Kentallen on Loch Linnhe: Cycle Path, Railway History and Geology

Kentallen lies on the shores of Loch Linnhe and combines a striking landscape with traces of railway and geological history. During your holiday, you can therefore explore the village from different perspectives: as a starting point for a cycle ride to Ballachulish, as a destination for historical discoveries, or as an interesting place for anyone who wants to learn about how the landscape was formed.

Cycling along Loch Linnhe

The cycle path to Ballachulish, which forms part of the National Cycle Network, begins in Kentallen. This gives your day planning a clear direction if you would like to explore the surrounding area on two wheels. For broader route planning, the path between Oban and Ballachulish is also of interest. It runs for much of its length along the former railway line and follows the coast over wide stretches. This means you can take different priorities into account when choosing your accommodation: Kentallen is particularly suitable as a search location if the start of the cycle path to Ballachulish is important for your travel plans.

The coastal route of the path between Oban and Ballachulish offers a different view of the area from the historical perspective of the railway line. You should consider the specific route you have planned and your personal daily objectives separately.

A Village with Railway History

Kentallen developed around the former railway line from Oban to Fort William. A particularly vivid testament to this history is the Kentallen Station Water Tower. It was built in 1903 as part of the extension of the railway line from Connell Bridge to Ballachulish. The Holly Tree is also part of this history: the building was originally Kentallen railway station.

Further historical evidence comes from maps. A map from 1875 shows a Kentallen Township with twelve roofed buildings, including a smithy. On the 1975 Ordnance Survey map, a church is shown among the buildings of Kentallen Township. The two maps depict Kentallen’s appearance in different years. Kentallen’s water tank was still standing in May 2015 and adds a specific structural detail to the picture of the former railway station.

Kentallenite and Geological Features

Kentallen also has a clearly distinctive profile from a geological perspective. The Kentallen Intrusion is the type locality of kentallenite, a melanocratic olivine monzonite. The olivine monzonite of the Kentallen Intrusion is well exposed in railway and road cuttings. Exposures of kentallenite are present in the former railway cuttings immediately north of the former Kentallen station. This gives those interested in geology an unusual way to explore the area, distinct from a classic coastal or cycling tour.

Those wishing to use the cycle path to Ballachulish can base their choice of location on this documented starting point. Those more interested in the former railway line, the Water Tower or the geological exposures can plan their stay around a historical or natural-history focus. The location on Loch Linnhe provides the geographical setting for the village.

If you would like to compare Kentallen with other destinations, you can also extend your search to Teangue, Nairn, Rosemarkie, Drumnadrochit, Invergordon, Keiss, Lairg and Thurso.

For the overall travel overview: Highland.