THE ARRAN BANNER 20 YEARS AGO

Saturday October 24, 1998

Paths for all

Work has begun on the first six footpaths on Arran. Some of these paths will be new and are aimed at casual rather than serious walkers.

This is a project which is part of the Arran Access Initiative, a partnership of landowners and local people under the chairmanship of Scottish Natural Heritage.

The paths include Fisherman’s Walk from Brodick to Cladach, the footpath to Loch Garbad and improvements on the track to Goatfell from High Corrie. The biggest path of all, over which there is still some uncertainty, may be from Brodick to Lamlash by way of the Fairy Glen.

Flood emergency

Last Friday torrential rain, high tides and swollen burns brought flooding to Arran such has not been seen in living memory.

It all happened within two hours during the late morning, yet left behind it a trail of damage which will take years, and hundreds of thousands of pounds, to put right. This week has been one of clearing up. Council workers have been clearing rock and silt from the roads, the water board have been trying to reinstate water supplies, householders have been throwing out sodden carpets and furniture and insurance assessors have been going from house to house to give their verdicts. On Tuesday residents were told that this was a freak, a once-in-a-lifetime happening and people could rest assured that it would not happen again. Then on Thursday it did happen again. Torrential rain fell for a few hours on Thursday afternoon and again roads were being closed due to landslides, more bridges were being swept away and all of the effort of clearing up had been rendered worthless.

The forecast for the next week is more heavy rain and after what happened last week, people will look forward to the coming rainfall with much anxiety.

New engine

One incident from last Friday’s flood was that one of the brand new Stagecoach buses will require a new engine costing £6,000.

It is believed that the driver contacted the depot for advice when confronted with deep water in Lamlash. That advice was to proceed through the water. Unfortunately it was too deep, the bus stopped and the engine was wrecked.

Although the driver was initially suspended, as normal practice pending an investigation, it is understood that earlier this week an inspector came over, looked at the facts, and the driver is now back on the job.

Gillian McFadzean on Buttons and Mhairi Holmer on Anna who came first and second respectively in the Cairnhouse Challenge last week. 01_B43twe05

Ken Abernethy, chairman of Argyll and the Islands Enterprise, chats with Peter Chappell of Lochranza at the AIE Open Day which was held in the Ormidale Pavilion. 01_B43twe03

Clean-up operations take place in Whiting Bay where overflowing culverts raised the road and Tarmac which was submerged under the water. 01_B43twe01

Alf Holliday congratulates George McGovern of Whiting Bay on his retirement from the Hydro Electric Board. George, who retired last month, has been with the board for 20 years. 01_B43twe04

Emergency tankers were drafted in to replenish supplies after damaged water pipes left island residents without water. 01_B43twe02