Edinburgh Forth Road engineer’s Wester Ross milestone to be marked by National Trust for Scotland at Corrieshalloch Gorge
AN engineering milestone moment being celebrated in Wester Ross next weekend is to be shared with members of the public and lovers of the great outdoors.
A special event is taking place on Sunday, May 12 to mark the 150th anniversary of the construction of the suspension bridge at Corrieshalloch Gorge by renowned engineer, Sir John Fowler.
The National Trust for Scotland, who care for Corrieshalloch Gorge, is working alongside Ulluminate Festival in Ullapool to produce the celebratory event which will take visitors on an exploratory guided walk to the bridge and hear more about the cultural landscape of Sir John Fowler and his family.
SEE ALSO:
NC500 motorhome waste disposal boost at Corrieshalloch
Corrieshalloch good to grow with living wall feature
Look where TripAdvisor visitors love going in Wester Ross
From 1:30pm, the guided walk will last approximately one hour, with visitors encouraged to explore the new and old woodland pathways to experience the spectacular Falls of Measach before returning to the Corrieshalloch Gateway to Nature Centre where there will be an arts and crafts drop-in session, and the café will be open for refreshments.
Visitors to Corrieshalloch Gorge can gaze 60m down at the crashing waterfalls of the River Droma from the Victorian suspension bridge, which was built in 1874 and spans 25m from ledge to ledge.
Martin Hughes, the National Trust for Scotland’s operations manager for Corrieshalloch Gorge said: “Corrieshalloch Gorge is such a special place, from its unique geology and Victorian infrastructure to the walkways, views and wildlife visitors experience while they are here.
“It is our privilege to care for and share the heritage of Corrieshalloch and we look forward to welcoming supporters, members and visitors to mark this important date in its history.”
Known for his experimentation with bridge and tunnel designs, some of which can still be seen today, Sir John Fowler is perhaps most famed for his work as chief engineer for the iconic Edinburgh Forth Bridge and his involvement in designing London’s first underground railway.
The Braemore estate was purchased from the Fowler family by John Calder in 1928, who later gifted Corrieshalloch Gorge to the National Trust for Scotland in 1945.
Its spectacular natural surroundings resulted in the site becoming a National Nature Reserve in the 1960s, offering further environmental protection – particularly for those rare species which call the surrounding landscape home.
The anniversary event taking place on Sunday, May 12 is free to attend, but visitors are encouraged to book tickets in advance here: https://www.ulluminate.org/ulluminate-sunday/the-bridge-over-corrieshalloch-gorge
The Corrieshalloch Gateway to Nature opened in April 2023. The £3.1 million project has been made possible by £1,297,071 funding from the Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund which is led by NatureScot and part-funded through the European Regional Development Fund. The purpose of the fund is to promote and develop the outstanding natural and cultural heritage of the Highlands and islands in a way that conserves and protects them, creating and sustaining jobs, businesses and services in local communities through this.
In addition, work on the paths and interpretation on-site has been supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery through the Love Our Nature project. The remainder of the investment for the work at Corrieshalloch is due to the on-going generous support and commitment of the National Trust for Scotland’s members and other supporters.
For more information on Corrieshalloch, please visit: https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/corrieshalloch-gorge
