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 The A836 in theScottish Highlands | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 122 mi (196 km) |
| Existed | 1922–present |
| Major junctions | |
| South end | Tain 57°49′51″N4°06′24″W / 57.8307°N 4.1067°W /57.8307; -4.1067 |
| Major intersections |  A9 A949 A837 A839 A838 (twice) A897A9 A99 |
| North end | John o' Groats 58°38′19″N3°04′08″W / 58.6386°N 3.0689°W /58.6386; -3.0689 |
| Location | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Primary destinations | Thurso,John o' Groats |
| Road network | |
TheA836 is a majorroad entirely within theHighland area ofScotland. It is 122 miles (196 km) long[1] and runs fromRoss and Cromarty toCaithness, with the majority of its length inSutherland. At 58.648°N where it passes throughEast Mey,[2] it is the northernmost A-class road in mainland Great Britain.
As it branches from theA9 nearTain it is aPrimary route and runs generally north throughBonar Bridge andLairg this is where it changes from a primary route to a A-classed road. AtTongue the road turns east, following the north coast, passing throughThurso, and eventually ending atJohn o' Groats, where it meets theA99.
The A836 passes through some of the loneliest and most sparsely populated parts of Britain,[3] and despite having an 'A' classification, is a single track road in many places.[4] It is a hazardous route in winter owing to the narrow road width, sharp gradients and turns, and is particularly not a recommended route for goods and livestock vehicles, unless strictly necessary.[5]
TheNorth Coast 500 scenic route runs along part of the A836.
Originally, in 1922, the A836 was designated from Bonar Bridge to Tongue. By 1935 this had been extended south toAlness and east to John o'Groats. Prior to the opening of theDornoch Firth Bridge in 1991, the section southeast of Bonar Bridge was part of the A9, and the B9176 fromArdchronie to its then-terminus at Alness was designated as A836.[6] The opening of the bridge removed a 26-mile (42 km) detour around the firth for traffic using the A9.
Media related toA836 road (Scotland) at Wikimedia Commons
