A9 road
Encyclopedia
The A9 is a major road
running from the Falkirk
council area
in central Scotland
to Thurso
in the far north, via Stirling
, Bridge of Allan
, Perth
and Inverness
. At 273 miles (439 km), it is the longest road in Scotland and the fifth-longest A-road in the United Kingdom
. Historically it was the main road between Edinburgh
and John o' Groats
, and has been called the spine of Scotland.
In the south the road's importance has been eclipsed by (1) the A90
across the Forth Road Bridge
and the M90 motorway
, which now link Edinburgh more directly with Perth, bypassing Stirling and Bridge of Allan as formerly important bridge
points, and (2) the M9, which is now the main road between Edinburgh and Bridge of Allan. Between Edinburgh and Falkirk the old A9 route has been reclassified into the A803 and the B9080 amongst others; part of the route between Kirkliston and Maybury no longer exists as the area is now part of Edinburgh Airport. Between Falkirk and Bridge of Allan, the A9 survives as a more or less parallel road to the M9.
The link between the M9 and the A9, by Bridge of Allan, is the notorious Keir Roundabout. "The Keir roundabout produces more accidents per year than any other site in central Scotland."
In late 2008 the Scottish Government's transport plan for the next 20 years was announced. It brings forward planned improvements to the A9 in an attempt to stimulate the economy and protect jobs.
Work costing a total of £8.5 million will take place at Moy
, Carrbridge
and Bankfoot
. Northbound overtaking lanes will be created and the carriageways reconstructed at both Moy and Carrbridge. Junction improvements will also be made at Moy, with work under way from September 2009. The Carrbridge scheme was due to begin in February 2009.
Nationally, an extra £38 million was to be spent in the 2008 financial year, followed by a further £232 million in 2009 and 2010.
It is estimated the move will help support in the region of around 4000 jobs across Scotland.
In November 2011 the Scottish Government announced that it will upgrade the entire road from Perth to Inverness to dual carriageway, although work would not be completed until 2025.
, on the outskirts of Perth. Broxden Junction is one of the busiest and most important road junctions in Scotland.
In the north, beyond Inverness, the A9 designation has been transferred in response to construction of new bridges across the Moray Firth
(the Kessock Bridge
), the Cromarty Firth
and the Dornoch Firth
; and so that the A9 leads not to John o' Groats but to Scrabster Harbour
, Thurso, where a government-supported ferry service takes traffic to and from Stromness
in Orkney. Therefore various towns and villages which were on the A9 are now seriously distanced from this trunk road
.
Between Perth and Inverness, the A9 forms part of Euroroute E15
. Inverness is the northern terminus of this route, and it runs south to the southern Spanish town of Algeciras
.
to Bridge of Allan
the A9 runs through or near Bannockburn
, Plean
, Torwood
, Larbert
and Stirling
.
to Inverness
the A9 runs through or near Lecropt
, Dunblane
, Blackford
, Auchterarder
, Gleneagles
, Broxden Junction
, Perth
, Birnam
, Dunkeld
, Pitlochry
, Blair Atholl
, the Grampian Mountains
, Dalwhinnie
, Kingussie
, Aviemore
, Carrbridge
and Moy
.
the A9 runs across, through or near the Moray Firth
, the Black Isle
, Tore
, Muir of Ord
, Conon Bridge
, the Cromarty Firth
, Easter Ross
, Dingwall
, Evanton
, Alness
, Invergordon
, Nigg Bay
, Fearn
, Tain
, the Dornoch Firth
, Sutherland
, Dornoch
, The Mound, Golspie
, Dunrobin Castle
, Brora
, Helmsdale
, Caithness
, Berriedale (and the Berriedale Braes
), Badbea
, Dunbeath
, Latheron
, Mybster
,
Georgemas
and Thurso
. The road ends at Scrabster Harbour
, Thurso.
in the Raigmore
area of Inverness the A9 has junctions with other classified roads
as follows:
The A9 ends in Thurso, at Scrabster Harbour
.
