North Ford Causeway
Coordinates: 57 ° 29 ′ 23 " N , 7 ° 17 ′ 47" W.
The North Ford Causeway is an embankment that connects the Hebridean islands of Benbecula and North Uist . It is part of a network of dams and bridges that connects the largest islands in the Uist archipelago , and is the longest of them with a length of around five kilometers.
While the North Ford Causeway crosses the North Ford on the north coast of Benbecula, the South Ford Causeway connects the island to the southern neighboring island of South Uist .
construction
Before the dam was built, crossing the North Ford was only possible a few hours a day at low tide . Due to the shallow water, the establishment of a ferry connection was out of the question. For this reason, the North Ford Causeway was planned and opened after three years of construction on September 17, 1960 in the presence of the British Queen Mother . 350,000 t of rock material were required to build it . At times up to 90 workers were employed.
course
In the south, the North Ford Causeway begins near the small town of Gramsdale in the northeast of Benbecula. Its course does not correspond to the shortest connection, since existing islands were used to achieve a smaller construction volume. It also leads about a kilometer over the western tip of the sparsely populated Grimsay . In the north it reaches the southern tip of North Uist about two kilometers west of the village of Carinish . In order to allow the passage of boats and to provide a passage for the ocean currents, three bridges are integrated into the course of the dam.
traffic
The North Ford Causeway can be crossed via the A865 , which connects the individual islands. The road is largely single-lane in the area of the dam, but was provided with passing points at regular intervals in order to allow oncoming traffic to pass.