Bridge of Dochart

Killin Bridge

The River Tay does not extend west of Loch Tay, instead the larger of the two rivers that flow into the west end of the loch is the River Dochart and it is this river that the Bridge of Dochart at Killin Spans. Unlike the formal structures built by Thomas Telford or General Wade elsewhere in the Highlands, the bridge at Killin is a rather 'homemade' affair! Today it carries the A827, but the bridge is much older, a weathered datestone once read 1760.

There are 4 arches in total, as well as a couple of small culverts, with the bridge spanning over 100m. However, the main span is less than a fifth of this distance, as much of the bridge is more like a causeway across the islands that lie in the river at this point. The two northern arches span little more that the mill leat and a minor side stream, while the main river splits between the two southern arches and flows either side of the burial island which is accessed from the bridge. The bridge bears very little ornamentation beyond what is necessary and has some slightly irregular abutments and spandrels, perhaps due to efforts at buttressing the structure. Indeed, records suggest that major works were carried out in 1831 following storm damage.

The roadway on the bridge is just as erratic as the rest of the structure, being almost two lanes wide at the northern end, then narrowing, widening and narrowing once more to be barely wide enough at the southern end for a coach to swing on. On top of this, the falls immediately above the bridge are a huge photographic draw for tourists, especially when in spate, meaning that the bridge is often crowded with pedestrians almost oblivious to the needs of the traffic behind them. Fortunately, the visibility is good so there is no need for traffic management as yet - people are left to use their common sense!