Bridge of Gairn

Bridge of Gairn lies on the A939 between Ballater and Corgarff. The photograph does not give the impression gained when driving over the bridge. The incline and descent of the bridge are amazingly steep, and there is no forward vision of anything that lies beyond the peak of the bridge.

This is a single file bridge and is on an old military road built after the 1745 rebellion by road builder Major William Caulfield. The road leads on past Corgarff Castle and is a spectacular drive, popular with motor cyclists. Not great for camper vans though as some ascents and descents are very steep.

While I was stopped there were some ducks walking along the road. From time to time they wandered into the road stopping the fairly limited traffic. As they refused to move for cars I was called upon to act as duckherd a couple of times. The ducks were all still alive when I departed, I don't know how they have survived as they are convinced ducks have right of way over cars, and that cars will always stop for them.

After two days when I was not happy with photos posted to Blip, instead I am quite pleased with this one. The day was quite hazy, so landscape views of the Cairngorms were largely unusable, but I have always wanted a photo of this bridge. The blue sky here is dark cloud, and the colour of the cloud is a fair representation of how it actually looked.