Flooding cuts off access to Glenfinnan Monument

The National Trust for Scotland says last week’s floods which saw it forced to close footpath access to its famous Glenfinnan Monument have not affected the foundations of the iconic structure.

The giant edifice on the shores of Loch Shiel, which commemorates the Jacobite Rising of 1745, is reputed to stand on the spot where Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard.

The heavy rains last week saw the level of the nearby loch rise to the extent the waters flooded the adjacent Highland games field and came within 10 feet of the monument itself.

But while the monument was not affected, public access via the footpath had to be closed off for several days due to the water.

A spokesperson for the National Trust for Scotland told the Lochaber Times: ‘Despite the terrible weather conditions experienced on Tuesday [October 9], this level of flooding is not exceptional at Glenfinnan. Every winter, the water tends to come up to the tower base at least once.

‘There is no evidence of the weather or the flooding causing any immediate damage.

‘The monument is inspected several times a year to check its structural integrity and at the same time the soil around the tower is sampled with a probe for water content.’

The Glenfinnan Monument has tilted from the vertical over many decades – thought to be about a millimetre of movement each year – primarily due to the sandy soil that its foundations are sunk into. The tilt on the tower was recently about 3.5 degrees off vertical. The National Trust for Scotland monitors the tilt by the use of four laser points located in the surrounding landscape.

The Lochaber Times also contacted Glenfinnan Community Council to ask if the rising flood waters had caused any concerns regarding the small private cemetery located near the monument and close to Loch Shiel, which is still used.

A community council spokesperson commented: ‘This area has always been subject to flooding and the trustees will be keeping an eye on the area. There are no immediate concerns.’

Picture courtesy of The National Trust for Scotland. The public path to the Glenfinnan Monument was submerged by flood waters last week.

Photograph: Stephen Carruthers. The games field in Glenfinnan was completely flooded.