The A830, also known as the Road to the Isles (though it forms only a part of the historic route) is a major road in Lochaber, Scottish Highlands. It connects the town of Fort William to the port of Mallaig.
The A830 is 46 miles long. Throughout its length, the road follows the route of the West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig. It starts at a junction on the A82 north of Fort William and immediately crosses the River Lochy over the Victoria Bridge. The road passes through several small settlements, including Corpach, Glenfinnan and Arisaig and bypasses the village of Morar. It also follows the shorelines of Loch Eil and Loch Eilt, and passes between a series of several glens between these.[1][2][3]
The road ends at the quayside in the port of Mallaig adjacent to the railway station with onward ferry services to the isles of Muck, Eigg, Rùm, Canna, Skye and South Uist, and a ferry across to the neighbouring peninsula at Inverie which although on the mainland has no other road access.[1][2]
Before the 19th century, there was no established road beyond Glenfinnan. The area beyond this to Mallaig was known as the Na Garbh-Chriochain (The Rough Bounds) and was part of the Lordship of the Isles of Clan Donald, then part of the estates of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald. In 1803, Thomas Telford campaigned for government funding to build a "Parliamentary Road" across the estate from Banavie and Corpach towards Arisaig. The road was described as the "Loch-na-Gaul" road.[4]
The road was constructed by Thomas Telford in the early 19th century. It remained a single-track road throughout most of the 20th century, with the final section being upgraded in 2009. As the Road to the Isles, it has been celebrated as a historic part of Scottish culture.
In the late 1930s, a proposal was put forward in parliament to extend the A830 along the coast of the mainland as far as Kyle of Lochalsh. This was dismissed as being prohibitively expensive and of little practical use.[5]
The road was predominantly single-track until the late 20th century. By 1954, a 6-long-ton (6.1 t) weight limit had been imposed on the road.[6] while a report in 1965 showed there were still 30 miles (48 km) of single-track along the route.[7] In 1969, the section between Craigag and Glenfinnan was widened, and a new bridge over the Caledonian Canal at Banavie was built the following year.[8] The poor quality of the A830 enabled the West Highland Line to remain open; it was marked for closure in the Beeching Report but this was not done because it was impractical to run a replacement bus service along the parallel road.[9] In August 1991, a group of protestors, organised by a local councillor, blockaded the road as a protest over lack of improvements.[10]
In 2007, the road was assessed by the Institute of Advanced Motorists as being 1 of 11 roads in the UK having a "1 star" dangerous section along it.[11] In April 2009, the final single-track section of A830 between Arisaig and Lochailort (the only such example left on a British trunk road) was bypassed by a modern replacement as part of a £23.4m upgrade.[10] The 7.4-mile (11.9 km) bypassed section has been handed to the local authority for maintenance and designated the B8008.[12]
CultureEdit
BBC programme Countryfile 2008Edit
On 25 May 2008 the road was featured in the BBC TV programme Countryfile.[13]
A satirical song about the road, "The 8-3-0," was written by Ian McCalman (of the Scottish folk group The McCalmans) and published in 1993, before the road's widening. The song lampoons the "single track" nature of the A-status road and depicts unsuspecting tourists dodging tourist buses and fish vans, and returning from Mallaig by train instead.[14]
^ abBen Nevis (inc. Fort William & Glen Coe) (Map). 1:50 000. Landranger. Ordnance Survey. 2015. 41.
^Murphy, Alan (2014). Scotland Highlands & Islands Footprint Handbook. Footprint. p. 221. ISBN978-1-909-26862-3.
^"Opening up the road to the isles". The Scotsman. 7 March 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^"Road Facilities, West Coast of Scotland". Hansard. 22 March 1939. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^"Fort William—Mallaig Road". Hansard. 10 February 1954. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^"Fort William-Mallaig Road (Dual Carriageway)". Hansard. 17 November 1965. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^Mabon, Dickson (19 November 1969). "A830, Fort William-Mallaig". Hansard. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^"Mallaig Line (Closure)". Hansard. 1 March 1967. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^ ab"Delight as infamous single-track A830 bites the dust". Scottish Herald. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^Webster, Ben (3 December 2007). "Star-rating system shows which roads are most likely to kill you". The Times. London, England. p. 4. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^(PDF). The Highland Council. 12 June 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
^"Countryfile - 25/05/2008". OnTelly. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to A830 road (Scotland).
