Fairy Bridge (Skye)

The Fairy Bridge sits at the junction of the A850 and B886 to the north of Dunvegan on Skye. It takes its name from the local legends of fairies in the days when the local landscape was ruled by the Clan MacLeod of Dunvegan, a clan whose legends frequently include fairies - not least the Fairy Flag which is supposedly the clan's good luck charm, and according to one story came into the clan's possession at this very spot.

The Old Bridge

The old bridge

The old Fairy Bridge is obviously far newer than the day when the clan acquired the flag sometime before 1580, but almost certainly stands on the same spot. Its actual date is not known, although it closely resembles the bridges built across the Highlands in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is a single arch span, constructed from rubble, with large drystone abutments to span the steep gully through which the stream flows. It carries a narrow single track roadway which was once the route of the A850, but is now just off the B886.

The New Bridge

The new bridge which carries the A850 lies a little upstream and is a fairly standard S2 culvert type structure dating back to the 1970s when this part of the road was improved. From the road it is almost impossible to tell you are crossing the small Bay River, with the wide carriageway curving between grassy banks with armco barriers. The sight of the old bridge a short distance to the north indicates the presence of a stream, but vegetation disguises its exact location.