Kinlochleven
Encyclopedia
Kinlochleven is a village in Lochaber
, in the Scottish Highlands
and lies at the eastern end of Loch Leven
, a sea loch cutting into the western Scottish Highlands. To the north lie the Mamores
ridge; to the south lie the mountains flanking Glen Coe
. The village was formed from two previously separate small communities - Kinlochmore to the north of the River Leven in Inverness-shire and Kinlochbeg to the south of the Leven in Argyll - following the construction of an aluminium
smelter and associated housing for its employees. The processing plant was powered by a hydro-electric scheme situated in the mountains above.
There is a visitor centre in the village "The Aluminium Story" that tells the story of the creation of the village to serve
the creation of an Aluminium Smelting facility. It also contains the local post office and has at ATM (cash machine) outside.
There is a Hostel, Microlodge facility and campsite close to the river. It has approximately eight microlodges comprising a mixture
of two and four berth accommodation. There are toilets, washing facilities, showers and dishwashing facilities. The Hostel building, extensively refurbished, was used as the Research and Testing facility for British Aluminium. It is located on Lab road.
refurbished, was once part of the Aluminium facility.
, was taken over in 2006 to form Sinclair Brewery Ltd. Atlas was closed in July 2010 and its production transferred to Orkney.
, supported by other agencies in Scotland and the European Union and chaired by Highland Councillor Drew McFarlane-Slack led the economic revival of the village. To date environmental improvements, new business pavilions, extensive path works and decontamination works have contributed to successful stability and growth in the village and its surrounding area.
that exist throughout the world. Nevertheless the Hydro Electric plant that was built to provide power for the smelting process has been
converted into a general purpose Power Station that is connected to the National Grid.
The hydro-electric scheme was constructed in 1907 for the British Aluminium Company and was designed by engineer brothers Patrick
and Charles Meik
. Chief assistant resident engineer on the project was a young William Halcrow
.
The scheme involved the construction of a gravity dam over 914 m long (the longest in the Highlands) and 27 m high, creating the Blackwater Reservoir
. It was built at an elevation of over 305 m in rugged and almost inaccessible terrain, and involved the construction of some 6 km of concrete aqueduct
and nearly 13 km of steel pipe. It has been described as the last major creation of the traditional 'navvy
' whose activities in the construction of canals and railways left an indelible mark on the British countryside.
British Aluminium Company was merged in 1982 with the Canadian company Alcan to form British Alcan and then,in November 2007, absorbed into the Rio Tinto empire as Rio Tito Alcan.
At its early days the Aluminium Reduction Plant employed some 700 people, but, although producing some of the highest grade aluminium, its small size in comparison to modern smelters (US), led to its closure in 2000. The revamping of the power station saw the transfer of its output to the Lochaber Smelter at Fort William.
In 1991, the village (according to annual census returns) had just over 1000 inhabitants in some 420 households. It has a post office and a handful of hotels and hostels popular with walkers following the West Highland Way
as well as guest houses and bed-and-breakfast establishments.
The approaches to Kinlochleven on the south and north side of Loch Leven offer spectacularly beautiful panoramic views. Most land between the loch and the approach roads is not in local ownership.
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Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
, in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
and lies at the eastern end of Loch Leven
Loch Leven (Highlands)
Loch Leven 'is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland. It is spelled Loch Lyon in Timothy Pont's map of the areaand is pronounced Li' un. There is a Leven in Lennox and another in Glen Lyon similarly pronounced...
, a sea loch cutting into the western Scottish Highlands. To the north lie the Mamores
Mamores
The Mamores are a group of mountains in the Lochaber area of the Grampian Mountains in the Scottish Highlands. They form an east-west ridge approximately fifteen kilometres in length lying between Glen Nevis to the north and Loch Leven to the south....
ridge; to the south lie the mountains flanking Glen Coe
Glen Coe
Glen Coe is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the southern part of the Lochaber committee area of Highland Council, and was formerly part of the county of Argyll. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated...
. The village was formed from two previously separate small communities - Kinlochmore to the north of the River Leven in Inverness-shire and Kinlochbeg to the south of the Leven in Argyll - following the construction of an aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
smelter and associated housing for its employees. The processing plant was powered by a hydro-electric scheme situated in the mountains above.
Tourism
The village is a touist attraction in the Highlands of Scotland. Kinlochleven was visited by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and His Royal Highness Prince Philip; marking the village's evolution from its past dependence on the aluminium industry, to its new status of being a valuable contributor to the Scottish tourism and leisure sector.There is a visitor centre in the village "The Aluminium Story" that tells the story of the creation of the village to serve
the creation of an Aluminium Smelting facility. It also contains the local post office and has at ATM (cash machine) outside.
