A significant landslide on the Isle of Skye has forced the closure of a major route, leaving drivers with a 40-mile alternative journey. The collapse occurred on the A855 north of Uig on Friday afternoon, when soil and rocks gave way from the roadside and tumbled onto a smaller access road below.
The A855 forms the main circuit around the Trotternish peninsula in the island's north. Following an inspection on Saturday morning, local authorities confirmed the road would remain shut throughout the weekend while teams worked to clear debris and assess what repairs would be needed.
The incident was captured on closed-circuit television by a nearby resident, providing a record of the moment the ground failed. Fortunately, no injuries resulted from the collapse, though the disruption created an unexpected complication for a visiting school group. The children found themselves separated from their packed lunches when the landslip blocked access to the area, until a local resident stepped in and retrieved the meals by bicycle.
What caused the closure?
The collapse involved a section of hillside adjacent to the A855 giving way completely. Soil and rocks cascaded down the slope onto the local access road beneath, leaving it entirely impassable. The scale of the material that fell made it clear the route could not safely reopen without significant clearance work.
What happens next?
Highland Council's roads team began removing the slipped material from the access road on Saturday. Simultaneously, engineers were conducting a detailed assessment to determine what structural repairs would be necessary before the A855 could be reopened to traffic. The council indicated that work would continue through the weekend, though no specific reopening date was provided at that stage.
Drivers requiring access to areas beyond the closure point have been directed to use a 40-mile diversion route that circumnavigates the affected section of the Trotternish peninsula.
