A861 road
Encyclopedia
The A861 road is a circuitous, primarily coastal, road in Highland
, Scotland
.
The A861 serves the communities of the remote Ardgour
, Sunart
, Moidart
and Ardnamurchan
areas Although the ends of this road are only fourteen miles apart (the direct link being by way of the A830 road
) its total length is seventy miles.
Route (clockwise)
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The A861 serves the communities of the remote Ardgour
Ardgour
Ardgour is a district of Lochaber on Ardnamurchan peninisula on the western shore of Loch Linnhe, in Highland Scotland.The term Ardgour, together with Kingairloch, is applied to a large area of countryside around the village, from the Glensanda Superquarry, Kingairloch and Kilmalieu in the south...
, Sunart
Sunart
Sunart is a rural district and community in the south west of Lochaber in Highland, Scotland, on the shores of Loch Sunart, and part of the civil parish of Ardnamurchan...
, Moidart
Moidart
Moidart is a district in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland.Moidart lies to the west of Fort William and is very remote. Loch Shiel cuts off the south-east boundary of the district. Moidart includes the townships of Dorlin, Mingarry, Kinlochmoidart and Glenuig. At Dorlin is located the ancient fortress...
and Ardnamurchan
Ardnamurchan
Ardnamurchan is a peninsula in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, noted for being very unspoilt and undisturbed. Its remoteness is accentuated by the main access route being a single track road for much of its length.-Geography:...
areas Although the ends of this road are only fourteen miles apart (the direct link being by way of the A830 road
A830 road
The A830, sometimes known as the Road to the Isles , is a road in Lochaber, in the Highlands of Scotland, which connects the town of Fort William to the port of Mallaig....
) its total length is seventy miles.
Route (clockwise)
- junction with the A830 road west of Kinlocheil
- under the West Highland LineWest Highland LineThe West Highland Line is considered the most scenic railway line in Britain, linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban on the west coast of Scotland to Glasgow. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the iconic...
- through Drimsallie
- eastwards along the south shore of Loch EilLoch EilLoch Eil is a sea loch in Lochaber, Scotland that opens into Loch Linnhe near the town of Fort William.Loch Eil Outward Bound railway station and Locheilside railway station are both situated on the northern shore of the loch....
, through Garvan, DuiskyDuiskyDuisky is a small hamlet on the south shore of Loch Eil, directly across from Fassfern, and approximately 6 miles west of Fort William on the south shore of Loch Linnhe, Lochaber, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland....
and BlaichBlaichBlaich is a small village, on the south shore of Loch Eil on the A861 road, near Fort William, in the Ardgour area, Highlands of Scotland.... - until Loch Eil meets Loch LinnheLoch LinnheLoch Linnhe is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland....
and the road turns generally southwestwards through CamusnagaulCamusnagaulCamusnagaul is a village on the south shore of the sea loch, Little Loch Broom in Garve, Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland....
and TrislaigTrislaigTrislaig is a small coastal hamlet, on the north eastern shores of Loch Linnhe, and is situated directly across from Fort William in Lochaber, Scottish Highlands and is in the council area of Highland....
to ArdgourArdgourArdgour is a district of Lochaber on Ardnamurchan peninisula on the western shore of Loch Linnhe, in Highland Scotland.The term Ardgour, together with Kingairloch, is applied to a large area of countryside around the village, from the Glensanda Superquarry, Kingairloch and Kilmalieu in the south...
where the Corran FerryCorran FerryThe Corran Ferry crosses Loch Linnhe at the Corran Narrows, south of Fort William, Scotland.-Description:Operated by Highland Council, the Corran Ferry is one of few remaining mainland vehicle ferries in Scotland...
provides a vehicular crossing to CorranCorran, LochaberCorran is a former fishing village, situated on Corran Point, on the west side of the Corran Narrows of Loch Linnhe, in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. There are three small settlements set apart from the main cluster of houses: North Corran, Clovullin and Sallachan.The Highland Council Corran...
