Gairnshiel Bridge

Gairnshiel Bridge
Coordinates	57°5′36.01″N3°9′54.9″W / 57.0933361°N 3.165250°W / 57.0933361; -3.165250
Carries	A939 road
Crosses	River Gairn
Locale	Aberdeenshire
Location

Gairnshiel Bridge is a road bridge that crosses the River Gairn in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The bridge was built the mid-18th century. ^[1] It is Category A listed, having been upgraded from being B listed on 9 June 1994. ^[2]

The bridge has been closed on numerous occasions due to damage from vehicular traffic. ^{[3] [4]} On 11 December 2020, planning permission was granted for a replacement bridge. ^[5] The new bridge, which has been named the Gairnshiel Jubilee Bridge, was opened in August 2023. ^[6] The original bridge has been retained for use by pedestrians and cyclists.

In May 2025, the new bridge was named as one of the winners of the annual Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) awards, and thereby longlisted for the RIAS Best Building in Scotland Award. The judges described it as "a fine example of how to integrate a modern vehicular bridge into a sensitive landscape". ^[7]

References

1. "Gairnshiel Bridge". Canmore. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
2. "GAIRNSHIEL BRIDGE OVER RIVER GAIRN (LB6747)". Historic Environment. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
3. "Replacement plans for Gairnshiel Bridge". Deeside Piper and Herald. 2016-06-08. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
4. Beattie, Kieran (2022-02-08). "Gairnshiel Bridge: Work on long-awaited replacement to start within months". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
5. "New bridge to take the strain at Gairnshiel". Cairngorms National Park Authority. 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
6. Taylor, Shanay (11 August 2023). "New £3.8m Gairnshiel Bridge finally opens". Press and Journal. Aberdeen. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
7. "Two castles and a prison on RIAS best buildings list". BBC News. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.