Borgie Forest wire bridge
Photograph is courtesy and copyright of Forestry Commission, Forest Research, Roslin, and provided with help from Glen Brearley. FR Photo number No D1547 taken by ?
The text is very brief:
‘Wire bridge over river (See also B1736 –not to hand). Borgie’
One has to admire the nerve and daring of those that cross this construction.
Unfortunately the image does not pick up the wires very clearly and it is very difficult to see all the components of this ‘bridge’. However it does seem to have only two main wires – one for the feet and one for the hands to hold. There are linking wires spaced along the foot wire running up to the hand wire which must have added just a little stability. There is also a possibility that some outrigger wires run from some distance out on the foot wire back to an anchor points a little way upstream and also downstream of the main anchor points of the bridge.
The gauge of the wire appears very slim – could be 6g fencing wire or possibly multistrand wire that was used in the very early days.
Any thoughts or experience of such crossings would be very welcome.
Download Large Version (140kB)
Groups: Caithness and Sutherland, Forestry Areas, Road and Bridge Engineers and Works