The pier jutting out into the upper reaches of Loch Dunvegan dates from 1865 and was once a vital part of village life. The Post Office was nearby and mail was brought to the village by steamer, along with other essential supplies, freight and passengers. Despite the numerous small islands making Loch Dunvegan tricky to navigate, Dunvegan was an important port in the latter part of the 19th century, with west coast cargo boats and steamers berthing en route to the Western Isles. Since the 1950s however, the pier has been significantly quieter, the base for a few fishing boats and visiting yachts. This view shows the loch which deeply indents the north west of Skye, creating Duirinish, one of the distinctive "wings" of the Isle of Skye.