A dramatic modern road bridge across the narrows close to the mouth of Loch Leven, the Ballachulish Bridge connects North and South Ballachulish, 8 miles (13 km) west of Kinlochleven. Opened in 1975, this steel-truss cantilever bridge was designed by W.A. Fairhurst and Partners of Newcastle (England) and built by the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Co. Ltd. Fairhurst reproduced the design as the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge in Newcastle five years later.
The Ballachulish Bridge replaced a ferry service which had crossed the loch at the same point for centuries, including a vehicle ferry which had run from 1912. This busy ferry often resulted in lengthy queues and many chose to drive around the loch, via Kinlochleven. However, the opening of the bridge effectively isolated Kinlochleven.
