DOUBLE ARCH BRIDGE SET FOR ANOTHER 200 YEARS THANKS TO FORESTRY COMMISSION SCOTLAND

The Scheduled Ancient Monument, spanning the River Black at Little Garve on the road to Ullapool, had been in need of repair for some time but was further damaged during the winter of 05/06.

Brian Duff, Recreation Forester in Inverness, said:

“A combination of water, wind and freezing temperatures caused a short section of wall on the bridge to collapse. It did look quite bad and raised concerns about the structure and how safe it was to use.

“It turned out to be a bit of a blessing in disguise because we had wanted to renovate the bridge for some time but had not been able to take our plans forward. The effects of the harsh winter brought the need for repairs into focus and with the approval of Historic Scotland, the Commission last year started work to return the bridge to its original condition.

“We brought in skilled contractors to rebuild the collapsed section of wall and pin the structure to give it extra strength. We’ve also re–pointed the whole bridge to stop water getting into the stonework and causing more damage.

“It is now more or less back to its original state and should remain standing for decades to come. It is a beautiful example of practical engineering that sits beautifully in the surrounding landscape and is a fantastic feature on this walk through the area.”