"Road to the Isles performed by Kings own Scottish Borderers" on YouTube
August 25, 2023
a830, road, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, 2022. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources A830 road news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Road to the Isles redirects here For the song see The Road to the Isles The A830 also known as the Road to the Isles though it forms only a part of the historic route is a major road in Lochaber Scottish Highlands It connects the town of Fort William to the port of Mallaig A830The road to the IslesThe A830 between Arisaig and MallaigRoute informationLength46 mi 74 km Major junctionsWest endMallaigMajor intersectionsA82 A861East endFort WilliamLocationCountryUnited KingdomRoad networkRoads in the United KingdomMotorways A and B road zones A828 A831 Contents 1 Route 2 History 3 Culture 3 1 BBC programme Countryfile 2008 3 2 Songs 4 References 5 External linksRoute EditThe A830 is 46 miles long Throughout its length the road follows the route of the West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig It starts at a junction on the A82 north of Fort William and immediately crosses the River Lochy over the Victoria Bridge The road passes through several small settlements including Corpach Glenfinnan and Arisaig and bypasses the village of Morar It also follows the shorelines of Loch Eil and Loch Eilt and passes between a series of several glens between these 1 2 3 The road ends at the quayside in the port of Mallaig adjacent to the railway station with onward ferry services to the isles of Muck Eigg Rum Canna Skye and South Uist and a ferry across to the neighbouring peninsula at Inverie which although on the mainland has no other road access 1 2 History Edit The A830 next to Larichmore Viaduct in 2005 when it was still a single track roadThe historic Road to the Isles is an ancient drove road which leaves General Wade s military road from Stirling to Inverness at Tummel Bridge along the northern banks of the River Tummel and Loch Rannoch roughly along the present day B846 Where today s road runs out the old road continued over Rannoch Moor past Corrour Old Lodge towards Kings House on the A82 over the Devil s Staircase and past Kinlochleven to meet the present A830 at Fort William Before the 19th century there was no established road beyond Glenfinnan The area beyond this to Mallaig was known as the Na Garbh Chriochain The Rough Bounds and was part of the Lordship of the Isles of Clan Donald then part of the estates of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald In 1803 Thomas Telford campaigned for government funding to build a Parliamentary Road across the estate from Banavie and Corpach towards Arisaig The road was described as the Loch na Gaul road 4 The road was constructed by Thomas Telford in the early 19th century It remained a single track road throughout most of the 20th century with the final section being upgraded in 2009 As the Road to the Isles it has been celebrated as a historic part of Scottish culture In the late 1930s a proposal was put forward in parliament to extend the A830 along the coast of the mainland as far as Kyle of Lochalsh This was dismissed as being prohibitively expensive and of little practical use 5 The road was predominantly single track until the late 20th century By 1954 a 6 long ton 6 1 t weight limit had been imposed on the road 6 while a report in 1965 showed there were still 30 miles 48 km of single track along the route 7 In 1969 the section between Craigag and Glenfinnan was widened and a new bridge over the Caledonian Canal at Banavie was built the following year 8 The poor quality of the A830 enabled the West Highland Line to remain open it was marked for closure in the Beeching Report but this was not done because it was impractical to run a replacement bus service along the parallel road 9 In August 1991 a group of protestors organised by a local councillor blockaded the road as a protest over lack of improvements 10 In 2007 the road was assessed by the Institute of Advanced Motorists as being 1 of 11 roads in the UK having a 1 star dangerous section along it 11 In April 2009 the final single track section of A830 between Arisaig and Lochailort the only such example left on a British trunk road was bypassed by a modern replacement as part of a 23 4m upgrade 10 The 7 4 mile 11 9 km bypassed section has been handed to the local authority for maintenance and designated the B8008 12 Culture EditBBC programme Countryfile 2008 Edit On 25 May 2008 the road was featured in the BBC TV programme Countryfile 13 Songs Edit There is a traditional Scottish song about the road called The Road to the Isles The lyrics mention locations the road passes including in order the Cuillin Hills Tummel Loch Rannoch Lochaber Shiel Ailort Morar the Skerries and the Lews A satirical song about the road The 8 3 0 was written by Ian McCalman of the Scottish folk group The McCalmans and published in 1993 before the road s widening The song lampoons the single track nature of the A status road and depicts unsuspecting tourists dodging tourist buses and fish vans and returning from Mallaig by train instead 14 References Edit a b Mallaig amp Glenfinnan inc Loch Shiel Map 1 50 000 Landranger Ordnance Survey 2015 40 a b Ben Nevis inc Fort William amp Glen Coe Map 1 50 000 Landranger Ordnance Survey 2015 41 Murphy Alan 2014 Scotland Highlands amp Islands Footprint Handbook Footprint p 221 ISBN 978 1 909 26862 3 Opening up the road to the isles The Scotsman 7 March 2007 Retrieved 29 August 2017 Road Facilities West Coast of Scotland Hansard 22 March 1939 Retrieved 29 August 2017 Fort William Mallaig Road Hansard 10 February 1954 Retrieved 29 August 2017 Fort William Mallaig Road Dual Carriageway Hansard 17 November 1965 Retrieved 29 August 2017 Mabon Dickson 19 November 1969 A830 Fort William Mallaig Hansard Retrieved 29 August 2017 Mallaig Line Closure Hansard 1 March 1967 Retrieved 29 August 2017 a b Delight as infamous single track A830 bites the dust Scottish Herald 11 April 2009 Retrieved 29 August 2017 Webster Ben 3 December 2007 Star rating system shows which roads are most likely to kill you The Times London England p 4 Retrieved 29 August 2017 LIST OF PUBLIC ROADS PROPOSED REVISIONS PDF The Highland Council 12 June 2006 Archived from the original PDF on 27 September 2013 Retrieved 23 September 2013 Countryfile 25 05 2008 OnTelly Retrieved 28 September 2022 Lyrics The 8 3 0 www the mccalmans com Portals Roads Scotland 56 52 42 N 5 29 13 W 56 87842 N 5 48682 W 56 87842 5 48682External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to A830 road Scotland Road to the Isles performed by Kings own Scottish Borderers on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A830 road amp oldid 1150209317, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