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
running from the Falkirk
Falkirk (council area)
Falkirk is one of the 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland. It borders onto North Lanarkshire to the south west, Stirling to the north west, West Lothian to the south east and, across the Firth of Forth to the north east, Fife and Clackmannanshire...
council area
Council Area
A Council Area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Act.-Legislation :1889...
in central Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
in the far north, via Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
, Bridge of Allan
Bridge of Allan
Bridge of Allan is a town in Stirling council area in Scotland, just north of the city of Stirling. It was formerly administered by Stirlingshire and Central Regional Council....
, Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
and Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
. At 273 miles (439 km), it is the longest road in Scotland and the fifth-longest A-road in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Historically it was the main road between Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and John o' Groats
John o' Groats
John o' Groats is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. Part of the county of Caithness, John o' Groats is popular with tourists because it is usually regarded as the most northerly settlement of mainland Great Britain, although this is not a claim made by the inhabitants...
, and has been called the spine of Scotland.
In the south the road's importance has been eclipsed by (1) the A90
A90 road
The A90 road is a major north to south road in eastern Scotland, running from Edinburgh to Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire.From Edinburgh, it travels west and over the Forth Road Bridge, before turning into the M90 motorway. At Perth, the M90 again becomes the A90, now running north east to Dundee...
across the Forth Road Bridge
Forth Road Bridge
The Forth Road Bridge is a suspension bridge in east central Scotland. The bridge, opened in 1964, spans the Firth of Forth, connecting the capital city Edinburgh, at South Queensferry, to Fife, at North Queensferry...
and the M90 motorway
M90 motorway
The M90 is a motorway in Scotland. It runs from Inverkeithing, at the north end of the Forth Road Bridge, to Perth, passing Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath and Kinross on the way...
, which now link Edinburgh more directly with Perth, bypassing Stirling and Bridge of Allan as formerly important bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
points, and (2) the M9, which is now the main road between Edinburgh and Bridge of Allan. Between Edinburgh and Falkirk the old A9 route has been reclassified into the A803 and the B9080 amongst others; part of the route between Kirkliston and Maybury no longer exists as the area is now part of Edinburgh Airport. Between Falkirk and Bridge of Allan, the A9 survives as a more or less parallel road to the M9.
The link between the M9 and the A9, by Bridge of Allan, is the notorious Keir Roundabout. "The Keir roundabout produces more accidents per year than any other site in central Scotland."
Upgrades
The 138 mile (222 km) section between Bridge of Allan and Inverness, via Perth, was substantially rebuilt during the 1970s, '80s, and early '90s, but it follows essentially the same route except where it skirts towns and villages instead of running through their centres. Between Perth and Inverness the road has been dubbed the Killer, because of accidents and fatalities where dual-carriageway sections merge into single-carriageway - the principal cause being motorists driving at excessive speeds to overtake lines of slower-moving vehicles before the dual carriageway ends. The non-grade separated junctions along the northern sections where drivers make a right turn across the opposing traffic flow is another common cause of accidents. Since 2007, the Scottish Government has given serious consideration to converting the entire Perth-Inverness section to dual carriageway with more grade separated junctions, at an estimated cost of £600 million. The Scottish Parliament, where the SNP government at the time was in minority, voted to go ahead with the controversial Edinburgh Trams project. This resulted in the funding which would have significantly dualled the A9, being diverted to a project which has faced severe delays.In late 2008 the Scottish Government's transport plan for the next 20 years was announced. It brings forward planned improvements to the A9 in an attempt to stimulate the economy and protect jobs.
Work costing a total of £8.5 million will take place at Moy
Moy, Highland
The village of Moy is situated between the villages of Daviot and Tomatin, in the Highland region of Scotland. It sits beside Loch Moy and used to have a railway station on the Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway.-History:...
, Carrbridge
Carrbridge
Carrbridge is a village in Badenoch and Strathspey in the Scottish Highlands. It lies off the A9 road on the A938 road, west of Skye of Curr, southeast of Findhom Bridge, near Bogroy.It has the oldest stone bridge in the Highlands and nearby ancient pine forest contains the Landmark Forest...
and Bankfoot
Bankfoot
Bankfoot is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, approximately eight miles north of Perth and seven miles south of Dunkeld. Bankfoot had a population of 1,136 in 2001.-Education:...
