Name MV Glenachulish

History

MV GLENACHULISH is the last manually operated turntable ferry in the world. She is in regular service between Easter and October and is maintained by the Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company, which holds a Loadline Exemption certificate from the MCA.  In 2010 the company spent £60,000 overhauling the keel and hull. 

Once a common sight throughout the Highlands, 'wee ferries' were the road links before the building of bridges.  The GLENACHULISH ferry was built in 1969 to work the crossing at the head of Loch Leven between Ballachulish (Argyll) and North Ballachulish (Inverness-shire) on the main (A82) west coast road between Glasgow and Inverness.  The GLENACHULISH was in service until the Ballachulish ferry closed in December 1975. 

In 1983 she came to Glenelg, the closest landmass to the Isle of Skye, to ply the Kyle Rhea Narrows, the oldest and fastest ferry route to the island.  This is where Vikings crossed the surging straits coping with the eight knot current, and drovers brought herds of Hebridean black cattle to swim across from Kylerhea on Skye to Glenelg and continue their way south to market - a head count of some 8,000 beasts per year.  There has been a car ferry service here since 1934, although there was an extended break through the Second World War when access to local waters was restricted due to their importance as a centre for naval operations.