General Wades Bridges
General Wade was responsible for the construction of the military roads built in the Scottish Highlands after the 1715 Jacobite uprising. Most of these roads were built in the 1720s, connecting together the new forts built through the Great Glen, at Ruthven on Speyside and other smaller military sites.
During the course of building these roads, a great number of water courses were crossed. Whenever possible, Wade tried to gain height to allow the construction of culverts or fords in place of Bridges, but he was not always able to do so, and so a significant number of bridges were constructed. Many of the bridges were built sometime later than the roads that crossed them. Below is an incomplete list of those that still stand!
Fort William to Fort Ness Road
Whilst this route is now the A82, the old road followed the east bank of Loch Oich and also Loch Ness, using the B862 and B852.
| Image | Name | Classified Road(s) | Date | More Info | Map |
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High Bridge (Spean Bridge) | near the A82 | 1736 | Partially collapsed, and now dangerous, but with plans for a restoration |
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Old Bridge (Invergloy) | near A82 | A single stone arch, replaced by the New Bridge (Invergloy) for A82 traffic but still in use as access to Glen Gloy and Glen Fintaig |
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Allt Doe Bridge | B862 | 1732 | Replaced by a new bridge |
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White Bridge (Whitebridge) | B862 | 1733 | Actually constructed by Caulfeild, now replaced by a modern bridge |
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Inverfarigaig Bridge | B852 | c1730 | Replaced by a new bridge |
Crieff and Dunkeld to Inverness Roads
From Crieff, Wade's Road is now the A822, A826 and B846 to Dalnacardoch where it meets the Dunkeld Road, now the A9.
| Image | Name | Classified Road(s) | Date | More Info | Map |
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Aberfeldy Bridge | B846 | 1733 | The grandest of Wades Bridges, and the only one to still carry a classified road. |
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Tummel Bridge | B846 | 1730 or 1733 | Superseded by new parallel bridge |
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Trinafour Bridge | B847, Tummel Bridge to Drumochter Road | 1730s | Replaced by new bridge downstream |
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Dalnacardoch Bridge | Tummel Bridge to Drumochter Road | 1730s | A single stone arch across the River Garry close to the A9 at Dalnacardoch Lodge. Still in use |
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Dalnamein Bridge | A9 | Old Bridge believed to be by Wade, now twice replaced. |
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Wade Bridge (Dalwhinnie) | A9 / A889 | c1728 | One main arch over the river, with a small flood arch on the west bank. Replaced by new bridge |
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Bridge of Etteridge | former A9 | c1728 | Replaced by Crubenmore Bridge, still in use to access Crubenbeg |
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Bridge over Milton Burn | Abandoned c1810 |
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Corrieyairack Pass
The Corrieyairack Pass has never been a classified road, and is now mostly a public right of way, becoming a road at the eastern end.
| Image | Name | Classified Road(s) | Date | More Info | Map |
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Garva Bridge | Corrieyairack Pass | 1731 | The highest bridge on the Spey |
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