A87_road

A87 road

A87 road

Major road through the Highland region of Scotland

For the A87 in Australia, see Stuart Highway. For the French motorway, see A87 autoroute.

The A87 is a major road in the Highland region of Scotland.

Quick Facts Route information, Length ...

It runs west from its junction with the A82 road at Invergarry (NH307011), along the north shores of Loch Garry and Loch Cluanie, then down through Glen Shiel and along Loch Duich to Kyle of Lochalsh before crossing the Skye Bridge to Kyleakin, Broadford, and Portree, before terminating at Uig in the north of the Isle of Skye.

Its total length is 99 miles (159 kilometres); it is a primary route for all of its length.

Settlement and junctions of the A87

Northwest – Southeast

Historic route

Old bridge across Loch Loyne

The route of the A87 has changed significantly over the years. Until the 1960s, the road ran along Glen Garry as far as Tomdoun, before heading north over the hills to Glen Loyne, where it crossed Loch Loyne with two bridges. It then headed north west to the Cluanie Inn, where it joined the A887. Loch Loyne was dammed as part of a hydro-electric scheme, which put part of this road underwater. A new road was built further to the east, around Loch Loyne, joining with the A887 at Bun Loyne. The remains of the bridges on Loch Loyne are visible when the level of water in the loch is low.[1][2]

The A87 route used to involve a short ferry crossing over Loch Long at Dornie, but this has since been replaced with a bridge. Nearby, the A87 used to run through the village of Morvich, around an inlet at the end Loch Duich. This has now been bypassed with a causeway and bridge.

In 1995 the Skye Bridge replaced the ferry between Kyle of Localsh on the mainland and Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye. Tolls were met with considerable opposition, until removed in December 2004.[3]

References

  1. [1]
    "One Inch Seventh Series Map". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  2. [2]
    "1:250,000 Road Map". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  3. [3]
    "Skye Bridge tolls to be abolished". BBC. 3 June 2004. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
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