We have created a map showing the location of dropped kerbs, bench seating, and rubbish bins in the centre of Kyle of Lochalsh village. This has been undertaken as part of Skye and Lochalsh Council for Voluntary Organisation‘s Active Journeys Skye and Lochalsh Project. This is a great project for the area with funding from Paths For All and Think Health Think Nature. We aim to promote the health benefits of walking for daily journeys and highlight the accessibility of the village.
The map can be downloaded and printed from a pdf here. Sarah has also written a description of how she travels around Kyle of Lochalsh using her rollator which highlights where the dropped kerbs are in order to access various premises.
Main Street
In the main car park in Kyle the disabled spaces are located near the Seaprobe Atlantis office. Unfortunately there is not a dropped kerb here to assist access to the pavement. Once on the pavement it is level access all along to the end where the crossings with Station Road have dropped kerbs. We did note that the green man did not stay on very long. Sarah was only half way across when it stopped, so be aware of this if you are slower at crossing.
There are two crossings here, one of which takes you to Main Street. Down Main Street you will find the Royal Bank of Scotland. All the driveways you need to cross along here are level access. Next to the Royal Bank is the Kyle Hotel. Please note that easier access to this building can be found down the passage at the side of the building or from the rear car park.
Crossing at the dropped kerb at the top of Main Street leads down Douglas Row to the Leisure Centre and children’s playground. There is no dropped kerb into the car park opposite the leisure centre. Therefore you need to cross at the top of Douglas Row onto the leisure centre side of the road. From here you can also access the walks at the Plock via Plock Road and Heathmount Place. Just a point of note there are two disabled on street parking bays on Main Street.
If you wish to return down the other side of Main Street you will need to cross over Plock Road at the dropped kerb here. Then when you reach the top of Main Street again be aware when using the crossing here that the way the button is positioned makes it difficult to reach to press. This, coupled with the previously mentioned shortness of crossing time, is something to be aware of.
Station Road
Alternatively, instead of crossing to Main Street you may wish to continue on Station Road. If you wish to access something on the other side of Station Road you will need to cross here at the crossing. There are not any easy places to cross further on. As this is the road to the Skye Bridge it can be very busy especially in the summer months.
On this side you will find the chemist, the medical centre and Kyle Dental Practice all situated within convenient walking distance of each other and it is level access all the way between them. Further along this road and on the other side is the Old School Dental Clinic.
This road, as the name suggests also leads to the railway station. The pavement is level all the way so dropped kerbs are not a concern. At the top of the road to the station there is a dropped kerb but there is no pavement so you will need to walk down to the station on the road. It is also quite a steep slope. There are half a dozen parking spaces down here so keep a look out for traffic.
A short loop on the waterfront.
From the main Car park in Kyle of Lochalsh head towards the above mentioned crossing with Main Street and Station Road. As you pass the landmine memorial stay on the same side of the pavement and follow the path around to the left. Go past the next crossing which leads to Bridge Street. On your left is a raised seating area accessible via a ramp.
From here follow the path around the bus stop. Just past Buth Bheag is a dropped kerb. carefully cross here to the dropped kerb opposite. You will have fabulous views of Loch Alsh and the Skye Bridge. Behind the flower beds is a path lined with benches. Pause and take a while to drink in the view.
Walk along the path to the RNLI building. Go up the path in front of the driveway, head along the front of the building. At the end of the path is a dropped kerb. Cross here but be careful of traffic coming up from the docks to your right. Once you have crossed over head left and cross the road up to the car park at the bottom. There are two dropped kerbs opposite each other. Head up the hill back to the car park. There is a low kerb to the car park and then you have to carefully make your way back to the car. There is no pedestrian walkway through the car park.
From the Village to the Co-op
If you are in the village and need to pop to the Co-op or vice versa there are two pedestrian routes available to you. Use the crossing at the junction of Station Road/Main Street and cross towards the Co-op signs. The kerb here is dropped and knobbly for the visually impaired. It is a pedestrian crossing with a beeper and green man sign. Ahead of you are some flights of steps with handrails. These take you up into the rear of the Co-op car park. For step free access head right when you have crossed the road and follow the path alongside the main road to the Skye Bridge. This is a wide smooth tarmac path with no hazards along the route. It is approximately 0.3 miles or 500 metres to the Co-op front door.
At the crossing stay on the path you are on and head left up the hill. There is a dropped kerb and pedestrian walkway across the end of the loading bay. Then follow the block paved path round to the front of the Co-op. Both routes can be done just as easily in reverse.
From village to the Royal Mail & Dentist
To walk from the centre of Kyle to the Royal Mail delivery office or the Old Sick Bay Dentist is a little bit tricky. Both routes we took have problems but they are still worthy of a mention. From the pedestrian crossings with Station Road/Main Street you can cross onto the side with the Caol Cafe and follow the path towards the railway bridge. When you get to Stoney Road there is a dropped kerb to cross over and the same further along at Langlands Terrace. Although, the far side of this dropped kerb is overgrown with vegetation at the moment. A little further down this path is the dental practice with a small gravel car park and ramp to the rear. You can return the same way or there is a dropped kerb to cross the A87/Station Road. Crossing over would allow you to return via the doctors, chemist, post office etc. However this road is very busy, with heavy vehicles coming through so be very careful if you chose to cross here, it is not a crossing.
To get to the Royal Mail Delivery Office would initially follow the same route. Crossing the bottom of Stoney Road and then heading left up Stoney Road. Here is the problem, there is no dropped kerb to cross Railway Terrace. If you have a wheelchair or mobility scooter you would now be on the road facing oncoming traffic. Not ideal at all. Alternatively if you walked up Main Street first, when you eventually get to the junction with the other end of Stoney Road there is a dropped kerb on the far side of the road but not on the side of the road you are on.
