The Crossing of the Three Firths
It took a long long time
The pamphlet was issued in 1969.
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The Cromarty Bridge was finished in 1979.
The Kessock Bridge was finished in 1982.
The Dornoch Bridge was completed in 1991.
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The whole project was finally complete in 1991 - 30 years ago.
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It was a long hard battle
First - The Cromarty Bridge
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This bridge crossed over the Cromarty Firth.
It was the middle one of the three.
It would be of no real use without the first bridge at Kessock.
Previoulsy the A9 had followed the coast via Beauly and Dingwall and
had by-passed the Black Isle completely.
In the past, there had been small ferries crossing from
the Black Isle over to Easter Ross, in particular from Cromarty to Nigg.
This bridge was finished first in 1979.
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From the Black Isle looking north to Easter Ross
August 1975
The Smart new road on the Black Isle
At the end of the road at North Kessock
1979
Cromarty Bridge Finished 1979
Second - The Kessock Bridge
This bridge crossed the Beauly Firth going from Inverness to the Black Isle.
Previoulsy the A9 followed the coast to Beauly and then on to Dingwall.
The road north from this new bridge crossed straight over the Black Isle,
and then over the new Cromarty Bridge joining the coast road north from Dingwall.
There was a small car ferry at Kessock where the new bridge was built.
This bridge was finished in 1982.
April 1979
Third - The Dornoch Bridge
This bridge crossed the Dornoch Firth.
Previously the A9 had to follow the coast via Bonar Bridge.
In the more distant past there had been a ferry at Meikle where the new bridge
was built.
Reay Clarke's farm at Edderton looked down over the bridge.
He, as the man who first thought of the plan, was allowed to be the first person to drive his car over when it was completed.
This bridge was finished in 1991.
July 1984
1989
1991
1991