River Ardle facts for kids
The River Ardle is a cool river in Perthshire, Scotland. It's also known as Abhainn Àrdail in Scottish Gaelic. This river flows for about 10 miles through an area called Strathardle. It's a great place for salmon and trout to live!
Where Does the River Ardle Flow?
The River Ardle starts when two smaller streams, the Brerachan Water and the Allt Fearnach, join together. This happens at a place called Straloch, which is about 3 miles from the top of the valley.
The river then flows past Kindrogan House and Enochdhu. At Enochdhu, another stream called the Dirnanean Burn joins the Ardle. After that, it flows through the village of Kirkmichael.
The Ardle continues its journey past Ballintuim and Bridge of Cally. About half a mile south of Bridge of Cally, the River Ardle meets the Black Water. When these two rivers join, they form a new river called the River Ericht. The River Ericht then flows into the River Isla, which eventually joins the mighty River Tay.
You can find bridges crossing the Ardle at several spots. These include Enochdhu, Kirkmichael, Pitcarmick, Dalnabreck, Ballintuim, Blackcraig, and Cally Lodge. The main A93 also crosses the river at Bridge of Cally.
The Legend of Ardle's Grave
The name "Ardle" comes from a brave Pictish warrior. The Picts were an ancient people who lived in Scotland. This warrior was said to be a giant! He was killed in a big battle against the Danes in 903 AD, near Enochdhu.
People believe that the giant warrior Ardle was buried there. His supposed grave is a large mound of earth. You can find it in the garden of Dirnanean Lodge in Enochdhu. The mound is about 19 feet long and 3 feet wide.
At one end of the grave, there is a tall stone, about 5 feet high. No one is sure where this stone came from. It's probably not from prehistoric times, but it adds to the mystery of Ardle's Grave!
