A853
A853 | ||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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From: | Armadale (NG635038) | |||
To: | Ardvasar (NG631032) | |||
Distance: | 0.5 miles (0.8 km) | |||
Met: | A851 | |||
Now part of: | C1244 (Highland) | |||
Traditional Counties | ||||
Route outline (key) | ||||
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The A853 is the former number for the road into Ardvasar from Armadale on Skye. Unlike other similar short A roads on Skye, the A853 number applied to the road into the village, rather than the exceedingly short spur down to the pier, which is a continuation of the A851. This discrepancy is possibly because the pier at Armadale is the Skye terminus for the Mallaig Ferry, and even in 1922 it was one of the busiest steamer piers on Skye, making it more important than the lesser piers at Isle Ornsay and Broadford.
According to the OS 7th Series map, the A853 ended without ceremony at the small bridge over the stream in the centre of Ardvasar, which is a very strange terminus, and makes you wonder whether they were just trying to use numbers up.
The road was apparently declassified sometime in the 1980s, and is now part of the C1244, although there is still an advanced direction sign indicating the A853 opposite the garage today.