There is a Hostel, Microlodge facility and campsite close to the river. It has approximately eight microlodges comprising a mixture
of two and four berth accommodation. There are toilets, washing facilities, showers and dishwashing facilities. The Hostel building, extensively refurbished, was used as the Research and Testing facility for British Aluminium. It is located on Lab road.
The Ice Factor
A major mountain activity centre, known as the Ice Factor http://www.ice-factor.co.uk, and includes the world's highest indoor ice-climbing facility, the UK's highest indoor articulated rock climbing wall and bouldering facility. The Ice Factor has won a number of top tourism and industry awards including Entrepreneur of the Year, Visit Scotland Tourism Business of the Year. The building, which has been extensivelyrefurbished, was once part of the Aluminium facility.
Microbrewery
A smaller part of the former coke bunker - for carbon production - for the Aluminium Reduction Works, was transformed in 2002 into Atlas Brewery which, together with Orkney BreweryOrkney Brewery
Sinclair Breweries Limited parent company for the Orkney and Atlas ales' Orkney Brewery was founded in March 1988 by Roger White at the old schoolhouse in Sandwick, Orkney, Scotland. Atlas was formed in 2002 by Neill Cotton and merged with Orkney in 2004 under the name Highland & Islands Breweries...
, was taken over in 2006 to form Sinclair Brewery Ltd. Atlas was closed in July 2010 and its production transferred to Orkney.
Recent regeneration
The Kinlochleven Community Trust, a partnership consisting of the local community, (Rio Tinto) Alcan, Lochaber Enterprise, Highland Council and Scottish Natural HeritageScottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage is a Scottish public body. It is responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e...
, supported by other agencies in Scotland and the European Union and chaired by Highland Councillor Drew McFarlane-Slack led the economic revival of the village. To date environmental improvements, new business pavilions, extensive path works and decontamination works have contributed to successful stability and growth in the village and its surrounding area.
The smelter
Aluminium manufacture ceased in Kinlochleven in 2000. The plant was no nolonger economic versus the much larger more modern plantsthat exist throughout the world. Nevertheless the Hydro Electric plant that was built to provide power for the smelting process has been
converted into a general purpose Power Station that is connected to the National Grid.
The hydro-electric scheme was constructed in 1907 for the British Aluminium Company and was designed by engineer brothers Patrick
Patrick Meik
Patrick Meik was an English engineer and part of a minor engineering dynasty. His father Thomas Meik was also an engineer, as was Patrick's brother Charles Meik.Both boys were born in Crowtree Road, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland....
and Charles Meik
Charles Meik
Charles Meik was an English engineer and part of a minor engineering dynasty. His father Thomas Meik was also an engineer, as was Charles' brother Patrick Meik; collectively, they established a company which is now one of the UK's major engineering consultancies.Both boys were born in Crow Tree...
. Chief assistant resident engineer on the project was a young William Halcrow
William Halcrow
Sir William Halcrow was one of the most notable English civil engineers of the 20th century, particularly renowned for his expertise in the design of tunnels and for projects during the Second World War.-Early years:...
.
The scheme involved the construction of a gravity dam over 914 m long (the longest in the Highlands) and 27 m high, creating the Blackwater Reservoir
Blackwater Reservoir
The Blackwater Reservoir is a reservoir created behind a dam in the mountains above Kinlochleven, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. At over 914 m long, the dam is the longest in the Highlands....
. It was built at an elevation of over 305 m in rugged and almost inaccessible terrain, and involved the construction of some 6 km of concrete aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
and nearly 13 km of steel pipe. It has been described as the last major creation of the traditional 'navvy
Navvy
Navvy is a shorter form of navigator or navigational engineer and is particularly applied to describe the manual labourers working on major civil engineering projects...
' whose activities in the construction of canals and railways left an indelible mark on the British countryside.
British Aluminium Company was merged in 1982 with the Canadian company Alcan to form British Alcan and then,in November 2007, absorbed into the Rio Tinto empire as Rio Tito Alcan.
At its early days the Aluminium Reduction Plant employed some 700 people, but, although producing some of the highest grade aluminium, its small size in comparison to modern smelters (US), led to its closure in 2000. The revamping of the power station saw the transfer of its output to the Lochaber Smelter at Fort William.
In 1991, the village (according to annual census returns) had just over 1000 inhabitants in some 420 households. It has a post office and a handful of hotels and hostels popular with walkers following the West Highland Way
West Highland Way
The West Highland Way is a linear long distance footpath in Scotland, with the official status of Long Distance Route. It is 154.5km long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking in the route...
as well as guest houses and bed-and-breakfast establishments.
The approaches to Kinlochleven on the south and north side of Loch Leven offer spectacularly beautiful panoramic views. Most land between the loch and the approach roads is not in local ownership.
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- The West Highland Way The last town before Fort William and finish.