A82 through Drumnadrochit · Chris Morgan · CC BY-SA 2.0 · cropped
BEAR Scotland, working for Transport Scotland, starts the next phase of rock slope work on the A82 near Grotaig on Monday, 28 September 2026. The contractor says a 24-hour lane closure with temporary traffic lights will sit on the west bank of Loch Ness, about 5.6 km south of Drumnadrochit, until Thursday, 24 December, weather permitting. The BEAR Scotland notice dated 22 September is the controlling timetable for anyone driving this trunk road.
This is a timed delay, not a full shutdown. Crews plan to work 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, including Sundays, with no night work currently listed, and they say they do not expect to close the whole road. Self-drive visitors building a Highlands loop, including anyone following a Scotland itinerary toward Loch Ness, should add slack on weekdays and treat Traffic Scotland as the last check before leaving the hotel.
- Start: Monday, 28 September 2026.
- Place: A82 near Grotaig, about 5.6 km south of Drumnadrochit on the west bank of Loch Ness.
- Control: 24-hour single-lane running with temporary traffic lights.
- Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Sunday; no night work currently planned.
- End: Thursday, 24 December 2026, subject to weather.
Lane Lights Sit on the West Bank of Loch Ness
Grotaig is a short stretch of the A82 between Invermoriston and Drumnadrochit. That is the same west-shore road cruise passengers and self-drivers use to reach Urquhart Castle, the loch viewpoints, and the village services at Drumnadrochit. Highways News restated the contractor plan on 23 September and placed the lights on the west bank of the loch, which matches the official location.
BEAR Scotland describes this as the next phase of rock slope stabilisation, not a new idea. The point for travelers is the date: Monday is the first day the 24-hour lane restriction is scheduled to be in force. If you are already in Fort William, Fort Augustus, or Inverness this weekend, assume the lights are live when you drive on Monday morning.
How the Traffic Lights Will Work Through 24 December
The restriction is a lane closure with temporary lights, in place around the clock. During the 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. working window, the contractor says traffic may be stopped in both directions for short periods so more complex slope work can proceed safely. Outside those hours the lights can still hold you to one lane, even if crews are not on the face.
No full road closure is currently anticipated. That is a planning fact, not a promise that the site will never stop both directions. Weather, rock movement, or a safety hold can change a night that was supposed to stay open. Recheck Traffic Scotland the evening before and again before you join the A82, and follow the signed lights rather than a screenshot from yesterday.
There is no long signed diversion around Grotaig in the notice. You stay on the A82 and take the lights. Motorhomes, coaches, and cars towing will feel that most: the queue is the delay. If you need a hard arrival, such as a timed Urquhart Castle slot, leave the previous town 45 to 60 minutes earlier than a clear-road timetable would suggest.
Peak Delays Belong to Daylight Hours
Michael Baxter, BEAR Scotland North West Improvements Scheme Manager, said delays are to be expected, especially at peak times. For this site, peak means the same windows visitors already use: mid-morning departures from Inverness or Fort William, lunchtime castle traffic, and late-afternoon returns. A 10-minute hold can become 30 minutes if a two-way stop coincides with a coach convoy.
Night driving is the cleaner option while the current plan holds. With no night work listed, overnight running should be one-lane lights without active slope crews. That still means slower speeds, temporary barriers, and possible queueing if a wide vehicle meets the lights. Do not treat 7 p.m. as a guaranteed free run until you see the live board.
Cruise Coaches and Self-Drive Loops Share the Same Pinch
Many Invergordon and Inverness cruise days put Loch Ness on a tight coach clock. A 24-hour lane restriction on the west bank can erase the slack those itineraries assume between the pier and Urquhart Castle. Guests booked through an Invergordon cruise port day should ask the operator whether the A82 Grotaig lights change the castle stop, the photo pull-off, or the return to the ship.
Self-drivers have more room to move the clock. Leave earlier, eat in Drumnadrochit after you clear the site rather than before, and avoid stacking Grotaig with other A82 works the same afternoon. The McColls 305 evening bus cancellation on a different A82 stretch south of Luss is a separate job. Do not mix those dates into this Grotaig plan.
Fuel, toilets, and a hot meal are easier in Drumnadrochit or Fort Augustus than in a temporary queue. Fill up before you enter the lights if the tank is low. Keep the car in gear and the headlights ready for spray off the loch, because the west-bank A82 already runs close to the water in wet weather even when the slope crews are not there.
Weather Can Push the 24 December End Date
BEAR Scotland ties the Thursday, 24 December finish to favourable weather. Rock-slope work on a lochside trunk road stops when wind, rain, or freeze-thaw makes the face unsafe. A slip of a few days in October can stack into a later December end, or into extra two-way stops inside the working window. Build a buffer if 24 December is also your airport day.
The live check is the same on a calm Tuesday and on a wet Saturday: Traffic Scotland, then the signed lights. The 22 September notice is the baseline. If BEAR posts a revised end date or a night-work change, that later notice wins. Do not assume Christmas week is clear until the lights are actually gone.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Drive the A82 on Monday, 28 September | Leave extra time from the first morning. Treat the Grotaig lights as live unless Traffic Scotland says otherwise. |
| Need Urquhart Castle or Drumnadrochit in daylight | Move the stop earlier in the day and keep a later lunch in the village after you clear the site. |
| Are on an Invergordon or Inverness cruise coach | Ask the operator whether the west-bank lights change the castle window or the return to the ship. |
| Must travel after 6 p.m. | Night work is not currently planned, but one-lane lights can still slow you. Recheck Traffic Scotland before you roll. |
Monday, 28 September is the start gate. Anyone already in the Great Glen should assume single-lane running from that morning.
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. is the delay window. Two-way stops for complex work are most likely inside those hours, seven days a week.
Thursday, 24 December is the weather-tied end. Do not lock an airport transfer to that date until the lights are actually removed.
When do the A82 Grotaig lane closures start?
Monday, 28 September 2026, according to the BEAR Scotland notice issued for Transport Scotland.
Is the A82 fully closed at Grotaig?
No full road closure is currently anticipated. The plan is a 24-hour lane closure with temporary traffic lights, plus short two-way stops during complex daytime work.
What hours will crews work on the A82 at Grotaig?
8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Sunday. BEAR Scotland says no night-time working is currently planned.
How long will the A82 Grotaig lights last?
Until Thursday, 24 December 2026, subject to favourable weather. A wet or windy autumn can push that date.
Where exactly is Grotaig on the A82?
About 5.6 km south of Drumnadrochit on the west bank of Loch Ness, on the trunk road between Invermoriston and the village.
Where should I check live delays before driving?
Traffic Scotland at traffic.gov.scot, plus the signed lights on the day. The 22 September BEAR notice is the baseline, not a substitute for the live board.
