Fort Augustus - Bernera Military Road

NH11SW 3.00 1499 1045 to 1000 1144. MR 12 (formerly Lin 510).

NH11SW 3.01 1270 1067 Bridge.

Initially the present road, the A87, is on the line of the military road, but the latter ascends the hill to the N at Lundie, descending again to the present road at NH 111 111. Thereafter, the route of the military road is probably beneath the surface of the loch.

W Taylor 1976.

NH 1499 1045 to NH 1113 1106 a grassed track unsuitable for wheeled traffic. Track approximately 5m wide between flanking banks and/or ditches. Well drained, well aligned.

NH 1270 1067 ruins of old bridge (NH11SW 3.01), 4.1m total width.

NH 1113 1106 to NH 1101 1112 no trace.

NH 1101 1112 to NH 1000 1144 military road submerged beneath loch.

Visited by OS (NKB) 26 September 1966.

Initially the military road is overlain by the A87. Then in the area of Lundie at approximately NH 1475 1047 the military road takes a route to the N and runs above the modern road for a little over 3km. The road takes the form of a rough overgrown track. Hillside burn spating has caused deterioration of the track. This section has not been fully assessed, but its similarities with the section on map sheet suggest that there may be good survival of early drainage features. The military road rejoins the modern road at NH 1118 1103, but the two routes diverge again after a short stretch. From this point W the line of the military road appears to be under Loch Cluanie.

M Logie (Highland Council) 1997; NMRS MS 1007/6.

According to Taylor (1976) and the route marked on the current edition of the 1:10 000 OS map (1971), the A87 is on the line of the military road for a short distance in this section, before the line ascends the hill to the N by Lundie. However, the field sheet, annotated after the visit of 26 September 1966 (NKB) shows the military road as a track in this stretch. Further W, at NH 1118 1103, Logie asserts that the military road and the modern road converge for a short distance, whereas the OS (NKB) show the route of the military road as remaining on a grassed track as far as NH 1113 1106, from which point there is no trace until NH 1101 1112, where it becomes submerged beneath the loch.

Information from RCAHMS (MW) 30 March 1999 and 15 June 1999.