Dalwhinnie - Fort Augustus Military Road

NH30NE 21.00 3728 0500 to 3718 0740. MR 4 (formerly Lin 504).

NH30NE 21.01 3739 0500 Bridge.

NH30NE 21.02 3685 0521 Bridge.

The military road descends steeply in traverses to the Culachy Burn in the valley of the River Tarff. At NH 3739 0500, just before the start of the traverses, remains of a bridge (NH30NE 21.01), probably Wade's, are visible. Another bridge (NH30NE 21.02), heavily repaired with timber, can be seen at NH 3685 0521, spanning the Culachy Burn. The road then goes past the grounds of Culachy House and crosses a minor road at NH 373 072 (Baker and Baker 1982), the whole section to this point having an average gradient of one in ten . It then links up with another Wade road from Fort William to Inverness (NH30NE 20, MR 1), now the A82, at NH 3718 0740, just over a mile S of Fort Augustus, sharing the same course heading into Fort Augustus.

J B Salmond 1938; W Taylor 1976; J and A Baker 1982.

The military road descends an incline by a series of traverses as far as a bridge (NH30NE 21.02) at NH 3685 0521. The condition of the road in this section is fairly poor, making passage difficult even for walkers at times. The problem is the lack of a functioning drainage system, with the consequent flow of water down the track causing substantial damage to the road fabric. Traces of banks and ditches are visible, some of which may date back to the time when the road was first constructed. These ditches are no longer effective. A couple of breaks in the banks permit water to run off the road. It is thought that these channels could have constituted part of the early drainage system.

To the N of the bridge (NH30NE 21.02), the road condition is reasonably good, although there is a deterioration close to the bridge. This stretch contains fragments of earlier cobbling as well as two segments of banks and ditches which could form part of the original road construction.

From a gate at NH 3743 0618 the road, in places, as far N as the modern tarmac road to Ardachy Bridge is in a poor condition. Considerable chunks of road fabric have been washed away through severe water erosion partly caused by a flood a few years ago. This has left a loose surface of boulders and stony debris. There is an intermittent drainage ditch along the W side of the track, but this seems to be somewhat ineffective and is partially filled by flood debris. The road takes the form of a grasss-covered track where stretches of road surface have survived. The most readily walkable stretch is that to the S of the turn-off to Culachy House, where the surface is more even and appears to have been recently re-metalled with gravel.

The road fabric in the section from the minor road to Ardachy Bridge as far as the junction with the A82 has been destroyed. There appears to have been washing away of the surface in similar fashion to what has occurred in the earlier section to the S, a surface of loose boulders and stony debris having been left. Thick overgrowth and vegetation has made access to this stretch more difficult, and there are no obvious features of early or military road construction visible.

M Logie (Highland Council) 1997; NMRS MS 1007/4.

NH 374 071 - NN 462 961 A watching brief was maintained over the Dalwhinnie to Fort Augustus military road or Corrieyairack Pass, focusing on the section from Fort Augustus to Melgarve which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (NMRS NH30NE 21, NH30SE 2, NH39NE 2, NN49NW 2, NN49NE 2-4). The road was being used for the refurbishment of an electricity pylon line.

No archaeological features or deposits were revealed by groundworks. Protection was made to features that might be disturbed by work by placing of terram material.

Report lodged with Highland SMR and the NMRS.

Sponsor: Scottish Hydro-Electric plc.

S Farrell 1999

NH 374 071 to NN 462 961 A watching brief was maintained in September 2003 over the Laggan to Fort Augustus military road or Corrieyarrack Pass, focusing on the section from Fort Augustus to Melgarve that is Scheduled. The road was being used for access for the installation of a cable. No archaeological features or deposits were revealed.

Full report lodged with Highland SMR and the NMRS.

Sponsor: Scottish & Southern Energy plc.

S Farrell 2003