Kessock Ferry
Encyclopedia
The Kessock Ferry used to ply between Inverness
and the Black Isle
, across the Beauly Firth
. It was withdrawn on the opening of the Kessock Bridge
in 1982.
and South Kessock
at the narrows between the Moray
and Beauly Firths. This was the first of three firth
s north of Inverness, and the ferry provided a vital service for the local farming community wishing to sell their produce in Inverness. Along with the Cromarty
and Dornoch
firths, the narrows at Kessock have been bridged by the A9
.
in 1982.
The two steam boats Nellie and Maud formed the Kessock Ferry before, during and until just after the First World War. They were named after relatives of Lord Burton of Dochfour
, whose family owned the Kessock Estate and the ferry. In the winter, passengers were usually outnumbered by cattle, sheep and pigs on their way to market.
The Eilean Dubh was the first purpose-built vehicle ferry on the route. Built by James Lamont & Co
of Port Glasgow
, she was launched on 7 February 1951 and was capable of carrying eight cars, with a small indoor passenger cabin. She was retained as relief vessel in 1967 and went on to do salvage and rig support work, eventually being scrapped at Invergordon.
The Inbhir Nis, a four-vehicle vessel, was added in the 1950s.
The Rosehaugh was purchased in 1967, a much larger ferry boat, with ramps on all four corners. She was moved to the Corran Ferry
after Kessock closed and is now a multipurpose cargo boat operated by MacDonald Ferries of Invergordon
. Today she acts as tender for oil rigs in the Cromarty Firth. She has 30m x 8m clear deck space, 10T Crane, 10T Winch, facilities for handling oil rig anchor chain and is extremely manoeuvrable with twin Voith-Schneider
propulsion units.
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
and the Black Isle
Black Isle
The Black Isle is an eastern area of the Highland local government council area of Scotland, within the county of Ross and Cromarty. The name nearly always includes the article "the"....
, across the Beauly Firth
Beauly Firth
The Beauly Firth is a firth in northern Scotland. It is effectively a continuation of the Moray Firth westward, and is bounded at one end by Beauly and at the other by Inverness . The Kessock Ferry has crossed at the eastern end since the 15th Century...
. It was withdrawn on the opening of the Kessock Bridge
Kessock Bridge
The Kessock Bridge carries the A9 trunk road across the Beauly Firth at Inverness.-Description:The Kessock Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across the Beauly Firth, an inlet of the Moray Firth, between the village of North Kessock and the city of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.The bridge has a...
in 1982.
Service
The ferry crossed between NorthNorth Kessock
North Kessock is a village on the Black Isle north of Inverness.-Description:...
and South Kessock
South Kessock
South Kessock is an area of the city of Inverness in Scotland.It is to the north of Merkinch and is also known, somewhat disparagingly, as the Ferry. Prior to the construction of the Kessock Bridge, the Kessock Ferry sailed between North Kessock and here.South Kessock has featured in two novels by...
at the narrows between the Moray
Moray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
and Beauly Firths. This was the first of three firth
Firth
Firth is the word in the Lowland Scots language and in English used to denote various coastal waters in Scotland and England. In mainland Scotland it is used to describe a large sea bay, or even a strait. In the Northern Isles it more usually refers to a smaller inlet...
s north of Inverness, and the ferry provided a vital service for the local farming community wishing to sell their produce in Inverness. Along with the Cromarty
Cromarty Firth
The Cromarty Firth of Cromarty') is an arm of the North Sea in Scotland. It is the middle of the three sea lochs at the head of the Moray Firth: to the north lies the Dornoch Firth, and to the south the Beauly Firth....
and Dornoch
Dornoch Firth
The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....
firths, the narrows at Kessock have been bridged by the A9
A9 road
The A9 is a major road running from the Falkirk council area in central Scotland to Thurso in the far north, via Stirling, Bridge of Allan, Perth and Inverness. At 273 miles , it is the longest road in Scotland and the fifth-longest A-road in the United Kingdom...
.
Ferries
There is an early record of a ferry at Kessock in the 15th century. Over the years sail, steam and diesel-powered ferries have crossed the narrows to provide a direct link between the Black Isle and Inverness, until the opening of the Kessock BridgeKessock Bridge
The Kessock Bridge carries the A9 trunk road across the Beauly Firth at Inverness.-Description:The Kessock Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across the Beauly Firth, an inlet of the Moray Firth, between the village of North Kessock and the city of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.The bridge has a...
in 1982.
The two steam boats Nellie and Maud formed the Kessock Ferry before, during and until just after the First World War. They were named after relatives of Lord Burton of Dochfour
Baron Burton
Baron Burton, of Burton-on-Trent and of Rangemore in the County of Stafford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1897 for the prominent brewer, philanthropist and Liberal politician Michael Bass, 1st Baron Burton. He had already been created a Baronet in 1882 and...
, whose family owned the Kessock Estate and the ferry. In the winter, passengers were usually outnumbered by cattle, sheep and pigs on their way to market.
The Eilean Dubh was the first purpose-built vehicle ferry on the route. Built by James Lamont & Co
James Lamont & Co
-History:James Lamont & Co were established as a ship repairer at East India Harbour, Greenock, in 1870. After the collapse of the Clyde Shipbuilding Co, Lamonts purchased the Castle Yard at Port Glasgow in 1929...
of Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow is the second largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16617 persons...
, she was launched on 7 February 1951 and was capable of carrying eight cars, with a small indoor passenger cabin. She was retained as relief vessel in 1967 and went on to do salvage and rig support work, eventually being scrapped at Invergordon.
The Inbhir Nis, a four-vehicle vessel, was added in the 1950s.
The Rosehaugh was purchased in 1967, a much larger ferry boat, with ramps on all four corners. She was moved to the Corran Ferry
Corran Ferry
The Corran Ferry crosses Loch Linnhe at the Corran Narrows, south of Fort William, Scotland.-Description:Operated by Highland Council, the Corran Ferry is one of few remaining mainland vehicle ferries in Scotland...
after Kessock closed and is now a multipurpose cargo boat operated by MacDonald Ferries of Invergordon
Invergordon
Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
. Today she acts as tender for oil rigs in the Cromarty Firth. She has 30m x 8m clear deck space, 10T Crane, 10T Winch, facilities for handling oil rig anchor chain and is extremely manoeuvrable with twin Voith-Schneider
Voith-Schneider
The Voith Schneider propeller , also known as a cycloidal drive is a specialized marine propulsion system . It is highly maneuverable, being able to change the direction of its thrust almost instantaneously...
propulsion units.