Spean Bridge

Spean Bridge is 9 miles north of Fort William, 56 miles south of Inverness, 55 miles southwest of Aviemore.

Spean Bridge is a small Village best known for the Commando Monument next to the main road to Inverness, half of a mile north of the Village. The Spean Bridge Mill is another attraction with a working Weaving Machine, shop, whisky section, and cafe / diner. The Spean Bridge Hotel, Aonach Mor Hotel, Smiddy House Restaurant with Rooms, Spean Lodge, and Burnbank Lodges provide accommodation.

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The Village is named after the Highbridge built in 1736 by General Wade as part of his Military Road between Fort William and Inverness. The Road Bridge seen today was built by Thomas Telford in 1819.

Spean Bridge History

1736 - General Wade built the Highbridge about 1 mile down River from the Village, there are ruins that can be seen today.

1745 - the Highbridge Skirmish was the first engagement of the Last Jacobite Rising that began that year with Bonnie Prince Charlie trying to gain the throne of Great Britain for his father the Catholic, James Francis Edward Stuart. Jacobite's claimed Stuart had a greater claim to the throne than the Protestant George II.

1746 April - the Jacobite's were defeated at the Battle of Culloden by Inverness, the last major Battle on the UK Mainland.

1819 - the Road Bridge was completed at Spean Bridge to designs of Thomas Telford. There is a Pool below the Bridge popular for Swimming in summer. Large Image.

1840s - water powered Woolen Mills were being built throughout Scotland, not sure when the Spean Bridge Mill was built.

1894 - Spean Bridge Train Station opened on the line that runs between Glasgow and Fort William. There is now a Restaurant at the Station.

1904 -the original Speen Bridge Golf Course opened but was closed around the time of World War One.

1942 - Achnacarry Castle and Estate 7 miles north of Spean Bridge was used to train Commandos during the Second World War. These were top Soldiers hand picked to carry out raids against German-occupied Europe. There is information about this at the Spean Bridge Train Station where the Commandos arrived in Trains.

1952 - the Commando Monument at Spean Bridge was unveiled by the Queen Mother. This is now one of the top Monuments in Scotland, with views south to Aonach Mor and Ben Nevis mountains. Large Image.

The Commando Monument was designed by Scott Sutherland.

1950s - the 9 hole Speen Bridge Golf Course seen today opened next to the Train Station.

1989 - The Nevis Range mountain sports was opened on Aonach Mor mountain for Snowsports in winter and Mountain Biking and Walking in summer, 6 miles south of Spean Bridge.

2000s? the Garden of Remembrance was created next to the Commando Monument for families of Commandos Killed in Conflicts such as the Falklands, Afghanistan, and Iraq to place Personal Tributes.

The Garden also contains Tributes to Commandos from the Second World War and later conflicts that died of natural causes in later life.