Landslide brings key Cowal route to a halt

A SIGNIFICANT landslide closed a section of the A815 this week, between Cairndow and Dunoon, near its junction with the A83 Rest and Be Thankful road on Monday night.
The incident and subsequent road closure caused significant travel disruption for motorists and businesses over several days, as council clean-up crews worked to remove the debris.
A specialist geotechnical inspection identified a significant volume of loose debris and large boulders on the hillside above the carriageway, raising concerns about the risk of further material falling onto the road, particularly with heavy rainfall forecast.
Engineers warned that the situation posed an ongoing safety risk, which led to the decision to keep the road closed overnight while further daylight assessments were carried out.
A diversion was put in place via the A83 Rest and Be Thankful, B828 Glen Mhor Road, B839 Hell’s Glen Road and the A815 Cairndow to Strachur and Dunoon, with the route reversed for vehicles travelling from Dunoon towards Glasgow or Lochgilphead.
However, the diversion itself was later restricted after an HGV left the road at the B828/B839 junction, prompting officials to prohibit vehicles over 7.5 tonnes from using the route.
Officials acknowledged the significant impact the closure and restrictions had on local communities and businesses but stressed that public safety remained the overriding priority.
Following further inspection on Tuesday, work to remove the largest boulders from the hillside was successfully completed. As a result, the A815 reopened on Wednesday morning under traffic management and was closed again at 4.00pm due to the remaining debris, reduced overnight visibility and ongoing weather concerns.
At the time of going to press, the council confirmed that the road will continue to open daily from 8.30am to 4.00pm until further notice, subject to weather conditions and ongoing safety assessments.
The diversion route will remain in place during closures, with the restriction on vehicles over 7.5 tonnes continuing. Further updates will be issued via the council website as inspections and clearance operations progress.