Contin Bridge

There are two bridges spanning the Black Water at the northern end of Contin Village. The stone arch structure was constructed by Thomas Telford in 1812 as part of his commission on roads and bridges in the Highlands. The newer one was built in the 1970s to allow two way traffic to flow on the soon to be upgraded trunk route to Ullapool.

The Old Bridge

The old bridge

Three wide stone arches span the river Black Water, providing a straight and level roadway above, albeit a narrow one. The only ornamentation is that the triangular cutwaters on the piers rise to pilasters on the parapets, which are low and stone throughout.

The bridge is fairly typical of those built by Telford throughout the Highlands, although slightly more decorated and in better condition than some. It is retained as a footpath, despite the new bridge having pavements, and blocked to traffic by stone cubes at the eastern end, with crash barriers across the western end.

The New Bridge

The curvature of the new bridge

Just a few metres down stream lies the new bridge, of two spans supported by piers in the riverbed, although with low water levels only the eastern span crosses the water. The bridge deck is built on a significant curve, avoiding the two dog legs that the road took over the old bridge, and is a full S2 width including pavements on both sides, backed by metal railing parapets.