Craigellachie Bridge



Craigellachie bridge across the River Spey is to my mind the most beautiful bridge in Scotland.  I spent the first four years of my life in the village of Craigellachie, and we then moved all of three miles away to where my father still lives.  So I grew up taking its grace and uniqueness for granted.

 The bridge was designed by the famous engineer Thomas Telford, and built between 1812-1814.  It was, I discover now, unique for having a very slender arch built of a single span of cast iron.  The journey made by the ironwork from its foundry in Wales must have been a major undertaking in itself: it was transported by barge overland and then by sea around Britain to the mouth of the Spey.  From there it came by wagon to Craigellachie.

The bridge was used by normal traffic until 1970, when a useful but bland replacement was built nearby.  You can still cross Telford's bridge by foot and bicycle - I'll try to post some photos before too long.

When I stopped to take these shots this weekend some canoeists were setting off from the little shingle beach.  It's a popular swimming spot in summer, but on Saturday the temperature was about 2 degrees and it was hard to imagine anyone willingly jumping into the river. 
 


As we watched, the canoeists got into the fast water beside the rock face, and suddenly one capsized.
 

Here he is, safely upright again.  The man on the left is setting off downstream in search of his colleague's paddle - which he did eventually catch.
 

Comments

  1. a beautiful place i'd like to vist one day :)

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    1. You should! Not too far from where you were this summer. As you see, lots of little gems still to discover.

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  2. Indeed it is a lovely bridge - We have a Telford bridge just outside Kirkcudbright, a chunky and stone affair this time. Though designed by Thomas Telford,it was styled by somebody else which is slightly disappointing. I might imagine that in a bridge of this sort (with perhaps the exception of the turrets at the end) design and style are one and the same thing.

    http://miceforlent.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/inaccessible-tongland.html

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    1. Thanks for the link, Sandy. 'Your' bridge is rather kitsch gothic!

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  3. Great post! That bridge is an amazing piece of engineering. The "turret" gateway on either side is a nice touch, I think.

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    1. The turrets are on a very human scale - it's just generally a lovely bridge.

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  4. This is so beautiful. I am not daring enough to ride in a kayak!

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    1. I certainly wouldn't in that water, at this time of year.

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  5. What a beautiful place! Those are actually kayakers though, and one man in a canoe :)

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    1. Guilty of not making the distinction! We tend to lump them all together in Scotland.

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  6. What a beautiful bridge! I'm a nerdy engineer, so I love bridges. Nice fall colors too. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Glad to please your engineering sensibilities, Linda!

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  7. Brrr, I can't imagine going canoeing in weather that cold! The water must have been freezing. The bridge is beautiful with the back drop of the gorgeous autumn colors...autumn at its peak!

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    1. Me neither, Kristie. I was a bit disappointed with how the colours came out - there seems to be some over-exposure on my camera which I ineptly can't solve just now.

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  8. It is a beautiful bridge and the trees in the background make it look perfect. And then you found an action story to cover while you were shooting. I didn't think they would get their canoe retrieved.

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    1. Pure chance, Larry. I must admit we got cold and moved on before the man in the water had got himself back in his kayak.

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  9. Just stopped by and saw some lovely pictures....

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    1. Thank you - hope you enjoyed your visit.

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  10. Oh I love Craigellachie! I've only ever stopped at the hotel for a cup of tea, and gone for wee walks up the little street where there seem to be a lot of artist's galleries. I'd love to spend at least a night there. The smell of pines... I didn't realise about the history of the bridge. It is a beauty.

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    1. Christine, there are indeed a lot of art galleries, which actually makes me a bit sad. When I was a child they were - the post office, a grocer's shop...and so on.

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  11. I like this series of photos - you have such abundant natural beauty in Scotland. I'm sure I could enjoy living there.

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    1. Perhaps for a bit, Al, but you might miss your lovely dry climate eventually.

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  12. What a lovely bridge and brave people to venture out onto that cold water. It is about the same temp here and I certainly wouldn't like to be dunked into any water!

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    1. Even with a wetsuit, it would be a shock to be dunked in. Not to my taste!

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  13. me too, I would love to visit Scotland ....

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    1. Do come! For a small country it's very varied - a bit like Belgium in that respect.

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  14. What a stunning place! I will have to dust the kayaks off methinks!

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    1. I'm picturing you attacking your kayak with a duster and Pledge..

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  15. Gorgeous pics! I agree with RedPat, except I'd like to substitute the word "silly" for "brave". Otherwise, yes. If it's a walk across the bridge followed by a pint at the pub, count me in.

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    1. There are indeed a couple of pubs within very easy reach. Cosy, large range of malt whiskies...

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  16. What a beautiful bridge!So airy, yet strong. It reminds me of something Mackintosh would have loved to create...would it be okay to say it looks "Mackintoshish?" Gorgeous!

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    1. I'm sure Mackintosh would be flattered! The 1970s replacement isn't nearly so appealing.

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  17. What beautiful photos, Linda. I think that bridge is one of the most incredible bridges I have ever seen. It looks so delicate, almost lacy. To build it in l812 and to have it turn out so wonderfully seems a true wonder to me. I'm glad it is still used by walkers and bikers. I would love to walk the whole distance of that bridge. What a gorgeous place to go for an outing. I don't kayak, but I'm sure those that do treasure that place.

    Too bad that guy tipped over but I do notice that he was dressed for it. Those outfits they wear repel the water pretty much and a lot of the cold too. Still, it wasn't the most pleasant thing to do. It didn't seem to bother them too much.

    Pronouncing the name of that place took a little doing, but how I would love to visit the Craigellachie Bridge.

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    1. 'Craigellachie' is a bit of a challenge for non-Scots, I know. It's 'Craig-ELL-achee', with the 'ch' soft as in 'loch'.

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  18. Uttterly gorgeous! I love the village name, I can't spell it so I' won't try but what a fabulous mouthful!

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    1. The name was a challenge when I went to school there, at the age of 4. Thankfully (in that respect), we moved a few miles away when I was 5, to a village with a much shorter name.

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  19. Craigellachie is the name given to the place where the two strands of the Canadian Railway met, near Roger's Pass in the Rocky Mountains. "The Last Spike" is a favoured Canadian tale of co-operation and ingenuity from (largely Scottish) engineers. It makes sense that it comes from a place that is an important bridge.

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    1. The Canadian Craigellachie is famous in Scotland for that reason, Lori Angela. I've always wanted to go there, but despite 3 visits to Canada I've never managed it yet.

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