Forest Road to Polloch from Callop nr Glenfinnan
Forestry Commission copyright image of Forest Research photographs courtesy of Glenn Brearley, Roslin. Ref No A4126
Series of beautiful photographs taken by A Paton who may have been the photographer Andy Paton based in Fort William around that time.
The new road into Glenhurich Forest and Polloch village was well under way by 1967 and started at the Glenfinnan end from the Callop gate. Here the large Priestman front shovel (943 ELM) is scaling one of the high rock faces after the drilling and explosives had partially cleared a way through. There were some large ridges of rock to be cleared on the route and drillers spent many days hanging onto their jack hammers.
This road was quite a large project and secured access for timber lorries into the whole of Glenhurich Forest in the early days of the Fort William pulp mill. The road also gave the forestry community easier access to Fort William for shopping but it was a fairly rough journey in the community van.
Any stories from those days and about Dan Murray or John Gillie would be very welcome! I believe Angie Grant (Fiddle player fame) also worked on this road
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Other Vehicles and Machines, Road and Bridge Engineers and Works, Sunart Ardgour and Morven