Rest and Be Thankful – Current Status and Landslide Updates

The Rest and Be Thankful is a mountain pass along the A83 trunk road in Argyll, Scotland, serving as a vital connection between Argyll and Bute and the central belt. This stretch of road has become synonymous with disruption due to recurring landslides that have repeatedly closed the route, affecting thousands of residents, businesses, and visitors. Understanding the current status, underlying causes, and potential solutions requires a closer examination of the geology, infrastructure investments, and long-term planning underway to secure this critical artery.

BEAR Scotland, which manages the route on behalf of Transport Scotland, operates a daily monitoring protocol to assess hillside stability. Road users are encouraged to check real-time updates before travelling, as conditions can change rapidly depending on weather patterns and ground movement detected by remote sensors installed throughout the glen.

What Is Rest and Be Thankful?

The Rest and Be Thankful is a named viewpoint and pass on the A83 trunk road through Glen Croe in Argyll. Situated at an elevation exceeding 300 metres, the road descends through some of Scotland’s most dramatic highland scenery before connecting with the wider trunk network toward Glasgow and the central belt. For communities in Argyll and Bute, this route represents more than a scenic drive; it is an essential economic and social lifeline carrying everything from daily commuters to heavy goods vehicles supplying local businesses.

The pass derives its name from a historic viewpoint established in the 1940s, where travellers traditionally stopped to rest before continuing their journey through the challenging terrain. Today, that tradition of pausing carries a different meaning, as drivers frequently find themselves stopped by road closures rather than scenery.

Key Facts About the Rest and Be Thankful

Snapshot Facts

Why Is Rest and Be Thankful Closed?

The Rest and Be Thankful experiences recurrent closures primarily due to landslides triggered by a combination of geological factors and extreme weather. The hillside above the A83 comprises steep slopes underlain by materials susceptible to movement when saturated. Prolonged rainfall increases pore water pressure within the ground, reducing stability and allowing material to shift without warning.

The problem has intensified over recent years. The most significant recorded events occurred in 2020, when two major landslides deposited 6,000 tonnes and subsequently 10,000 tonnes of debris onto the road below. Following these catastrophic slips, Transport Scotland implemented a comprehensive management strategy and intensified monitoring across the site. Research into Scottish hillside instability has helped inform the approach taken in managing this challenging section of trunk road.

What Caused the Recent Landslides?

Severe weather in late 2025 brought approximately 160mm of rainfall to the Rest and Be Thankful area within a 36-hour period, equivalent to roughly a month’s worth of precipitation falling in a day and a half. This extreme rainfall event triggered six separate landslips within the closed section between Inveraray and the Rest and Be Thankful, depositing around 2,000 tonnes of debris onto the A83.

The cumulative effect of repeated saturation events has weakened the hillside structure. Ground that has experienced previous movement retains reduced stability, meaning subsequent rainfall events can trigger further slips more readily than would be expected under normal conditions.

Is Rest and Be Thankful Open Today?

Traffic returned to the A83 at Rest and Be Thankful on 12 January 2026 at approximately 10:30am following thorough hillside inspections by engineering teams. The road reopened under traffic signal control to facilitate ongoing drainage improvements and fencing works along the affected section. This represented a significant milestone after weeks of disruption caused by the late 2025 weather event.

However, the current operating arrangement is not a return to normal service in the traditional sense. BEAR Scotland continues to review conditions daily, with teams monitoring data from remote sensors positioned across the hillside. When sustained rainfall or sensor readings indicate elevated risk, the Old Military Road diversion is activated as a precautionary measure.

When Will Rest and Be Thankful Reopen Fully?

No fixed date exists for a permanent reopening of the A83 through the Rest and Be Thankful without restrictions. The road currently operates under a daily management protocol where conditions are assessed each morning before determining whether to open the main route or maintain the diversion. This adaptive approach prioritises safety while maintaining access for the community.

As of October 2025, the A83 continued to operate under temporary traffic lights while residual works were completed. The January 2026 reopening demonstrated that progress is being made, but full resilience will require the long-term infrastructure solutions currently under development.

What Are the Alternative Routes?

When the A83 through Glen Croe is closed, the Old Military Road serves as the primary diversion route. This single-track road runs parallel to the A83 at a lower elevation and is activated during periods of inclement weather or when hillside sensors indicate saturated conditions. The diversion adds travel time but ensures residents can still access Argyll without completing a substantially longer journey around the region.

In January 2026, the Old Military Road was deployed as a safety precaution when 76mm of rainfall was recorded within a 24-hour period. The decision to activate the diversion was made proactively to prevent vehicles from being stranded on the main road during any potential emergency closure.

