54149: Roads and Tracks in Pairc

The Garyvard-Balallan road was commenced under contract by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland in 1919 and completed in 1924. The Calbost-Gravir road was constructed in 1934-36, and those to Orinsay and Caverstay in 1948 and 1953 respectively.

Before the road to Caverstay was built there was only a narrow track by which everything being transported from Garyvard had to be carried. The track which left from the roadside where the postbox at No 5 is today crossed the Caverstay river and was so difficult to negotiate that it had rails in places to stop people falling down the cliff side known as the ‘Catha’, a name which also appears in Harris as you turn south out of Tarbert. Some of this track has now been widened and is used to this day.

The first road suitable to carry traffic to the Baile Staigh down to Crofts 1b, 2 and 3 was completed in 1957. Those who worked on the road were John Macleod (Foreman) Hillside Cottage, 6 Garyvard, A Macdonald 1b Garyvard, M Macleod 9 Garyvard, DJ Macleod 5 Garyvard and AD Mackinnon, Seahaven, 1 Garyvard.

The present road more or less follows the same route as the original gravel road.