White Bridge (Whitebridge)

This article is about the bridge across the River Foyers.
For other White Bridges, see White Bridge.

There are two bridges crossing the River Foyers in the village of Whitebridge. The old bridge was built as part of Wade's Military Roads, while the new one was constructed in the early 1930s when this route was the A862 connecting Inverness and Fort Augustus along the southern shore of Loch Ness, and so forming an alternative route to the A82.

The Old Bridge

The White Bridge over the River Foyers on the B862 was originally built by Major Caulfeild while he was Roads Inspector for General Wade in 1732. The bridge is a single span of approximately 40foot, with a datestone on the keystone. The roadway is noticeably humped over the arch, presumably reflecting the high volume of water that the river can carry in spate, compared to the lower banks of the river. In many ways it resembles Caulfeilds later work, particularly on the A82 across Rannoch Moor, where his Bridge of Orchy has a similar humped appearance.

Works to repair and consolidate the old bridge were finally completed in 2013, and the bridge has now been reopened to pedestrians, albeit only providing a link from the road to the adjacent holiday park! However, it is certainly a vast improvement on the previous fenced off condition.

The New Bridge

The two bridges

This section of the former A862 was upgraded slightly in advance of the A82 on the opposite side of Loch Ness, with the new bridge constructed in c1930-2. Believed to be the work of Mears & Carus Wilson, it is again a single span arch bridge, albeit of Concrete construction faced in rubble. The span this time is 70 foot, with the wider span allowing a level roadway without blocking the flood-flow of the river below.

http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB1874 http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB1875