Corrieyairack Pass

The Corrieyairack Pass is a high mountain route in the Scottish Highlands. It stands at 770 metres above sea level near grid reference NN417986. The pass is best known for General Wade’s military road built in 1731. This road once linked Fort Augustus in the Great Glen to Melgarve in Strath Spey. It played a part in the Jacobite rising of 1745 when Prince Charles Edward Stuart camped near its summit. Government forces later approached but retreated after seeing the strong Jacobite position. The pass remains important for its historical military road. The Highland Council warns that the stone road surface is badly eroded and unsuitable for vehicles. It is now mainly used by walkers and mountain bikers. The road is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument with six separate sections listed. These sections stretch from Melgarve in the south-east to Culachy in the north-west. Each section shows parts of the original 18th-century construction. Visitors today find a rugged upland landscape with few signs of modern traffic. The military road survives as uneven stone paving in places, though much has been lost to erosion. The route offers quiet paths for hikers and cyclists through open moorland. Views extend across the surrounding glens and hills. The pass remains a reminder of Scotland’s 18th-century military history and the Jacobite conflicts. Its protected status helps preserve this historic landscape for future generations.