on Main Street is an 86-bed hostel getting rotten reviews.
 * Saucy Mary's Lodge in the old church on Main Street is an 86-bed hostel getting rotten reviews.
 * Saucy Mary's Lodge in the old church on Main Street is an 86-bed hostel getting rotten reviews.

Connect
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

 * 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.