. Northbound overtaking lanes will be created and the carriageways reconstructed at both Moy and Carrbridge. Junction improvements will also be made at Moy, with work under way from September 2009. The Carrbridge scheme was due to begin in February 2009.
Nationally, an extra £38 million was to be spent in the 2008 financial year, followed by a further £232 million in 2009 and 2010.
It is estimated the move will help support in the region of around 4000 jobs across Scotland.
In November 2011 the Scottish Government announced that it will upgrade the entire road from Perth to Inverness to dual carriageway, although work would not be completed until 2025.
Route
The M90 meets the A9 at Broxden JunctionBroxden Junction
Broxden Junction is one of the busier and more important road junctions in Scotland. It is located on the outskirts of Perth. The roundabout is an important hub of the Scottish road network, a major junction on the A9 north-south route, and the UK's northernmost motorway junction...
, on the outskirts of Perth. Broxden Junction is one of the busiest and most important road junctions in Scotland.
In the north, beyond Inverness, the A9 designation has been transferred in response to construction of new bridges across the Moray Firth
Moray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
(the Kessock Bridge
Kessock Bridge
The Kessock Bridge carries the A9 trunk road across the Beauly Firth at Inverness.-Description:The Kessock Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across the Beauly Firth, an inlet of the Moray Firth, between the village of North Kessock and the city of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.The bridge has a...
), the Cromarty Firth
Cromarty Firth
The Cromarty Firth of Cromarty') is an arm of the North Sea in Scotland. It is the middle of the three sea lochs at the head of the Moray Firth: to the north lies the Dornoch Firth, and to the south the Beauly Firth....
and the Dornoch Firth
Dornoch Firth
The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....
; and so that the A9 leads not to John o' Groats but to Scrabster Harbour
Scrabster Harbour
Scrabster is a small settlement on Thurso Bay in Caithness on the north coast of Scotland. It is some 1½ miles from Thurso, 22½ miles from Wick and 112 miles from Inverness....
, Thurso, where a government-supported ferry service takes traffic to and from Stromness
Stromness
Stromness is the second-biggest town in Orkney, Scotland. It is in the south-west of Mainland Orkney. It is also a parish, with the town of Stromness as its capital.-Etymology:...
in Orkney. Therefore various towns and villages which were on the A9 are now seriously distanced from this trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
.
Between Perth and Inverness, the A9 forms part of Euroroute E15
European route E15
The European route E 15 is part of the United Nations international E-road network. It is a north-south "reference road", running from Inverness, Scotland south through England and France to Algeciras, Spain...
. Inverness is the northern terminus of this route, and it runs south to the southern Spanish town of Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
.
Falkirk to Bridge of Allan
From FalkirkFalkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
to Bridge of Allan
Bridge of Allan
Bridge of Allan is a town in Stirling council area in Scotland, just north of the city of Stirling. It was formerly administered by Stirlingshire and Central Regional Council....
the A9 runs through or near Bannockburn
Bannockburn
Bannockburn is a village immediately south of the city of Stirling in Scotland. It is named after the Bannock Burn, a burn running through the village before flowing into the River Forth.-History:...
, Plean
Plean
Plean is a former mining village, in the Stirling Council area of central Scotland located on the main A9 road from Falkirk. At the 2001 census, Plean had a population of 1,740. Plean has some historic buildings, some council houses and an estate...
, Torwood
Torwood
Torwood is a small village located north-northwest of Larbert, north-west of Falkirk and south-southeast of Stirling. Torwood lies within the Falkirk Council area of Scotland....
, Larbert
Larbert
Larbert is a small town in the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The town lies in the Forth Valley above the River Carron which flows from the west. Larbert is 3 miles from the shoreline of the Firth of Forth and 2.5 miles northwest of Falkirk, the main town in the area...
and Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
.
Bridge of Allan to Inverness
From Bridge of AllanBridge of Allan
Bridge of Allan is a town in Stirling council area in Scotland, just north of the city of Stirling. It was formerly administered by Stirlingshire and Central Regional Council....
to Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
the A9 runs through or near Lecropt
Lecropt
Lecropt is a rural parish lying to the west of Bridge of Allan, Scotland.The population of the parish of Lecropt is estimated to be around 75, consisting entirely of isolated farms and houses, as well as the Keir Estate owned by the landed Stirling family...
