Lochboisdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lochboisdale
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.jpg) The main road through Lochboisdale |
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 Lochboisdale
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| Language | Scottish Gaelic English |
| OS grid reference | NF790195 |
| • Edinburgh | 177 mi (285 km) |
| • London | 485 mi (781 km) |
| Civil parish | |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ISLE OF SOUTH UIST |
| Postcode district | HS8 |
| Dialling code | 01878 |
| Police | Northern |
| Fire | Highlands and Islands |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Lochboisdale (pronounced Lock-boyz-dale, and called Loch Baghasdail in Scottish Gaelic) is a small village and important port in Scotland. It's located on the island of South Uist, which is part of the Outer Hebrides. You can find it on the shore of Loch Baghasdail, at the very end of the A865 road. It's the main hub for the southern part of the island.
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A Look Back at Lochboisdale's History
Lochboisdale grew a lot in the 1800s because of a big boom in herring fishing. To help with the fishing trade, a special pier for steamships was built in 1880. This made it easier for boats to dock and unload their catch.
Later, in 1905, a mission church was built in the village. By 1953, steamships were regularly connecting Lochboisdale with other important places. These included Oban, Castlebay, Mallaig, and Lochmaddy. This helped people and goods travel to and from the island.
What Makes Lochboisdale's Economy Work?
Lochboisdale is super important for South Uist because it's where the island's main ferry leaves from. You can catch a ferry here to Mallaig all year round. In the winter, you can also travel to Oban.
The area around the ferry pier has been updated a lot. Old buildings have been fixed up or replaced with new homes and shops that people can rent.
Places to Visit and Services
Right next to the ferry terminal is the Lochboisdale Hotel. It was built a long time ago, in the late 1800s, as a place for people who came to fish.
The whole village is easy to walk around from the pier. You'll find a post office there, which also has a small coffee shop and an internet café. There's also a RBS bank branch in the village. It has an ATM that works 24 hours a day, even though the bank itself is only open once a week. Close to the pier, there's a handy shop called Fàilte. This word means "welcome" in the local Gaelic language.
The New Harbour at Gasaigh
Recently, a company called Lochboisdale Development Limited opened a brand new harbour. This new harbour is on a small island called Gasaigh, which is about 1 kilometer (1,094 yards) from the village. You can reach Gasaigh by walking across two special causeways (raised roads over water).
This new harbour offers many great things for boats. You can get special permits to moor your boat there for a day, a month, or even a whole season. These permits include using the facilities on the quayside, like Wi-Fi, showers, and laundry services.
Ferry Connections from Lochboisdale
| Preceding station | Ferry | Following station | ||
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| {{{route1}}} | Oban (winter only) |
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| {{{route2}}} | Mallaig |
Fun Fact About Lochboisdale
Did you know that a restaurant chain in London, England, is named after Lochboisdale? It's called Boisdale! The restaurants were started in 1987 by Ranald Macdonald. He is the oldest son of the 24th Chief of Clanranald, a very old Scottish clan.
