B862 (Black Isle)

This article is about the former B862 on the Black Isle.
For the current B862 from Inverness to Fort Augustus, see B862.

The now unclassified former B862 looking towards Conon Bridge

Prior to the extension to John o' Groats of the A9 in 1935, all roads north of Inverness were in the 8-zone. One such was the B862, which ran south-east from the then-A88 at Conon Bridge across the Black Isle. Originally the B862 ended on the A833 (now A832) in Tore but was quickly extended to Croftnacriech to meet the B861 to provide access to the ferry to Inverness. In 1935, numerous B-roads, now in the 9-zone, were renumbered from the B8xx to the B91xx series, and the B862 (which found itself entirely on the eastern side of the new A9) thus became the B9162.

When the Kessock Bridge was opened, the A9 was re-routed along a heavily upgraded B9162 as far as a new roundabout at Tore. From there, the old route has become part of the A835 on its way west to Ullapool. Only a very brief section leading eastward out of Conon Bridge (and originally numbered B863 on the 1923 MoT map) still bears the number B9162.