, Dunblane
Dunblane
Dunblane is a small cathedral city and former burgh north of Stirling in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The town is situated off the A9 road, on the way north to Perth. Its main landmark is Dunblane Cathedral and the Allan Water runs through the town centre, with the Cathedral and the High...
, Blackford
Blackford, Perth and Kinross
Blackford is located in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, approximately from the town of Auchterarder. The town is located just off the A9 between Perth and Stirling. It is home to Highland Spring water and the Tullibardine whisky distillery.-History:...
, Auchterarder
Auchterarder
Auchterarder is a small town located north of the Ochil Hills in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and home to the famous Gleneagles Hotel. The 1.5 mile long High Street of Auchterarder gave the town its popular name of "Lang Toon"....
, Gleneagles
Gleneagles, Scotland
Gleneagles is a glen which connects with Glen Devon to form a pass through the Ochil Hills of Perth and Kinross in Scotland...
, Broxden Junction
Broxden Junction
Broxden Junction is one of the busier and more important road junctions in Scotland. It is located on the outskirts of Perth. The roundabout is an important hub of the Scottish road network, a major junction on the A9 north-south route, and the UK's northernmost motorway junction...
, Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, Birnam
Birnam, Perth and Kinross
Birnam is a town in Perthshire, Scotland. The town originated from the Victorian era with the coming of the railway in 1856, although the place and name is well known because William Shakespeare mentioned Birnam Wood in Macbeth.-Location:...
, Dunkeld
Dunkeld
Dunkeld is a small town in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is about 15 miles north of Perth on the eastern side of the A9 road into the Scottish Highlands and on the opposite side of the Tay from the Victorian village of Birnam. Dunkeld and Birnam share a railway station, on the...
, Pitlochry
Pitlochry
Pitlochry , is a burgh in the council area of Perth and Kinross, Scotland, lying on the River Tummel. Its population according to the 2001 census was 2,564....
, Blair Atholl
Blair Atholl
Blair Atholl is a small town in Perthshire, Scotland, built about the confluence of the Rivers Tilt and Garry in one of the few areas of flat land in the midst of the Grampian Mountains. The Gaelic place-name Blair, from blàr, 'field, plain', refers to this location...
, the Grampian Mountains
Grampian Mountains (Scotland)
The Grampian Mountains or Grampians are one of the three major mountain ranges in Scotland, occupying a considerable portion of the Scottish Highlands in northeast Scotland.-Extent:...
, Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie "Meeting Place" is a small village in the Scottish Highlands.-Location:Dalwhinnie sits at an altitude of 351 m. It is one of the coldest villages in the UK, having an average annual temperature of 6.5oC, making it suitable for winter walking and mountaineering.It is north of Drumochter,...
, Kingussie
Kingussie
Kingussie is a small town in the Highland region of Scotland. It is one settlement in the Highland Council ward of Badenoch and Strathspey, and is the capital of the district of Badenoch. It lies beside the A9 road, although the old route of the A9 serves as the town's main street...
, Aviemore
Aviemore
Aviemore is a town and tourist resort, situated within the Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands of Scotland. It is in the Badenoch and Strathspey committee area, within the Highland council area. The town is popular for skiing and other winter sports, and for hill-walking in the Cairngorm...
, Carrbridge
Carrbridge
Carrbridge is a village in Badenoch and Strathspey in the Scottish Highlands. It lies off the A9 road on the A938 road, west of Skye of Curr, southeast of Findhom Bridge, near Bogroy.It has the oldest stone bridge in the Highlands and nearby ancient pine forest contains the Landmark Forest...
and Moy
Moy, Highland
The village of Moy is situated between the villages of Daviot and Tomatin, in the Highland region of Scotland. It sits beside Loch Moy and used to have a railway station on the Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway.-History:...
.
Places
From InvernessInverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
the A9 runs across, through or near the Moray Firth
Moray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
, the Black Isle
Black Isle
The Black Isle is an eastern area of the Highland local government council area of Scotland, within the county of Ross and Cromarty. The name nearly always includes the article "the"....
