Not many people are aware of the fact that during the summers of 1957 and 1958 a detachment of approx 300 RAF personnel from the Airfield Construction Branch 5004 Squadron (mostly RAF National Servicemen) worked from April to September each year building the road to the top of the mountain and all the Military buildings and infrastructure. They lived in tents under arduous conditions (at times most of the tents and their contents were completely blown away) and in serious inclement weather the Servicemen took shelter in solme of the old stone cleats). They worked for 6 days each week and It is recorded that these conditions led to 2 mutinies taking place. A quarry was opened and material for the roads and other buildings blasted. When the quarry blasting took place up to a million birds took to the air ! Their link to the mainland was by 2 x 800 ton flat bottomed front opening Royal Navy tank landing craft vessels, manned by ROAC Army crews, who made the hazardous trips from the military port at Cairnryian as and when weather permitted. For any further info and photographs feel free to contact Mr Honey. pgh122@hotmail.com.
thanks. interesting place
Not many people are aware of the fact that during the summers of 1957 and 1958 a detachment of approx 300 RAF personnel from the Airfield Construction Branch 5004 Squadron (mostly RAF National Servicemen) worked from April to September each year building the road to the top of the mountain and all the Military buildings and infrastructure.
They lived in tents under arduous conditions (at times most of the tents and their contents were completely blown away) and in serious inclement weather the Servicemen took shelter in solme of the old stone cleats).
They worked for 6 days each week and It is recorded that these conditions led to 2 mutinies taking place.
A quarry was opened and material for the roads and other buildings blasted.
When the quarry blasting took place up to a million birds took to the air !
Their link to the mainland was by 2 x 800 ton flat bottomed front opening Royal Navy tank landing craft vessels, manned by ROAC Army crews, who made the hazardous trips from the military port at Cairnryian as and when weather permitted.
For any further info and photographs feel free to contact Mr Honey.
pgh122@hotmail.com.
You are supposed to balance on the edge not just climb it.