Conon Bridge
Coordinates: 57°34′00″N 4°26′00″W / 57.56667°N 4.43333°W
Conon Bridge (Scottish Gaelic: Drochaid Sguideil, pronounced [t̪ɾɔxɪtʲ s̪kudtʲal]) is a small village in the Highland region of Scotland. The current Gaelic name is likely a neologism: the bridge was not built until the early 19th century and some early gravestones show the name sgudal or scuddle. One suggested source is the Old Norse "sku dal", valley of the fine views.
Situated near the market town of Dingwall, on the southern bank of the River Conon, in Ross-shire, it is at the western end of the Cromarty Firth. The village of Maryburgh is on the other side of the river.
Conon Bridge has a railway station on the line between Dingwall (the nearest town) and Inverness (the nearest city), which re-opened on 8 February 2013.[1] This had been proposed as a candidate for reopening after the success of doing so with nearby Beauly railway station.[2] In September 2012 the Minister for Housing and Transport Keith Brown confirmed it would reopen by February 2013 to offer an alternative to commuters during resurfacing work on the Kessock Bridge from February to June 2013.[3]
Amenities at present are a small fraction of what they once were, hosting only a Spar shop, Post Office, two hairdressing salons, a bar and separate hotel. It also has its own primary school, which the pupils then go on to Dingwall Academy. There is also a recently opened pharmacy. Private housing in the village is complemented by council estates. Future plans for the village include more exclusive, private housing schemes, a new primary school, a doctors' surgery and more shopping facilities for residents.
Footnotes
- ↑ "Conon Bridge platform reopened ahead of A9 bridge work". BBC News. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
- ↑ "Railway link proposed for airport". BBC. 17 July 2006. Retrieved 16 July 2006.
- ↑ "Conon Bridge railway station to reopen in 2013". BBC. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2012.