, Tore
Tore, Scotland
Tore is a small village on the Black Isle, in the Highland region of Scotland.-Geography:It is located seven miles north of Inverness, next to the A9 road. The Tore roundabout, a major roundabout where the A9 intersects the A832 and the A835, is next to the village. It is split up and therefore...
, Muir of Ord
Muir of Ord
Muir of Ord is a village in Highland, Scotland. It is situated near the western boundary of the Black Isle, about 20 km west of the city of Inverness, and 10 km south of Dingwall...
, Conon Bridge
Conon Bridge
Conon Bridge is a small village in the Highland region of Scotland. The current Gaelic name is likely a neologism: the bridge wasn't built until the early 19th century and some early gravestones show the name sgudal or scuddle...
, the Cromarty Firth
Cromarty Firth
The Cromarty Firth of Cromarty') is an arm of the North Sea in Scotland. It is the middle of the three sea lochs at the head of the Moray Firth: to the north lies the Dornoch Firth, and to the south the Beauly Firth....
, Easter Ross
Easter Ross
Easter Ross is a loosely defined area in the east of Ross, Highland, Scotland.The name is used in the constituency name Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, which is the name of both a British House of Commons constituency and a Scottish Parliament constituency...
, Dingwall
Dingwall
Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...
, Evanton
Evanton
Evanton is a large village in Easter Ross, in the Highland Council Area of Scotland. It lies between the river Sgitheach and the Allt Graad, is north of the city of Inverness, some south-west of Alness, and north-east of Dingwall. The village has a dozen or so streets, the main one being...
, Alness
Alness
Alness is a town and civil parish in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. It lies near the Cromarty Firth, with the town of Invergordon to the east and the village of Evanton to the south west...
, Invergordon
Invergordon
Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
, Nigg Bay
Nigg Bay
Nigg Bay is a large relatively shallow sandy bay, consisting of mudflat, saltmarsh and wet grassland, located at the north east coast of the Cromarty Firth and is 5 miles to the east of Invergordon, in the district of Ross and Cromarty and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.During low...
, Fearn
Fearn
Last name: Fearner is derived from To fearn is an old word for navigating a boat, by any means.Fearn may refer to:* Fearn , the third letter of the Ogham alphabet, as named in Irish* Hill of Fearn, a village in Easter Ross, Scotland...
, Tain
Tain
Tain is a royal burgh and post town in the committee area of Ross and Cromarty, in the Highland area of Scotland.-Etymology:...
, the Dornoch Firth
Dornoch Firth
The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....
, Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
, Dornoch
Dornoch
Dornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east...
, The Mound, Golspie
Golspie
Golspie is a coastal village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. It has a population of around 1,650 people. It is located picturesquely on the shores of the North Sea in the shadow of Ben Bhraggie ....
, Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is the seat of the Countess of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie, and approximately south of Brora, on the Dornoch Firth close to the A9 road. Nearby Dunrobin Castle railway...
, Brora
Brora
Brora is a village in the east of Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. The village is situated where the A9 road and the Far North Line bridge the River Brora...
, Helmsdale
Helmsdale
Helmsdale is a village on the east coast of Sutherland, in the Highland council area of Scotland. The modern village was planned in 1814 to resettle communities that had been removed from the surrounding straths as part of the Highland Clearances....
, Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
, Berriedale (and the Berriedale Braes
Berriedale Braes
Berriedale is a small village on the northern east coast of Caithness, Scotland, on the A9 road between Helmsdale and Lybster, close to the boundary between Caithness and Sutherland. It is sheltered from the North Sea...
), Badbea
Badbea
Badbea is a former village by the cliff tops of the east coast of Caithness, Scotland, established during the Highland Clearances. Situated around north of Helmsdale, the village was settled in the 18th and 19th centuries by families evicted from their homes when the straths of Langwell, Ousdale...
, Dunbeath
Dunbeath
Dunbeath is a village in south-east Caithness, Scotland on the A9 road.It was the birthplace of Neil Gunn , author of The Silver Darlings, Highland River etc., many of whose novels are set in Dunbeath and its Strath...
