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Corrieyairack Pass is a military road that crosses the Scottish Highlands between the watershed and Allt Lagan a'Bhainne in Inverness-shire. Constructed in the 18th century as part of the network of roads built to facilitate military control following the Jacobite risings, the road represents an important example of Highland infrastructure development. The route follows high moorland terrain, exploiting the natural watershed geography to create an effective mountain crossing.
The surrounding landscape is underlain by Grampian Group bedrock of Neoproterozoic age, comprising psammite and semipelite formations typical of the Central Highlands. These ancient metamorphic rocks form the rugged terrain through which the road was engineered, creating the challenging conditions that necessitated skilled construction to establish a reliable crossing. The road's alignment reflects careful surveying to balance gradient and practicality across this exposed terrain.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6140, recognising its significance as a scheduled ancient monument. The Corrieyairack Pass road survives as a remarkable testament to 18th-century military engineering and remains one of the most substantial and well-preserved examples of the roads that transformed Highland communications and military strategy during this period of Scottish history.
Corrieyairack Pass,military road,watershed to Allt Lagan a'Bhainne is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6140. View the official record →
Corrieyairack Pass is a military road that crosses the Scottish Highlands between the watershed and Allt Lagan a'Bhainne in Inverness-shire. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6140.
Corrieyairack Pass,military road,watershed to Allt Lagan a'Bhainne is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM6140.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Corrieyairack Pass,military road,Allt Lagan a'Bhainne to Black Burn (2.4 km), Corrieyairack Pass,military road,Allt Ruadh to watershed (2.8 km), Corrieyairack Pass,military road,Melgarve to Allt Ruadh (4.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Corrieyairack Pass,military road,watershed to Allt Lagan a'Bhainne's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Corrieyairack Pass,military road,watershed to Allt Lagan a'Bhainne stands on Grampian Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite and semipelite.