River Sgitheach facts for kids
The River Sgitheach (pronounced SKEE-ach) is a beautiful river in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. It's also sometimes called Skiach or Skiack. In Scottish Gaelic, its name is Abhainn Sgitheach, which means "Hawthorn River."
This river starts high up on the southern side of Ben Wyvis, a large mountain. It then flows through an area called Strath Sgitheach. Along its journey, it passes by Clare plantation, the village of Swordale, and the village of Evanton. After flowing for about 13 miles (21 kilometers), the River Sgitheach finally reaches the Cromarty Firth. It joins the Firth near the old, ruined Kiltearn parish church. Close by, another river called the Allt Graad also flows into the Firth. Between these two rivers, you can find the ruins of an old building that was once used for salmon fishing by the Novar Estate.
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Exploring the River Sgitheach
The River Sgitheach is an important part of the local landscape. Even in summer, when the water level drops, the river can still be tricky to cross. It's often hard to get to the other side without getting your feet wet, even at places where people usually cross.
Bridges Crossing the River
There are five bridges that help people cross the River Sgitheach:
- An estate bridge in Strath Sgitheach
- The B817 road bridge, which you see as you enter Evanton
- A railway bridge
- The main A9 road bridge
- A wooden footbridge, which is very close to where the river meets the sea, about 100 yards away
River Name and Pronunciation
The river's name used to be spelled "Skiach" or "Skiack" in English. However, today, official maps from the Ordnance Survey and the Highland Council use the Gaelic spelling, Sgitheach. Remember, it's pronounced SKEE-ach!
Local Connections
The River Sgitheach also gave its name to a distillery called Glenskiach distillery. This distillery used to be near a place called Milton of Katewell, but it's not there anymore.
