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MHG35416 - Scottish Hydro Workers Camp - Cannich

Summary

Site of the former Scottish Hydro workers camp at Cannich.

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Full Description

A large possible military camp situated between the A 831 public road that runs from Cannich to Comar Bridge and the River Glass. The camp is visible on oblique post-war RAF air phtographs (RAF 540/A/450, 217-19, flown 1950). Many Nissen and other types of huts can be seen along with a Mainhill S type aircraft hangar. The camp may have been built using ex-military hutting, to house workers for the various hydro-electric schemes that were under construction at the time of the photograph. He site today is occupied by new housing, a village hall and the Youth Hostel, which by the depiction on the most recent OS 1:10000 map (1971) has the same outline as that on the air photographs of 1950.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), August 1999

This camp was not of military origin but was built as part of the infrastructure created for the Mullardoch-Fasnakyle-Affric Hydro-Electric Scheme. At the height of the project around 2000 people were employed on the scheme. Highlanders, Lowland Scots, and men from all corners of the UK were joined by Irish, Poles, Czechs, Canadians, and German ex-prisoners of war. The workers were housed in two camps, the main centre at Cannich and another at Cozac, near Loch Mullardoch. Accommodation was provided in Nissen huts; one can still be seen near the present campsite in Cannich. The camp at Cannich resembled a typical war-time military camp. This was a major change to the small settlement that had existed for generations. Besides living quarters, there was an admin building, large workshop, canteen, sick bay, general store, and post office. A temporary generating station was established to provide power to the camp and immediate locality during construction work. The diesel-powered generators were housed in a large shed, which still stands today opposite the woods at Marydale. <1>

Cannich Village Hall was originally built as part of the camp and provided entertainment for the workers and the local community and served as a concert hall, cinema, and dance hall (see MHG66516).

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 3418 3152 (702m by 398m)
Map sheet	NH33SW
Civil Parish	KILMORACK
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

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