August 14, 2025
Following Storm Eowyn in January 2025 - the Ardwell farmer reported to Scottish Power Energy Network that one of their power-line poles supplying the telephone relay mast on Pinbain Hill was unstable and swaying back and forward in high winds. Despite a couple of inspection visits and repeated phone calls nothing was done to remedy the situation over the next six months - till early August when Gillian reported concern about the safety of her walking group and others, since this pole was now directly overhanging the old coach road trail high on the hill, which is a spectacular feature on the Ayrshire Coastal Path.
On 5 Aug 2025, following summer Storm Flores during the night - JB as ACP Trail Manager (and at the request of the farmer), phoned SP Energy Networks to express our concern for the safety of walkers on Pinbain Hill, where their power line pole had been hanging at an angle of around 40 degrees directly over the Coastal Path and farmer’s track traversing Pinbain Hill since January Storm Eowyn, and was only held up by its wires to adjacent poles. He emphasised that the farmer had reported it several times and was very concerned about the risk to his hill cattle and sheep of electrocution - and also that the ACP was equally concerned about the same risk to walking parties passing directly underneath - if it fell. JB was notified that an inspection engineer would visit the site within an hour, and report back.
A week later with no report, JB again contacted SPEN, and spoke with the line engineer who said that plans were now in place to stabilise the pole - with statutory procedures required for a temporary power outage to the relay mast while this was being done. The date is still uncertain but he would notify ACP as well as the farmer - as to when the work might take place. Watch this space.
