Kinlochleven
Coordinates: 56°42′48″N 4°57′55″W / 56.713248°N 4.965287°W
| Kinlochleven | |
| Scottish Gaelic: Ceann Loch Lìobhann | |
 Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven shown within the Lochaber area |
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| OS grid reference | NN186618 |
|---|---|
| Council area | Highland |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Kinlochleven |
| Postcode district | PH50 4 |
| Police | Northern |
| Fire | Highlands and Islands |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Kinlochleven (Scottish Gaelic: Ceann Loch Lìobhann) is a village in Lochaber, in the Scottish Highlands and lies at the eastern end of Loch Leven, a sea loch cutting into the western Scottish Highlands. To the north lie the Mamores ridge; to the south lie the mountains flanking Glen Coe. The village was formed from two previously separate small communities - Kinlochmore to the north of the River Leven in Inverness-shire and Kinlochbeg to the south of the Leven in Argyll - following the construction of an aluminium smelter and associated housing for its employees. The processing plant was powered by a hydro-electric scheme situated in the mountains above.[1]
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[edit] Tourism
The village is a tourist attraction in the Highlands of Scotland. Kinlochleven was visited by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and His Royal Highness Prince Philip; marking the village's evolution from its past dependence on the aluminium industry, to its new status of being a valuable contributor to the Scottish tourism and leisure sector[citation needed]. There is a visitor centre in the village "The Aluminium Story" that tells the story of the creation of the village to serve the creation of an Aluminium Smelting facility. It also contains the local post office and has at ATM (cash machine) outside. There is a Hostel, Microlodge facility and campsite close to the river. It has approximately eight microlodges comprising a mixture of two and four berth accommodation. There are toilets, washing facilities, showers and dishwashing facilities. The Hostel building, extensively refurbished, was used as the Research and Testing facility for British Aluminium. It is located on Lab road.
[edit] The Ice Factor
A major mountain activity centre, known as the Ice Factor [1], and includes the world's highest indoor ice-climbing facility, the UK's highest indoor articulated rock climbing wall and bouldering facility. The Ice Factor has won a number of top tourism and industry awards including Entrepreneur of the Year, Visit Scotland Tourism Business of the Year. The building, which has been extensively refurbished, was once part of the Aluminium facility. It has a bar, cafeteria and retail outlet. There is a Sauna and Outdoor rope course.
[edit] Microbrewery
A smaller part of the former coke bunker - for carbon production - for the Aluminium Reduction Works, was transformed in 2002 into Atlas Brewery which, together with Orkney Brewery, was taken over in 2006 to form Sinclair Brewery Ltd. Atlas was closed in July 2010 and its production transferred to Orkney.
[edit] Recent regeneration
The Kinlochleven Community Trust, a partnership consisting of the local community, (Rio Tinto) Alcan, Lochaber Enterprise, Highland Council and Scottish Natural Heritage, supported by other agencies in Scotland and the European Union and chaired by Highland Councillor Drew McFarlane-Slack led the economic revival of the village. To date environmental improvements, new business pavilions, extensive path works and decontamination works have contributed to successful stability and growth in the village and its surrounding area.
[edit] The smelter
Aluminium manufacture ceased in Kinlochleven in the year 2000. The plant was no nolonger economic versus the much larger more modern plantsthat exist throughout the world. Nevertheless the Hydro Electric plant that was built to provide power for the smelting process has been converted into a general purpose Power Station that is connected to the National Grid. The hydro-electric scheme was constructed in 1907 for the British Aluminium Company and was designed by engineer brothers Patrick and Charles Meik. Chief assistant resident engineer on the project was a young William Halcrow. [2] The scheme involved the construction of a gravity dam over 914 m long (the longest in the Highlands) and 27 m high, creating the Blackwater Reservoir. It was built at an elevation of over 305 m in rugged and almost inaccessible terrain, and involved the construction of some 6 km of concrete aqueduct and nearly 13 km of steel pipe. It has been described as the last major creation of the traditional 'navvy' whose activities in the construction of canals and railways left an indelible mark on the British countryside.
British Aluminium Company was merged in 1982 with the Canadian company Alcan to form British Alcan and then,in November 2007, absorbed into the Rio Tinto empire as Rio Tito Alcan.
At its early days the Aluminium Reduction Plant employed some 700 people but, although producing some of the highest grade aluminium, its small size in comparison to modern smelters (US), led to its closure in 2000. The revamping of the power station saw the transfer of its output to the Lochaber Smelter at Fort William.
In 1991, the village (according to annual census returns) had just over 1000 inhabitants in some 420 households. It has a post office and a handful of hotels and hostels popular with walkers following the West Highland Way as well as guest houses and bed-and-breakfast establishments.
The approaches to Kinlochleven on the south and north side of Loch Leven offer spectacularly beautiful panoramic views. Most land between the loch and the approach roads is not in local ownership.
There is a local library that is shared with the local school. It has books, local information and Computer Internet Access. [3] The town has a High School. Kinlochleven High School serves the South Lochaber area drawing pupils from the following primary schools: Kinlochleven, Ballachulish , Glencoe and Duror. [4]
[edit] References
- The West Highland Way The last town before Fort William and finish.
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