River Don, Aberdeenshire
Encyclopedia
The River Don is a river
in north-east Scotland
. It rises
in the Grampians and flows eastwards, through Aberdeenshire
, to the North Sea
at Aberdeen
. The Don passes through Alford, Kemnay
, Inverurie
, Kintore
, and Dyce
. Its main tributary
, the River Ury, joins at Inverurie
.
and down to Cock Bridge, below the picturesque site of the recently demolished Delnadamph Lodge. Several streams, the Dhiver, Feith Bhait, Meoir Veannaich, Cock Burn and the Allt nan Aighean merge to form the embryonic Don. Water from the north of Brown Cow Hill drains into the Don, while water from the west side runs into the River Spey
and that from the south side into the Dee
. The Don follows a circuitous route eastwards past Corgarff Castle
, through Strathdon
and the Howe of Alford before entering the North Sea just north of Old Aberdeen
.
The chief tributaries are Conrie Water, Ernan Water, Water of Carvie, Water of Nochty, Deskry Water, Water of Buchat, Kindy Burn, Bucks Burn
, Mossat Burn, Leochel Burn and the River Ury.
and trout
fishing as well as its castle
s and scenery.
of Alexandria
(d. c 168) as Δηουανα Devona, meaning 'goddess', an indication the river was once a sacred one. Near Kintore, not distant from the Don, is the Deers Den
Roman Camp. In 1750 the Don's lower reaches were channelled towards the sea, moving its confluence with the sea northwards.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in north-east Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It rises
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
in the Grampians and flows eastwards, through Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, to the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
at Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. The Don passes through Alford, Kemnay
Kemnay
Kemnay is a town west of Aberdeen in Scotland. It has a population of about 4,500 .- History :The villagename Kemnay is believed to originate from the Celtic words that mean bend and river due to...
, Inverurie
Inverurie
Inverurie is a Royal Burgh and town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north west of Aberdeen on the A96 road and is served by Inverurie railway station on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line...
, Kintore
Kintore, Aberdeenshire
Kintore is a town and former royal burgh near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, now bypassed by the A96 road between Aberdeen and Inverness. The name Kintore comes from the Gaelic, Ceann Tòrr. Ceann means the head, or the end, and Tòrr means a round hill. So the name signifies that the town...
, and Dyce
Dyce
Dyce is a civil parish and suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, about north west of Aberdeen city centre, and best known as the location of the city's airport. It is on the River Don.- History :...
. Its main tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
, the River Ury, joins at Inverurie
Inverurie
Inverurie is a Royal Burgh and town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north west of Aberdeen on the A96 road and is served by Inverurie railway station on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line...
.
Course of the river
The Don rises in the peat flat beneath Druim na Feithe, and in the shadow of Glen Avon, before flowing quietly past the ice-age moraineMoraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
and down to Cock Bridge, below the picturesque site of the recently demolished Delnadamph Lodge. Several streams, the Dhiver, Feith Bhait, Meoir Veannaich, Cock Burn and the Allt nan Aighean merge to form the embryonic Don. Water from the north of Brown Cow Hill drains into the Don, while water from the west side runs into the River Spey
River Spey
The River Spey is a river in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest-flowing river in Scotland...
and that from the south side into the Dee
River Dee, Aberdeenshire
The River Dee is a river in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It rises in the Cairngorms and flows through Strathdee to reach the North Sea at Aberdeen...
. The Don follows a circuitous route eastwards past Corgarff Castle
Corgarff Castle
Corgarff Castle is a castle in Corgarff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.Through much of its history Corgarff has been of strategic importance, guarding the quickest route from Deeside to Speyside, a route later followed by the military road from Blairgowrie to Fort George...
, through Strathdon
Strathdon
Strathdon is an area in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is situated in the strath of the River Don, 45 miles west of Aberdeen in the Highlands...
and the Howe of Alford before entering the North Sea just north of Old Aberdeen
Old Aberdeen
Old Aberdeen is part of the city of Aberdeen in Scotland. Old Aberdeen was originally a separate burgh, which was erected into a burgh of barony on 26 December 1489. It was incorporated into adjacent Aberdeen by Act of Parliament in 1891...
.
The chief tributaries are Conrie Water, Ernan Water, Water of Carvie, Water of Nochty, Deskry Water, Water of Buchat, Kindy Burn, Bucks Burn
Bucks Burn
The Bucks Burn is a stream in Aberdeen which flows into the River Don. It lends its name to the former town of Bucksburn which is now part of Aberdeen City....
, Mossat Burn, Leochel Burn and the River Ury.
Economy
Strathdon attracts visitors for salmonSalmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
fishing as well as its castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
s and scenery.
History
The river was recorded by the 2nd century AD cosmographer PtolemyPtolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
(d. c 168) as Δηουανα Devona, meaning 'goddess', an indication the river was once a sacred one. Near Kintore, not distant from the Don, is the Deers Den
Deers Den
Deers Den is an archaeological site at Kintore, Scotland in Aberdeenshire. The site has mesolithic remains, Iron Age artefacts and is a known Roman Camp. This site is partially disturbed and developed by the western part of Kintore itself. The site is associated with the Severan invasion, ca...
Roman Camp. In 1750 the Don's lower reaches were channelled towards the sea, moving its confluence with the sea northwards.
See also
- Brig o' BalgownieBrig o' BalgownieThe Brig o' Balgownie is a 13th century bridge spanning the River Don in Old Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland.Construction of the bridge was begun in the late 13th century by Richard Cementarius, although its completion was not until 1320 at the time of the Scottish War of Independence...
- Glenbuchat CastleGlenbuchat CastleGlenbuchat Castle is an historic Z plan Scottish castle built in 1590 for John Gordon of Cairnbarrow to mark his wedding. It is located above the River Don, near Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire. The building is roofless, but otherwise in fairly good repair....
- List of rivers of Scotland
- Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of ScotlandRivers and Fisheries Trusts of ScotlandThe Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland is a waterway society, an unincorporated association, a Scottish charity, and an umbrella organisation for river trusts in Scotland, based in Edinburgh.RAFTS is the representative of all of Scotland's river systems...
(RAFTS) - Association of Rivers TrustsAssociation of Rivers TrustsThe Rivers Trust is the new name for the Association of Rivers Trusts which is a waterway society and registered charity No. 1107144, and an umbrella organisation for trusts concerned with rivers in England and Wales...
(ART) - England/Wales equivalent of RAFTS - List of navigation authorities in the United Kingdom
- List of waterway societies in the United Kingdom