New work at Fisherman’s Walk damaged by storms
The latest victim of the new year storms to emerge is the Fisherman’s Walk in Brodick.
The extension work to the popular shore walk reported by the Banner has been damaged by Storm Brendan which battered the island for days, however, it is not too serious.
The Arran Access Trust has just spent £16,000 extending the boardwalk at the Brodick end another 70 metres along the shore to try to raise the height of the walk above the high tide.
Alastair Deery, who took the photograph, right, showing the damage, said: ‘A south wind and a single high tide wrecked new work on Fisherman’s Walk. A tide barrier is needed in the bay here.’
Access trust chairman Malcolm Whitmore said: ‘Having been alerted to the damage last Thursday I visited on Friday morning to find Scott Murdoch’s Arran Footpaths and Forestry team already on the case and effecting repairs.
Modifications
‘Despite the combination of exceptionally high tide and gale force winds the majority of the boardwalk weathered the storm without damage indicating that the modifications made to the route during last summer have been successful.
‘The most recent work was aimed at extending the boardwalk beyond the concrete bridges which regularly flooded at spring tides and again this work has been a success having raised the walkway beyond the reach of normal tides.
‘Maintaining the Fisherman’s Walk in the face of increasingly severe weather events and rising sea levels is always going to be a challenge but the access trust is conscious of its value to the many users – it may well be the most walked path on Arran – and we are committed to keeping it open and walkable for as long as is possible.’
Meanwhile, the flooding clear up has been continuing around the island with extensive damage having been caused to road surfaces and rivers and burns still full to overflowing.