THE journey is spectacular. Rising to 2,053ft, the Bealach na Ba road is known for its hairpin bends which make it ill-advised for learners, caravanners or anyone of a nervous disposition.
Tomorrow, three walkers will brave forecast force-nine winds to cover the scenic 18-mile route – which translates as the Pass of the Cattle – from Applecross to Lochcarron in Wester Ross.
Their aim is to raise funds for their vital petrol stati
on: the petrol pumps at Applecross have been empty for the last two months while a new community company has been working to take them over.
Before they can benefit the locals, however, they need urgent repairs – hence the sponsored walk which is set to bring in £2,500 from people guessing the number of steps it will take Andy Collis, Chris Ward and Alison Macleod to get to Lochcarron.
In the meantime, each household will be asked to contribute to the £5,000 cost of filling the tank for the winter so they can have a supply again. It is another example of the self-help the community has relied on to maintain the essential service.
The petrol station was taken over by the community council in 1995 with the help of £74,000 of taxpayers' money after the previous private operation went out of business. It was operated in conjunction with the local shop and post office until the shopkeeper indicated in November he no longer wished to run the pumps.
With individual community councillors fearing they could be held personally liable for a failed business, a new company was set up earlier this year to save the filling station for a second time.
Ms Macleod, who chairs the new company, said: "Keeping the filling station is important for Applecross because we are so remote. It's a big deal to cover 18 miles just to get fuel."
Lack of a supply recently has meant villagers having to give fuel for their own vehicles to visitors who had made the journey only to find Applecross "dry".
Ms Macleod said the filling station is vital to the community. "We are concerned that if the filling station goes, it will undermine the viability of the shop and post office. If they go, will people still want to stay here or will they move if they are seeing services disappearing?"
BACKGROUND
THE Applecross peninsula lies on the west coast of Ross-shire, directly opposite Skye, Raasay and Rona. Stories have been told of apple trees being planted in the shape of a cross by an ancient proprietor, but the area's name came from a corruption of Apor Crossan, or mouth of the River Crossan.
In 1850 nearly 3,000 people lived in the scattered townships of Applecross, now there are fewer than 300.
There are two roads into the area. One is the Bealach na Ba, an old drove road used historically to take cattle to market and the highest pass in Scotland.
The other is the longer coast road via Shieldaig which was opened in 1975.
The full article contains 519 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
