Stirling - Tyndrum - Fort William Military Road
Military Road (18th Century)
Site Name Stirling - Tyndrum - Fort William Military Road
Classification Military Road (18th Century)
Canmore ID 89049
Site Number NN23NE 3
NGR NN 2959 3971
NGR Description NN 2999 3957 to NN 2937 3999
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/89049
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Glenorchy And Inishail (Argyll And Bute)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NN23NE 3 From NN 2999 3957 to NN 2937 3999.
NN 2999 3976 to NN 2937 3999 course of military road on Roy's map (1747-55).
W Roy 1747-55
(see also NN23NE 1).
The military road heads W to the Bridge of Orchy (NN23NE 1) at NN 2964 3964 and then heads NNW.
W Taylor 1976.
The Bridge of Orchy (NN 2960 2970) to Inveroran (NN 2750 4140) section of Major William Caulfield's [Caulfield] Military way was constructed using military labour and was built around 1752 or 1753. It appears to have been used as a main route for a relatively short time, being quickly superceded by the valley floor route along the shore of Loch Tulla which is now the A 8005. However, the hilltop route to Inveroran did not go entirely out of use; it remained part of the major droving route from the western Highlands and islands to the trysts at Crieff and falkirk.
The surveying and recording of this section of road (which is currently utilised by the West Highland Way) was undertaken between February and March of 1994. The full details of the survey, which recorded in full the nature of the road and the associated features within a 20m corridor centred on the road has been brought together in a full report which has been deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsors: Strathclyde Regional Council, Highland Regional Council & Scottish Natural Heritage.
J A Atkinson 1994c; NMRS MS/725/68.
Field Visit (1 October 2012 - 30 November 2012)
This section of the Military Road is scheduled (FCS Ref 2858) and is part of the very popular West Highland Way which continues up and over Mam Carraigh to Inveroran on the west shore of Loch Tulla. The Military Road crosses an area of recently clear felled, but now open heather ground, to the east which is backed to the west by standing conifer plantation.
The Military Road survives over this section but has been seriously truncated by the West Highland Way, which has cut into and through the road deposits which make up the Military Road. The road has also suffered severe erosion as a consequence of poor drainage. There are a number of modern and older drainage features across the road in addition to a large stone built culvert/bridge.
Close to the start two stone springers are all that remain of an abandoned bridge. The path has been diverted slightly to the west and the bridge has been superceded by a modern drainage channel. The stone block kerbing at the start of the section (as identified by Atkinson in 1994) could not now be identified.
Information from OASIS ID: biddysim1-143572 (B Simpson) 2012
