Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 4

KYLE-AKIN
as to either its origin or its early proprietors, it passed
into the possession of the Marquis of Bute ; and is now
represented by only slight remains. The district, the
middle one of the three divisions of the county, has
often, in common with Coilsfield, Coyle river, and
Coylton parish, been thought to have got its name from
' Auld King Coil,' a Pictish king or regulus, said to
have been killed in a battle fought in Coylton parish.
It seems, however, to have anciently been all or nearly
all covered with forest, so may very probably have got
its name from the Celtic Coille, 'a wood;' and it
ranked, in the Middle Ages, as a bailiwick. It is
bounded on the N by the river Irvine, which divides it
from Cunninghame, on the NE by Lanarkshire, on the
E by Dumfriesshire, on the S by Kirkcudbrightshire, on
the SW by the river Doon, which divides it from Carrick,
and on the W by the Firth of Clyde. Its greatest length,
from E to W, is 28 miles ; its greatest breadth is 23
miles ; and its extent of coast, measured in a straight
line, is nearly 12 miles. The river Ayr, rising on its
eastern border, and traversing it westward to the Firth,
divides it into Kyle Stewart on the N and King's Kyle
on the S. Other chief streams are the Cessnock, run-
ning to the Irvine ; the Lugar and the Coyle, running
to the Ayr ; and the Nith, rising on the southern
border, and making a circuitous run of 15| miles to the
boundary with Dumfriesshire. The parishes are Dun-
donald, Riccarton, Galston, Craigie, Symington, Mauch-
line, Sorn, Muirkirk, Monkton, Tarbolton, Newton, St
Quivox, Stair, Auchinleck, Ayr, Coylton, Ochiltree, Old
Cumnock, New Cumnock, Dalrymple, and Dalmelling-
ton ; and all are in the presbytery of Ayr. The poor-
law combination of Kyle, with a poorhouse at Ayr,
comprehends the parishes of Auchinleck, Ayr, Coylton,
New Cumnock. Old Cumnock, Dalmellington, Dal-
rymple, Mauchline, Muirkirk, Newton, Ochiltree, St
Quivox, and Sorn.
Kyle-Akin, a village on the NE verge of Strath parish,
Isle of Skye, Inverness-shire, at Kyle-Akin strait be-
tween Skye and the mainland of Ross-shire. The
village, 7 miles SW of Lochalsh church, and 8 ENE of
Broadford, was founded by the third Lord Macdonald,
on a ground plan, as an intended considerable seaport,
to consist chiefly of two-story houses with attics ; but
has never yet exceeded, and gives no prospect of ex-
ceeding, the limits of a mere village. A main thorough-
fare between Skye and the mainland, and the seat or
meeting-place of the synod of Glenelg, it has a post
office under Lochalsh, with money order, savings' bank,
and telegraph departments, a good inn, a chapel of ease
(1S75), a public school, and a regular ferry. Castle-
Maoil, the neighbouring ruin of a strong old fortalice,
has been separately noticed. Kyle-Akin strait, which
gave name to the village, got its affix from King Hakon
of Norway, on occasion of his expedition against Scot-
land in 1263. At the SW extremity of Loch Alsh, and
forming the north-western termination of the long
Sound of Sleat, which separates Skye from the mainland
of Inverness-shire, it looks to be so narrow that a com-
mon fable represents the old method of crossing it to
have been by leaping ; averages J mile in breath for
about 1 mile in length ; was originally designed to be
the terminus of the Dingwall and Skye railway, which
eventually stopped short at Strome Ferry ; and is over-
looked by a lighthouse, showing a fixed light visible at
the distance of 11 nautical miles, red towards the S,
and white towards Loch Alsh and the Sound of Apple-
cross.
Kyle of Assynt. See Kylesku".
Kyle of Durness, an elongated bay or narrow firth in
Durness parish, Sutherland, separating the district of
Durness proper from the district of Parf. Receiving at
its head the river Dionard, it goes 5J miles northward
to Durness or Baile na Cille Bay (lg x 1J to 2 miles) ;
itself has a varying width of 2i and 6-i furlongs, and is
barred by a series of shallows which frequently shift
their position. It becomes so nearly bare at ebb tide
as then to appear little else than an expanse of sand ;
seems to be gradually filling up with silt and debris
448
KYLES OF BUTE
brought down by the Dionard and some lateral stream-
lets ; and is little visited by vessels either for commerce
or for shelter.— Orel. Sur., sh. 114, 1880.
