An incredible A road with stunning scenery and an epic 276-meter bridge has been named among the best for views in Britain. The A894 begins at Skiag Bridge, in Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands, beside the picturesque freshwater Loch Assynt.
It then ascends alongside Skiag Burn (Allt na Sgiathaig) and on to awe-inspiring landscapes, including the barren beauty of Assynt, famous for its mountain ranges. Some of the most spectacular peaks include Suilven, Canisp and Quinag. The Telegraph included the route among the top 10 most scenic A roads in the country, describing it as a “road to savour, with detours to the Eas a’Chual Aluinn waterfall (Britain’s highest) and brilliant walks in the Quinag mountain range”.
The route, which stretches 23 miles, ends at Sutherland’s Laxford Bridge.
A highlight of the A road is Kylesku Bridge, described by the outlet as “possibly the most photogenic” in the country.
The striking structure, officially known by its Gaelic name Drochaid a’ Chaolais Chumhaing, is a concrete box girder bridge which bends over Caolas Cumhann, the channel connecting Loch Glencoul and Loch Glendhu.
Construction on the bridge began in 1982, and it was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II two years later.
Historic Environment Scotland has classified the bridge as a Category A structure, acknowledging its design as “visually striking and technically innovative”.
It received the designation in 2019, with Elizabeth McCrone, Head of Designations at HES, saying at the time: “Drochaid a’ Chaolais Chumhaing / Kylesku Bridge is one of Scotland’s most architecturally distinguished bridges of the second half of the twentieth century, and is among the most outstanding of its type in the country.
“As well as its architectural significance, the bridge is also an emotive and poignant reminder of the modernisation such civil engineering projects brought to remote areas of the Highlands, and the subsequent impact they had on traditional ways of life.
“Today, the significance of Drochaid a’ Chaolais Chumhaing / Kylesku Bridge is reflected in its growing status as tourist attraction along the North Coast 500 route, and we’re delighted to recognise its national importance with Category A status.”
The A894 is part of the North Coast 500, a fabulously photogenic 516-mile scenic route on the north coast of Scotland which starts and ends at Inverness Castle.