The B8065 is the main east-west road on Tiree, starting at Scarinish where the Coll & Tiree Ferry arrives, then passing through the village, before crossing to the western half of the island and finishing at Barrapol on the western shore. The road gained its number around 1930 along with all the classified roads on the island.
Approaching the B8068 TOTSO from the ferry
The road starts at the head of the pier in Gott Bay, with the large ferry waiting area and a car park next door. It then climbs slightly as it passes a new housing development and reaches the T-junction TOTSO with the B8068. That road turns right to the north side of this beautiful island, while the B8065 turns left and heads into Scarinish, Tiree's largest village. Almost immediately a side road turns left down to the hotel on the shore, and a rank of pretty cottages lie on the green opposite: they are typical of those found on the island, a mixture of traditional white-washed styles. Meanwhile the main road weaves through the village as a two-way road most of the time. The islands bank and Co-op are passed on the right along with the village car park and some other businesses, and then the road reaches the shore, with the village becoming more scattered.
Crossing the Machair behind Traigh Bagh
The road now heads south west through Heanish, before turning to the west through Baugh, the expansive coastal views looking across at the hills of Mull and beyond are spellbinding on a clear day. Soon the road leave the houses behind and curves slowly around the dunes at the back of Tràigh Bhàgh, one of Tiree's many beautiful expansive white beaches. This stretch of road, like many of those on the island, is unfenced and when traffic does meet it doesn't always make use of the sparse passing places! With the Airport off to the right, occupying the vast flat area at the heart of the island, and the lumpy dunes to the left, it becomes difficult to judge how far away the horizon is, the grass meeting the sky in every direction.
The road soon reaches Crossapol, scene of traffic calming as the road passes over a cattle grid and into the village! There is another small shop here, and an unclassified road turns right to the Airport terminal. The B8065 meanwhile turns left, towards the coast, before swinging back inland and curving around to the main crossroads on the island. Not that it's a proper crossroads, more a staggered junction. Before it gets there however, Loch an Eilein can be seen off to the right, with a substantial farmhouse sitting on a little promontory that is almost an island.
Looking east from near the west end of the B8065
The first T-junction that is met is another TOTSO, where the B8066 turns left to Hynish, and the B8065 heads north briefly. Then, the road turns back to the west as the other end of the B8068 continues north, curving back round to Scarinish by a longer route than the B8065. The last section of the route heads westwards through the scattered community of Heylipol, with cows munching lazily in the green fields on either side. After a slight kink in the road, the distinctive towered church is passed at another crossroads and then the road passes to the north of the largest of Tiree's lochs, Loch a'Phuill. This is now Barrapol, and the road winds through the scattered houses before terminating at a cattle grid. The onward route is an unclassified road heading to the north west of the island, perhaps the most scenic corner of this beautiful place.