, Latheron
Latheron
Latheron ) is a small village and civil parish in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, centred on the junction of the A9 with the A99....
, Mybster
Mybster
Mybster is a small village, in Caithness, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.Mybster lies 2 miles northwest of the Loch of Toftingall, with the village of Watten lying 2 miles directly to the east, and Thurso located 7 miles north along the A9 road....
,
Georgemas
Georgemas
Georgemas is an area in the county of Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, about south of the town of Thurso and about two kilometres east of the village of Halkirk.The area is served also by the A9, A882 and B874 roads...
and Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
. The road ends at Scrabster Harbour
Scrabster Harbour
Scrabster is a small settlement on Thurso Bay in Caithness on the north coast of Scotland. It is some 1½ miles from Thurso, 22½ miles from Wick and 112 miles from Inverness....
, Thurso.
Junctions
From the A96A96 road
The A96 is a major road in the North of Scotland.It runs generally west/north-west from Aberdeen, bypassing Kintore, Inverurie, Huntly and Forres, and running through Keith, Fochabers, Elgin and Nairn...
in the Raigmore
Raigmore
Raigmore is an area in the east of the city of Inverness, in the Highland council area of Scotland. The name is from the Gaelic for "the large fortified dwelling"....
area of Inverness the A9 has junctions with other classified roads
Great Britain road numbering scheme
The Great Britain road numbering scheme is a numbering scheme used to classify and identify all roads in Great Britain. Each road is given a single letter, which represents the road's category, and a subsequent number, with a length of between 1 and 4 digits. Originally introduced to arrange...
as follows:
- In the Inverness area:
- The A96A96 roadThe A96 is a major road in the North of Scotland.It runs generally west/north-west from Aberdeen, bypassing Kintore, Inverurie, Huntly and Forres, and running through Keith, Fochabers, Elgin and Nairn...
(Ordnance SurveyOrdnance SurveyOrdnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
). - The A82A82 roadThe A82 is a trunk road in Scotland. It is the principal route from Lowland Scotland to the western Scottish Highlands, running from Glasgow to Inverness, going by Loch Lomond, Glen Coe and Fort William. It is the second longest primary A-road in Scotland after the A9, which is the other...
in the Longman area . Just north of this junction the Kessock BridgeKessock BridgeThe Kessock Bridge carries the A9 trunk road across the Beauly Firth at Inverness.-Description:The Kessock Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across the Beauly Firth, an inlet of the Moray Firth, between the village of North Kessock and the city of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.The bridge has a...
carries the A9 over the Moray FirthMoray FirthThe Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
to the Black IsleBlack IsleThe Black Isle is an eastern area of the Highland local government council area of Scotland, within the county of Ross and Cromarty. The name nearly always includes the article "the"....
.
- The A96
- On the Black IsleBlack IsleThe Black Isle is an eastern area of the Highland local government council area of Scotland, within the county of Ross and Cromarty. The name nearly always includes the article "the"....
:- The B9161 .
- At ToreTore, ScotlandTore is a small village on the Black Isle, in the Highland region of Scotland.-Geography:It is located seven miles north of Inverness, next to the A9 road. The Tore roundabout, a major roundabout where the A9 intersects the A832 and the A835, is next to the village. It is split up and therefore...
, near Muir of OrdMuir of OrdMuir of Ord is a village in Highland, Scotland. It is situated near the western boundary of the Black Isle, about 20 km west of the city of Inverness, and 10 km south of Dingwall...
and Conon BridgeConon BridgeConon Bridge is a small village in the Highland region of Scotland. The current Gaelic name is likely a neologism: the bridge wasn't built until the early 19th century and some early gravestones show the name sgudal or scuddle...
:- The A832A832 roadThe A832 is a road in the Scottish Highlands, linking Cromarty, on the east coast, to Gairloch on the west coast, and beyond Gairloch to Braemore Junction. It is long and runs entirely in the former county of Ross and Cromarty...
and the A835A835 roadThe A835 is a road in the Scottish Highlands linking Inverness to Ullapool and the Far North of Scotland.The A835 starts at Tore on the Black Isle, seven miles north-west of Inverness at a junction with the A9. The A835 crosses the Black Isle to Conon Bridge, where the A832 crosses, linking Muir of...
