Thursday, January 15, 2015

Mother Nature strikes again - Kingsteps Bridge no more - appeal for rebuild assistance

Morton Gillespie tells the Gurn:

"It’s my sad duty to report that the latest “new” Kingsteps rickety bridge has once again succumbed to the forces of nature. The latest bridge was effectively destroyed by last Fridays storms and is no more.


Despite the best efforts of the Kingsteps Pensioners Bridge Builders this is the third time their bridge building efforts have been destroyed – the latest bridge having survived for a couple of months through the winter which is a testimony to their engineering skills.

Our own “Brunell” of Kingsteps, octogenarian, Tom Wright remains undeterred despite this latest setback and he has already undertaken a dismantling operation and salvaged the main components of the bridge despite the recent atrocious weather. The components now lie neatly secured and Tom is already planning the rebuilding of the bridge once the weather relents.

The bridge provides an essential link from the East Beach to the Culbin woods and is well used and appreciated by many walkers.

Courtesy of the Gurn I would lay down a challenge to the youth of Nairn, local businesses, the Highland Council, Community Councils and all Community organisations to rally around and provide much needed support (pun fully intended) for the building of a new bridge which will withstand nature’s storms. This can be in the form of labour, materials or financial assistance."

UPDATE 21.40 15/01/15:
There has been an intervention from the RSPB who tell the Gurn that they are concerned about the bridge being rebuilt as it is on the RSPB Scotland's Culbin Sands nature reserve and as there are " are important legal issues around liability and health and safety". They do however add " We would very much like to work with the local community and especially with local walkers to explain the situation and look at possible alternative solutions." In the meantime they state that they propose to remove the materials concerned on Monday.

Gurn comment: for a long time (at least twenty years now?) there has been some sort of bridge in that area for the benefit of walkers, a bridge that has been rebuilt several times after various storms. Hopefully the RSPB can come to some sort of accord with the Kingsteps pensioners' volunteer brigade for a new improved access that provides an ecological and sustainable solution fit for the health and safety concerns of the new millennium.

18 comments:

Jim said...

Plan B might be to lay down some large stepping stones?

The channel in question was the course of the River Nairn until the new route to the current harbour came about. The actual waterflow is insignificant, in fact I have seen it dried up completely one recent summer. True, stepping stones might be submerged during extra high tides, but there is in any case a diversion possible, via the dunes and the existing footbridge to the west of the large pool - Minister's Pond, I think.

Anonymous said...

Any contact details?

Graisg said...

e-mail info@gurnnurn.com and we can forward anon

Anonymous said...

It's now almost a tradition, I know Bob Gordon repaired/built new bridges each summer for a while

The problem is that if anything too permanent looking is placed there you'll have SEPA chasing you, and no doubt other interested parties due to the importance of the area

Anonymous said...

more wood for murd

CaptainBirdsEye said...

The 'Third Age'group could tackle the problem in a different way and try launching a floating bridge (pontoon). Perhaps then they will only have to get a maritime pilots licence/permission.

No win no fee said...

Dear Gurn. I am sure that any marine debris and treasures on the foreshore under current legislation arrangements belong to Crown Estates. This might change to local Councils if the Scottish Government get their way. RSPB might need to get permission to remove foreshore property from Crown Estate? Is this a legal challenge the elders of East Beach could submit for a judicial review.

MURD said...

The shankies have a good supply on the door step at the moment so will leave for those who cant get into our territory.
But thanks for thinking on us lol

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the RSPB would like to actually do soemthing down there, never ever have I seen anybody to do with the RSPB

Anonymous said...

That reminds me, Ministers Pool is looking a bit sickly nowadays, have the RSPB had a look to see if it's silting up further upstream

Anonymous said...

Rspb spoil sport's

Give me Strength said...

"important legal issues around liability and health and safety"
This kind of thing makes me despair.

Art and Garfunkel said...

Sounds like a bridge over troubled waters i will lay me down.

Anonymous said...

Do the RSPB actually own the land ?

Greg said...

I thought the latest incarnation of the bridge looked pretty sturdy, sad to hear of it's demise and all credit to the builders. RSPB need to get a grip, it's obviously a relatively crude structure built by keen amateurs and you use it at your own risk.

The age of the expert said...

This is the age of the expert, the consultant and the paid official, getting off your arse to do things for yourself is no longer wanted in the brave new world.

Anonymous said...

What a world off red tape!
Can children not play at making a bridge over the stream anymore? Even if the children are getting on a bit.lol

Growtosow said...

A shame this has happend again to this bridge. I used it a few weeks back. Mother Nature can do a lot of damage. There is a walkway built not far from were the bridge was built. This has been made using treated timber not sure who put it up. But very well. Made perhaps it was the rspb who put it up.red tape and health and safety has now become a large part of our life's. And in some ways for the better.