Ploughing at Blarmachfoldach above Fort William
The photographs are courtesy of Donnie Stirling, Tomich, who was a ploughing tractor driver for a number of years. Photographs provide with help from Sandra Reid.
A spectacular photo which shows in the distant back ground the slopes typically ploughed by mounted tine ploughs. Not certain of the actual forest block but could well be the one above the ‘Blar’ burial ground on the Lundavra road and then in glen leading to Glen Nevis.
The Fiat 70 with FC No 5203 (DLE644C) was first registered in 1965 and therefore not the youngest of machines in 1972. Donnie recalls that the collie dog from a nearby croft visited them every day no doubt for the company and perhaps to share some food a break time!
This area is close to the route of the West Highland Way heading over into Glen Nevis and may well have been engineered in from the Old Military Road well after the ploughing had been done and the trees well grown. The area where the Old Military Road comes over from Kinlochleven (also part of the West highland Way) and leads down past Blarmachfoldach is at a slightly lower level and follows the minor public road to Fort William.
Note that there is another view of the Fiat 70 in the attached PDF below.
Any comments on the location are very welcome.
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Tractors Ploughs and Drainage Machines