Other Affected Routes During Severe Weather

The late 2025 storms that impacted the Rest and Be Thankful also caused closures on several other routes in the wider region. The A85 at Loch Awe, the A828 at Benderloch, and the A84 at Anie Straights all experienced flooding-related closures, demonstrating how weather events can create widespread disruption across Argyll’s road network rather than affecting a single point of failure.

This broader network vulnerability reinforces the importance of the A83 as a lifeline route. When multiple roads are closed simultaneously, the practical options for accessing the region become severely limited, affecting not just local residents but emergency services, supply chains, and tourism-dependent businesses.

What Are the Future Plans for Rest and Be Thankful?

Transport Scotland is progressing the “Access to Argyll and Bute (A83) project,” which aims to develop a more resilient and sustainable route addressing the longstanding challenges at the Rest and Be Thankful. This programme represents the most significant commitment to date of addressing the root causes of repeated disruption rather than merely managing symptoms through reactive closures and temporary diversions.

The project remains in developmental stages, with various options under consideration to provide long-term stability. While specific route configurations have not been finalised, the programme acknowledges that conventional slope management alone cannot provide the level of reliability required for this critical connection. The Transport Scotland project page provides ongoing updates on the programme’s progress.

Current Mitigation Infrastructure

Significant investment has been directed toward physical mitigation measures over more than a decade. Six catch-pits have been constructed near the A83 to capture debris before it reaches the carriageway. Robust debris fences cover all main water channels on the hillside, providing a secondary barrier against smaller events. A temporary embankment has been established near the Old Military Road to strengthen the diversion route’s resilience.

Remote monitoring technology collects detailed information continuously, with data reviewed daily by engineering teams to determine safe operating conditions. These systems can detect ground movement before it becomes visible to road users, providing early warning that enables preemptive closures when conditions deteriorate.

Timeline of Major Events

The Rest and Be Thankful has a documented history of slope instability, with events increasing in both frequency and scale over recent decades:

1. 1940s: Named viewpoint established at the Rest and Be Thankful pass, providing a stopping point for travellers through Glen Croe.
2. 2012: First major landslide recorded at the Rest and Be Thankful, marking the beginning of heightened concern about slope stability.
3. 2020: Catastrophic landslides of 6,000 tonnes and 10,000 tonnes occur within the same year, prompting Transport Scotland to implement comprehensive management strategy.
4. Late 2025: Extreme rainfall event deposits 160mm in 36 hours, triggering six landslips and 2,000 tonnes of debris on the A83.
5. October 2025: A83 operates under temporary traffic lights while residual works continue.
6. 12 January 2026: Traffic returns to the A83 following thorough inspections; road opens under traffic signal control at 10:30am.

What We Know and What Remains Unclear

Context and Significance

The Rest and Be Thankful sits within Glen Croe, a glacially carved valley surrounded by some of Scotland’s most celebrated highland scenery. The road through this landscape carries significance beyond its engineering challenges; it provides the practical means by which Argyll’s communities remain connected to services, employment, and social networks centred in the central belt.

For the tourism sector, which forms a substantial part of Argyll’s economy, reliable road access is essential. Visitors travelling to destinations including Loch Fyne, Inveraray, and the Mull of Kintyre all depend on the A83 as their primary approach route. Repeated closures impose costs that extend well beyond the immediate inconvenience of a longer journey.

Understanding the normal resting heart rate as a metaphor for the region’s pulse illustrates how essential this road is to the area’s vitality. Just as a steady heart rate indicates healthy cardiovascular function, a reliable A83 indicates a functioning connection between communities.

Sources and Official Statements

“The road currently operates under a daily management protocol where BEAR Scotland reviews conditions to determine whether to use the main A83 or activate the Old Military Road diversion.”

— BEAR Scotland, A83 Rest and Be Thankful Project Updates

“Transport Scotland is progressing the ‘Access to Argyll and Bute (A83) project,’ which aims to develop a more resilient and sustainable route to Argyll and Bute and provide a longer-term solution to the challenges at the Rest and Be Thankful.”

— Transport Scotland

Information in this article draws from official sources including BEAR Scotland project documentation, Highways News incident reporting, and Traffic Scotland operational updates.

Summary

The Rest and Be Thankful represents one of Scotland’s most challenging pieces of road infrastructure, where the fundamental geography of the landscape conflicts with the need for reliable connectivity. Current arrangements through daily monitoring, physical mitigation measures, and the Old Military Road diversion provide an operational framework that prioritises safety while maintaining access. Long-term solutions remain under development through the A83 Access to Argyll and Bute project, though specific details of proposed permanent improvements have not been published. Road users planning journeys to or from Argyll should verify current status through official channels and allow flexibility in their travel plans during periods of adverse weather. For those interested in understanding broader topics related to resilience and response, the principles of monitoring and adaptation discussed here have parallels in how we might consider factors affecting vehicle performance under variable conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions