Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Month-long closure of A816 between Oban and Lochgilphead after huge landslide

A significant number of roads in the area are closed due to landslides, with a new yellow warning for rain issued for today.

Oban Mountain Rescue Team at the scene of the landslip on the Oban to Lochgilphead road at Ardfern.
The A816 will be closed for four weeks as the council deals with the landslides caused by the rain. Image: Oban Mountain Rescue Team.

The A816 road at Ardfern, between Oban and Lochgilphead, will be closed for four weeks after three massive landslides caused by heavy rain blocked a 220 yard section.

The landslides brought 6,000 tonnes of debris cascading onto the route.

The council gave the latest updates on the major issue on a statement released today, explaining how massive boulders were causing an obstruction.

It said: “There are large potentially unstable boulders (some estimated to exceed 70 tonnes) high on the slope.

“Further assessment will be undertaken, and more information will be available, after today’s predicted heavy rainfall.”

A car stuck int he mud at Ardfern on the A816.
There are around 6,000 tonnes of debris on the A816 at Ardfern caused by the landslides.  Image: Oban Mountain Rescue Team.

The local authority explained that remediation works will begin “following detailed assessment of the slope and boulders”.

The statement continued: “Works will start with removing or stabilising potentially unstable boulders to make the area safe for clearance works.

“Current estimates are that the road will remain closed for at least four weeks, subject to any further weather impacts. There is a diversion in place which is via the A83- A819 – 85 or vice versa.”

More roads in the area are affected

The council is currently undertaking a major clean-up operation as many other routes are still affected or closed.

A815 north of St Catherine’s before the A83 junction (landslip) 

There is between 250 and 300 tonnes of debris on the road which workers are in the process of clearing.

Additionally, several landslips on the A83 along the stretch at Dunoon road end have led to the closure of this road.

B836 Glen Lean (partial bridge collapse and landslip)  

This road will remain closed until the council can plan for a bridge replacement or repair.

B840 between Ford and Eredine (landslips) 

This road is closed due to a number of different landslips, with the council pushing on with debris clearance.

C30 West Loch Awe (landslips) 

This road is closed because of a landslip. The council is clearing the debris.

A814 Glen Douglas between Whistlefield and Arrochar (landslip) 

Now open – passable with care.

A815 Loch Eck (flooding) between Strachur and Benmore 

Now open – passable with care.

B828 Glen Mhor (landslip) 

This road is closed due to a landslip. The council is progressing with site clearance and investigating slope stability.

Warning against climbing hillside to take pictures of huge west coast landslide that almost killed two drivers

Conversation