Press Releases

Council Assesses Storm Damage Cost To Countryside

Thursday, 2nd September, 2004

STIRLING'S storm damaged countryside will take more than six months and £1 million to clear up, says Stirling Council's Countryside Service.

Work is already well under way repairing pathways and bridges swept away by the torrential August rains that caused the Lochearnhead landslide across the A84.

Gillie Thomson, Convener of the Council’s Environment Committee, said: “It is important that people take extra care over the next few months when walking in the area hit by the storm because some of the paths are still unpassable and others can be used only with care.”

“We are doing all we can to ensure the paths are safe and the lost bridges rebuilt,” said Councillor Thomson. “But it will take time.”

The August 18 storm that settled over Stuc a Chroin threw out an enormous amount of water over a two hour period. Glen Ample was devastated and burns that had previously run along the surface, now run through twenty-foot gorges.

The estate track was scoured out, walls and fences removed and the footbridge at Glenample Farm broken up and relocated a mile away. By Edinample the road bridge that had only recently been strengthened, was destroyed and a twelve foot deep hole in the road created.

At Keltie Water a wall of water destroyed all the bridges in the upper reaches, including those at Scout Pool and Bracklinn Falls. The circular walk between these two points is now impassable and the route through Glen Artney to Comrie requires a river crossing.

The Bracklinn Falls footbridge was 30-40 feet above the river and the remaining tide mark is another 10 feet above that. There is no sign of the bridge and very little to show it ever existed. Such was the power of the river that 100 tonne plus boulders have been relocated and even the shape of the falls has been changed forever.

The public road above the falls was so badly damaged that it is has now been closed.

By the main Callander to Stirling Road at Bridge of Keltie, there stands a Caulfield Military Bridge built in 1749. It is still standing but the abutments have been under-cut and the approach walls knocked over. A quarry bridge further down was initially thought to have escaped unscathed but collapsed 24 hours later.

For walkers and others accessing the countryside the following routes are now either impassable or only passable with care:

• Callander to Comrie via Glen Artney - Bridges missing, passable if a river crossing is undertaken.
• Glen Ample - Bridge and parts of the route missing, passable with care. May require a river crossing.
• Bracklinn Falls to Scout Pool - Impassable as both bridges washed out.
• Bridge of Allan to Dunblane via the Darn Road - Impassable due to the nature of the remains of the bank.