Bridge of Avon (Ballindalloch)

This article is about the Bridge of Avon carrying the A95 in Strathspey.
For the Bridge of Avon carrying the A939 near Tomintoul, see Bridge of Avon (Tomintoul).

Old Bridge

The old Bridge of Avon at Ballindalloch dates back to 1800 and uses two spans to cross the river. When Built, it appears that the river was crossed with the main arch, while the smaller arch sat on the often flooded north bank. However, the river has moved in its narrow channel and now flows under both arches. Fortunately, the builders had enough foresight to ensure that the pier between the two arches had sufficient foundations.

The Bridge is built of stone and sits beside one of the entrances to Ballindalloch Castle, with a fantastic little Gothic lodge sitting at the bridge's north west corner, and a tight bend on the road beside the lodge. The deck is just single-carriageway, like so many of these old bridges, and must have been a serious bottleneck in the years before it was replaced.

New Bridge

The new bridge at Bridge of Avon

The new bridge at Bridge of Avon is a fairly standard Concrete structure, with angled stays at either end of the deck to maximise the span. It sits at right angles to the old bridge, such is the meandering nature of the River Avon, and so provides the A95 with a much straighter course than the old double-bend across the old bridge.