. The A832 and the A835 meet the A9 at the same roundaboutRoundaboutA roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
, at Tore. The A832 links Muir of Ord with the A9. The A835 links Conon Bridge.
- The A832
- The B9169 .
- The B9163 . Just north of this junction the A9 bridges the Cromarty FirthCromarty FirthThe Cromarty Firth of Cromarty') is an arm of the North Sea in Scotland. It is the middle of the three sea lochs at the head of the Moray Firth: to the north lies the Dornoch Firth, and to the south the Beauly Firth....
to reach Easter RossEaster RossEaster Ross is a loosely defined area in the east of Ross, Highland, Scotland.The name is used in the constituency name Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, which is the name of both a British House of Commons constituency and a Scottish Parliament constituency...
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- In Easter RossEaster RossEaster Ross is a loosely defined area in the east of Ross, Highland, Scotland.The name is used in the constituency name Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, which is the name of both a British House of Commons constituency and a Scottish Parliament constituency...
:- Near DingwallDingwallDingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...
:- The A862 .
- In the EvantonEvantonEvanton is a large village in Easter Ross, in the Highland Council Area of Scotland. It lies between the river Sgitheach and the Allt Graad, is north of the city of Inverness, some south-west of Alness, and north-east of Dingwall. The village has a dozen or so streets, the main one being...
, AlnessAlnessAlness is a town and civil parish in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. It lies near the Cromarty Firth, with the town of Invergordon to the east and the village of Evanton to the south west...
, InvergordonInvergordonInvergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
area:- The B817 . The B817 runs through Evanton, Alness and Invergordon. The A9 alignment here is more west-east than south-north. Evanton and Alness are north of the A9. Invergordon is to the south.
- The B9176 .
- The B817 .
- The B817 .
- Near Nigg BayNigg BayNigg Bay is a large relatively shallow sandy bay, consisting of mudflat, saltmarsh and wet grassland, located at the north east coast of the Cromarty Firth and is 5 miles to the east of Invergordon, in the district of Ross and Cromarty and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.During low...
- The B9175 - for Nigg Ferry and, in the summer, a vehicle ferry for CromartyCromartyThe Royal Burgh of Cromarty is a burgh in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:It was previously the county town of the former county of Cromartyshire...
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- The B9175 - for Nigg Ferry and, in the summer, a vehicle ferry for Cromarty
- Near Hill of FearnHill of FearnHill of Fearn is a small village near Tain in Easter Ross, in the Scottish council area of Highland.-Geography:The village is on the B9165 road, between the A9 trunk road and the smaller hamlet of Fearn to the southeast. The parish church of Fearn Abbey stands a few minutes walk to the south-east...
:- The B9165 . Fearn railway station is on the B9165, about one mile (1.6 km) east of the A9.
- Near TainTainTain is a royal burgh and post town in the committee area of Ross and Cromarty, in the Highland area of Scotland.-Etymology:...
:- The B9174 .
- The B9174 ).
- The A836A836 roadThe A836 road is entirely within the Highland area of Scotland, and 129 miles long.It branches from the A9 near Tain and runs generally north through Bonar Bridge and Lairg, until Tongue. Between Lairg and Tongue the road is single track for 38 miles...
. Just north of this junction the A9 bridges the Dornoch FirthDornoch FirthThe Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....
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- Near Dingwall
- In SutherlandSutherlandSutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
:- The A949A949 roadThe A949 classified road is in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It has staggered junctions with the A9. From the A949 the A9 runs generally north to Thurso and generally south to Tain, Inverness, Perth, Stirling and Falkirk....
. - Near DornochDornochDornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east...
:- The A949A949 roadThe A949 classified road is in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It has staggered junctions with the A9. From the A949 the A9 runs generally north to Thurso and generally south to Tain, Inverness, Perth, Stirling and Falkirk....
. - The B9168 .
- The A949
- At The Mound, near RogartRogartRogart was originally a scattered crofting village, until the opening of the Rogart railway station at Pittentrail 1.5 miles to the southeast, is a newer industrialised village that grew around the arrival of the railway in 1886, with the older village remaining at the original location...