Kyle of Laxford. See Laxeord.
Kyle of Sutherland, the narrow uppermost reach of
the Dornoch Firth, between Ross-shire and Sutherland,
extending from the strait at Bonar-Bridge, 4| miles
west-north-westward to the influx of the rivers Oikell
and Shin. Its width varies between 150 yards and 6J
furlongs. Fairs, bearing its name, are held adjacent to
its lower end at Bonar on the Mondays in July, August,
and September before Beauly. — Ord. Sur., sh. 102,
1881.
Kyle of Tongue, a narrow sea-loch or firth in Tongue
parish, Sutherland, dividing the northern district of
that parish into nearly equal parts. Opening from the
North Sea at Ellan-nan-Ron, and containing in its
mouth the small, low Rabbit Islands, it penetrates 9£
miles south-south-westward, its breadth contracting
from 2J miles to almost a point. It is encinctured by
grand scenery, with the magnificent mountains of Ben
Hope (3040 feet) and Ben Loyal (3504) overhanging
its head ; has shifting sandbanks and small depth of
water, yet offers safe anchorage to even the largest
vessels at the Rabbit Islands ; expands, on the W side
at these islands, into the beautiful, well-sheltered,
smooth-beached Bay of Talmin, one of the chief fishing
stations on the N coast of Scotland ; and forms, on the
E side, the creek of Scullamie, the retreat of a few
fishing boats, easily convertible into a good small har-
bour.— Ord. Sur., sh. 114, 18S0.
Kyle-Rhea, a strait at the NE end of the Sound of
Sleat, between the Isle of Skye and the mainland of
Inverness-shire. It took its name, signifying ' the
King's strait,' from King Hakon of Norway's expedition
in 1263 ; it connects the Sound of Sleat with Loch
Alsh ; and, having a width of only J mile, it is swept
by very rapid tidal currents. A ferry across it main-
tains the communication between Skye and Invergarry
(46 miles ESE) by way of Glenelg ; and has, at either
end, a pretty good inn.
Kylesku, a long, narrow sea-loch on the mutual bor-
der of Eddrachillis and Assynt parishes, W Sutherland.
Opening from the Minch in semicircular Loch a' Chairn
Bhain or Cairnbawn, which measures 54 miles across the
mouth, and contains a number of small islands, it
strikes, from the head of that bay, 3f miles east-south-
eastward, with an extreme width of 7 furlongs ; next
for J mile contracts to from J to 1J furlong at Kylesku
Ferry ; and, f mile beyond, divides into two horns,
Lochs Glendhu and Glencoul, striking eastward
and south-eastward. With an intricate cincture, its
shores, flanks, and overhanging mountains — the monarch
of them Quinag (2653 feet) — exhibiting a series of superb
landscapes, Kylesku is swept by extremely rapid tides,
and enjoys great celebrity for both the quantity and
quality of its herrings. Unapool or Kylesku Inn, at
Kylesku Ferry, is IS miles NE of Loehinver and 11 SSE
of Scourie.— Ord. Sur., sh. 107, 1881.
Kyles of Bute, a semicircular belt of sea, for 16f
miles engirdling the northern half of Bute island, and
separating that island from the Cowal district of Argyll-
shire. Connecting at both ends with the Firth of Clyde,
it opens on the E, between Bogany Point in Bute and
Toward Point in Cowal, with a width of 2J miles ; and
suddenly expands, on the Bute side, into Rothesay Bay,
soon after into Kames Bay ; whilst, at a point 4 miles
N of Rothesay, it sends off, north-north-westward into
Cowal, long mountain-screened Loch Striven. During
the first 5 miles it exhibits the character of a capacious
and most picturesque bay, with outlook to Big Cumbrae
and Ayrshire ; but afterwards, for 6J miles, it curves
gently north-westward and south-westward, with a vary-
ing width of 2 and 5J furlongs, and displays contrac-
tions and windings like those of a river, flanked by
steep hills, rugged acclivities, and rocky eminences. In
the N, where it makes a sudden angular bend, it con-
tains Eilean Dheikkig and three other small rocky
islands, and there is met by Loch Riddon ; and from