and the main A82 roadA82 roadThe A82 is a trunk road in Scotland. It is the principal route from Lowland Scotland to the western Scottish Highlands, running from Glasgow to Inverness, going by Loch Lomond, Glen Coe and Fort William. It is the second longest primary A-road in Scotland after the A9, which is the other... - the A861 them continues to along the western shore of Loch Linnhe to Inversanda and where it strikes inland westwards through Glen Tarbert; the B8043 road leaving about half a mile from Inversanda to follow the southwestly route
- after passing through Achnalea the A861 resumes its coastal nature when it follows the north shore of Loch SunartLoch SunartLoch Sunart is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland. Loch Sunart runs west from the sea, bounded to the north by the Sunart district of Ardnamurchan and to the south by the Morvern district. An inlet from Loch Sunart, Loch Teacuis, runs south-easterly into Morvern.At it is the longest sea...
- near this is its only junction (other than its terminuses) with another A-road when the A884 road diverges
- continuing westward the road goes through the lochside communities of StrontianStrontianStrontian is the main village in Sunart, an area in western Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, on the A861 road. It lies on the north shore of Loch Sunart, close to the head of the loch...
, Ardnastang, Woodend, Camasachoirce and Camasine turning slightly to the north to follow the loch to ResipoleResipoleResipole is a settlement on the Ardnamurchan peninsula in Highland, Scotland.Resipole is located on the A861 road on the northern shore of Loch Sunart. The primary economic activities are tourism related, there being a touring caravan park there. In addition Resipole Studios provides gallery space...
and SalenSalen, ArdnamurchanSalen is a scattered village, overlooking Salen Bay to the south, which is an inlet of the westen sea loch, Loch Sunart, on the eastern end of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, in Argyll, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.... - the coast of Loch Sunart is now followed by the B8007 as the A861 strikes inland due north to AcharacleAcharacleAcharacle is a township in Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, in the Scottish council area of Highland. The name comes from the Gaelic Ath Thorguil or Torquil's ford, following a battle in 1120 at a nearby ford across the River Shiel between the Celtic-Norse warrior Somerled and the Norse invader Torquil...
where the B8044 leaves to the west - the A861 then turns east to go through Blain, Mingarrypark and DalnabreckDalnabreckDalnabreck is a small village, lying at the southwest end of Loch Shiel in Sunart, Lochaber, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland....
; - it then turns north and then northwest to reach Loch Moidart and the settlements of ArdmolichArdmolichArdmolich and Kinlochmoidart are settlements at the east head of Loch Moidart in the Moidart region, Highland, Scotland and is in the Scottish council area of Highland....
and Kinlochmoidart - after following the loch shore it again strikes inland to reach the Sound of ArisaigSound of ArisaigThe Sound of Arisaig in Lochaber, Scotland, separates the Arisaig peninsula to the north from the Moidart peninsula to the south. At the eastern, landward end, the sound is divided by Ardnish into two sea lochs. Loch nan Uamh lies to the north of Ardnish, Loch Ailort to the south...
at GlenuigGlenuigGlenuig is a small village in Moidart, Lochaber, Highland, on the west coast of Scotland. It is around 30 miles west of Fort William and 20 miles from Ardnamurchan Point.-Geography:... - the route is then generally northeastwards along the south shore of Loch AilortLoch AilortLoch Ailort is a sea loch loch in Morar, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. Loch Ailort is a shallow V shaped loch, with the small Ardnish Peninsula on the north side, and the large southwest facing Moidart Peninsula to the south...
through Inverailort to meet the A830 at LochailortLochailortLochailort is a hamlet in Scotland that lies at the head of Loch Ailort, a sea loch, on the junction of the Road to the Isles between Fort William and Mallaig with the A861 loop towards Salen and Strontian. It is served by Lochailort railway station on the West Highland Line...
.