Kinlochewe
Kinlochewe Ceann Loch Iù | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
The bridge on the A832 crossing A' Ghairbhe | |||
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County | |||
Ross-shire | |||
Highway Authority | |||
Highland | |||
Places related to the A832 | |||
The tiny village of Kinlochewe lies clustered around the junction of the A832 and A896, two important routes through Wester Ross. The village takes its name from Loch Maree, which was previously known as Loch Ewe, or Upper Loch Ewe. It sits at the head of the loch, with the lone Munro of Slioch on the far side, which draws many visitors to the village each year. The Torridon Munros also lie to the south of the village. Despite having grown up at the head of the loch, the village centre is now the junction where the road from Torridon meets the main road west to Gairloch.
Junction
The roads here are comparatively new, in the grand scheme of things, being from the mid to late 19th century. Of course, paths and tracks ran through the area prior to that, but roads suitable for wheeled vehicles came late to this part of the Highlands. For many years, the road along Loch Maree passed on the north side of the loch, with some difficult routing across steep slopes and through high passes. Caulfeild started a military road from Contin to Poolewe, but it is doubtful if it ever reached this far west, nor did Thomas Telford successfully negotiate a route beyond Achnasheen.
The main road through Kinlochewe, then, is the A832 which to the east probably follows the old trail to Dingwall, but to the west was built new around 150 years ago along the south shore of Loch Maree. In the middle of the village, the A896 terminates at a simple T junction. This too is a comparatively new road. For many years it was the B858, but when the new road was built between Torridon and Shieldaig, it was upgraded to be the A896 as a new through route.
Routes
Route | To | Notes |
Ullapool (A835) alternative coastal route, Gairloch | Wester Ross Coastal Trail, NC500 | |
Achnasheen, Inverness (A835) | ||
Torridon, Shieldaig | Wester Ross Coastal Trail, NC500. Formerly B858 |