The only road leading to a small coastal community was reopoened to residents yesterday after being closed for more than a year.
The route to Crovie was closed to traffic last September following a landslip.
It meant villagers could only access their homes on foot and to do so they had to negotiate a private track or walk the 84 steps up a rock face.
Earlier this year fed up locals called for a public enquiry into the delays to repair the crumbling cliff face.
In August the council brought in a specialist geotechnical firm to fix the landslip and restore access to the village and two months the work has been completed.
About £500,000 has been spent on the project with Ballachulish-based Geo-Rope Ltd carrying out the work.
More than 170 soil nails and wire mesh have been used to pin back the earth and rocks on the hillside. Hollow drainage kerbs have been installed on the road surface.
The project was due to be finished next month and has now been successfully completed ahead of schedule.
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Councillor Peter Argyle, chairman of the local authority’s infrastructure services committee, hopes the completion of the work will bring “peace of mind” to the coastal community.
He said: “This was an extremely difficult and technical situation, requiring specialist expertise and significant sums of money, so I’m very pleased to see it conclude successfully.
“The council is not obliged to carry out this kind of work, but recognised the issues being faced by the community and the potential negative impact on tourism and I’m pleased we’ve been able to give the community peace of mind into the future.”
Councillor Andy Kille, chairman of the Banff and Buchan area committee, said access for residents to reach villages like Crovie and nearby Gardenstown, also affected by a landslip, was crucial.
Mr Kille said: “I’m very pleased the council recognised the issues being faced by the communities in Crovie and Gardenstown and was able to offer solutions to their landslips.
“Access to these villages is not only important for those who live and work there, but also for Aberdeenshire’s growing tourism industry, being famous all over the world.
“I’m delighted to see Crovie’s access road reopen – the quality of the work looks excellent and capable of withstanding the worst of the weather this coast will no doubt throw at it.”