:- The A839A839 roadThe A839 road is in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It runs generally west from the A9 at The Mound near Golspie, via Rogart and Lairg, to the A837 at Rosehall. The Mound is a causeway or bridge carrying the A9 across the estuary of the River Fleet. Between The Mound and Lairg the...
. Rogart railway station is on the A839. From the Mound the A9 runs through or past GolspieGolspieGolspie is a coastal village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. It has a population of around 1,650 people. It is located picturesquely on the shores of the North Sea in the shadow of Ben Bhraggie ....
, Dunrobin CastleDunrobin CastleDunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is the seat of the Countess of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie, and approximately south of Brora, on the Dornoch Firth close to the A9 road. Nearby Dunrobin Castle railway...
and BroraBroraBrora is a village in the east of Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. The village is situated where the A9 road and the Far North Line bridge the River Brora...
before meeting another classified road, in Helmsdale.
- The A839
- The A949
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- In HelmsdaleHelmsdaleHelmsdale is a village on the east coast of Sutherland, in the Highland council area of Scotland. The modern village was planned in 1814 to resettle communities that had been removed from the surrounding straths as part of the Highland Clearances....
:- The A897A897 roadThe A897 single track road is entirely within the Highland council area of Scotland. It runs generally north from the A9 at Helmsdale to the A836 near Halladale Bridge, east of Melvich. The road passes through or near Kildonan, Kinbrace and Forsinard, and has a junction with the B871 at Kinbrace...
. From Helmsdale the A9 runs through Berriedale and DunbeathDunbeathDunbeath is a village in south-east Caithness, Scotland on the A9 road.It was the birthplace of Neil Gunn , author of The Silver Darlings, Highland River etc., many of whose novels are set in Dunbeath and its Strath...
before meeting another classified road, at Latheron, Caithness.
- The A897
- In Helmsdale
- In CaithnessCaithnessCaithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
:- At LatheronLatheronLatheron ) is a small village and civil parish in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, centred on the junction of the A9 with the A99....
:- The A99A99 roadThe A99 road is entirely within the former county of Caithness in the Highland of Scotland. It runs generally north/northeast from the A9 at Latheron to Wick and to the A836 at John o' Groats. It was part of the A9 until the A9 classification was transferred to what had been the A895-A882 link...
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- The A99
- At MybsterMybsterMybster is a small village, in Caithness, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.Mybster lies 2 miles northwest of the Loch of Toftingall, with the village of Watten lying 2 miles directly to the east, and Thurso located 7 miles north along the A9 road....
:- B870 .
- In the GeorgemasGeorgemasGeorgemas is an area in the county of Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, about south of the town of Thurso and about two kilometres east of the village of Halkirk.The area is served also by the A9, A882 and B874 roads...
area:- The A882A882 roadThe A882 road is entirely within Caithness in the Highland area of Scotland. It has a length of about and runs generally west/northwest from the A99 in the county town of Wick to the A9 in the Georgemas area....
. - The B874 .
- The A882
- In ThursoThurso-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
:- The A836A836 roadThe A836 road is entirely within the Highland area of Scotland, and 129 miles long.It branches from the A9 near Tain and runs generally north through Bonar Bridge and Lairg, until Tongue. Between Lairg and Tongue the road is single track for 38 miles...
. - The B874 .
- The A836A836 roadThe A836 road is entirely within the Highland area of Scotland, and 129 miles long.It branches from the A9 near Tain and runs generally north through Bonar Bridge and Lairg, until Tongue. Between Lairg and Tongue the road is single track for 38 miles...
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- The A836
- At Latheron
The A9 ends in Thurso, at Scrabster Harbour
Scrabster Harbour
Scrabster is a small settlement on Thurso Bay in Caithness on the north coast of Scotland. It is some 1½ miles from Thurso, 22½ miles from Wick and 112 miles from Inverness....
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External links
- Society for All British Road Enthusiasts entry for the A9
- Road to Nowhere - A9
- A9 information and map
- National Library of Scotland: Scottish Screen Archive (1982 documentary about the reconstruction of the A9 between Perth and Inverness)