North Ford Causeway

A single-lane causeway over the North Ford between Benbecula and North Uist, at 3 miles (5 km) in length, the North Ford Causeway is the longest of a network of bridges and causeways which connect the islands in the Outer Hebrides. It was opened on the 7th September 1960 by the HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (1900 - 2002).

The causeway connects Gramisdale in Benbecula with Carinish in North Uist, via the western tip of the island of Grimsay and several other smaller islands. It incorporates three bridges, allowing for the passage of boats and the tide. Regularly-spaced passing places permit the two-way flow of traffic. Its construction required 350,000 tonnes of rock.

Previously the crossing had been problematic, with the tide ensuring that traversing the sands was impossible for much of the day, but the water was too shallow for a ferry.

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