Glenfinnan Viaduct, Railway viaduct in Glenfinnan, Scotland
Description
Glenfinnan Viaduct is a concrete railway bridge in the Scottish Highlands, extending 380 meters (1,247 feet) across the valley and supported by 21 arches. The structure rises 30 meters (98 feet) above the valley floor and carries trains on the West Highland Line through the landscape between forested slopes.
History
Work began in 1897 under engineer Robert McAlpine, who chose to build the bridge from concrete rather than stone. After four years of construction, it opened in 1901 and connected Scotland's west coast to the railway network.
Culture
The bridge became a favorite subject for photographers after appearing in the Harry Potter films as the route to Hogwarts. Many visitors arrive at midday to watch the steam train cross the arches and send clouds of smoke over the valley.
Practical
A marked path from the visitor center leads to viewpoints where you can see the arches and the passing trains clearly. The best time for photos is in the morning or afternoon when sunlight reaches the valley and the trains pass through.
Did you know?
The bridge was one of the first major concrete structures in Britain and was considered a technical novelty at the time. McAlpine mixed the concrete on site using sand and gravel from the nearby river, giving the arches a slightly reddish tint.
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The Scottish Highlands span thousands of square miles in northern Scotland, offering striking landscapes of mountains, jagged coastlines, and remote lakes. This region retains villages that only recently gained road access, such as Rhenigidale on Harris Island, connected to the rest of the island in...
Scotland offers photographers a wide range of landscapes and historical sites. This collection includes coastal formations like Bow Fiddle Rock and Sandwood Bay, medieval fortresses such as Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, and mountains and glens like Glencoe and the Cairngorms. On the Isle of...
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