It is difficult not to feel some sympathy for Richard and Carol Peakin, the couple from Durham whose journey to Fort William was disrupted by a fault at the Laggan bridge (see full story, page 3).
Being visitors to Lochaber and unfamiliar with the area, it is understandable that they would have been distressed by the bridge’s closure. Their anxiety was caused by not knowing how long the bridge would remain closed and at what time they might reasonably expect to reach the hotel they had booked in Fort William – if at all.
Mr Peakin took the decision to abandon their original plans and head for Inverness instead. That, of course, resulted in the couple incurring additional expense, which they have asked BEAR Scotland to refund, possibly as a donation to charity.