MV Glenachulish is a ferry operating a summer service between Glenelg, on the Scottish mainland, and Kylerhea, on the Isle of Skye. Built in 1969, she is the last manually operated steel turntable ferry in the world.[1][2][3] The route avoids the 36-mile (58 km) road journey via the Skye Bridge.
 MV Glenachulish at Kylerhea
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | MV Glenachulish |
| Owner | Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company |
| Builder | Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, Troon |
| Yard number | 529 |
| Status | in service |
| General characteristics | |
| Length | 57 ft 7 in (17.55 m) |
| Beam | 21 ft 7 in (6.58 m) |
| Capacity | 6 cars |
History
editGlenachulish was built at the now-defunct Ailsa Shipbuilding Company in Troon in 1969.[4] She is named after Glenachulish, a glen and hamlet near South Ballachulish.
In 2006, Murdo Mackenzie, the owner of the ferry, was planning to retire. A community interest company was formed by local residents to buy the ferry and run the service.[5]
In 2008, the ferry was featured in the film Made of Honour.
In January 2012, following a landslide blocking the A890 road, Glenachulish began a service at Stromeferry. The service crossed Loch Carron to North Strome, avoiding a 140-mile (230-kilometre) diversion by road.[6]
Service
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From 1969 to 1975, Glenachulish operated at Ballachulish. After the opening of the Ballachulish Bridge, she became the relief ferry at Corran, Kessock, and Kylesku. The latter two routes have since been replaced with bridges.
There has been a ferry on this route for over 400 years, with a car ferry since 1934.[7] It is one of only two remaining ferries to Skye from the mainland – the other is the Caledonian MacBrayne service between Mallaig and Armadale.
Since 1982, Glenachulish has operated the Glenelg ferry across Kylerhea narrows. The 550-metre (600-yard) crossing takes five minutes and is the shortest sea crossing to Skye. The ferry runs seven days a week between Easter and October. It operates every twenty minutes (or as required, if it is busy) from 10am to 6pm (to 7pm June to August).[8]
References
edit- ^ "Owner of last ferry of its kind in Skye cafe bid". BBC News. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
- ^ Glenelg or Bust: 72 Hours in Paradise by Nice Tree Films.., retrieved 9 July 2022
- ^ "On board the world's last surviving turntable ferry". BBC News. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ^ David Asprey, Stuart Cameron. "MV Glenachulish, built By Ailsa Shipbuilding Company". Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ "Case Studies - Isle of Skye Ferry". BIS. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ McKenzie, Steven (9 January 2012). "Skye boat and Plockton cruiser to join A890 efforts". BBC News. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ "Owner of last ferry of its kind in Skye cafe bid". BBC News. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
- ^ "Times and fares". Glenelg-Skye Ferry. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
External links
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