The River Nairn is a river in the Scottish Highlands

Scottish Highlands

The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...

 which rises in the Monadhliath Mountains

Monadhliath Mountains

The Monadhliath Mountains, or Monadh Liath , are a range of mountains in Scotland. The name derives from Scottish Gaelic, and means "grey mountains". Running in a northeast to southwest direction, the mountains lie on the western side of Strathspey, to the west of the Cairngorms and to the south...

 and flows northeast through Strathnairn

Strathnairn

Strathnairn lies 8 miles South West of Inverness and borders the Monadhliath Mountains. The Strath's borders reach to the north where Clava cairn and the Culloden Battlefield lie, following the River Nairn south through Daviot, Farr, Brin, Croachy, and finally ending near Dunmaglass....

 to enter the Moray Firth

Moray Firth

The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...

 at Nairn

Nairn

Nairn is a town and former burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness...

. The headwaters of the Nairn, the Allt Mor and Cròm-allt Beag drop steeply down the western slopes of Carn Ghriogair, their combined waters flowing beneath the B851 road and turning northeastwards. They young River Nairn is soon joined by the diminutive River Brin on the right bank and later by a burn draining the sizeable Loch Duntelchaig

Loch Duntelchaig

Loch Duntelchaig is a loch in the traditional county of Inverness-shire in the Scottish Highlands. It extends 5 km from the southwest to its outflow in the northeast and measures up to 1.75 km at its widest. The loch drains via Loch a Chlachain into the River Nairn. Loch Duntelchaig is...

 on the left. The River Farnack is the next right bank tributary, followed by the Craggie Burn near the A9 road crossing of the Nairn at Daviot

Daviot, Highland

Daviot is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is about south east of the city of Inverness, next to the A9, the main road to Inverness....

.

The river continues to flow past Drummossie Moor which lies to its northwest and indeed past Culloden Moor, site of the battle in 1746. Passing beneath a viaduct carrying the mainline railway between Perth

Perth, Scotland

Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...

 and Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

, it then runs between Culloden Forest and Assich Forest to pass beneath the B9090 road between Clephanton and Cawdor

Cawdor

Cawdor is a village and parish in Nairnshire, Highland council area, Scotland. The village is situated 5 miles south south west of Nairn, and 12 miles from Inverness.-History:The village is the location of Cawdor Castle, the seat of the Earl Cawdor....

. Its last major tributary, the Allt Dearg joins from the right and the river continues northeastwards passing beneath the B9090 once again before reaching the town of Nairn.

The Allt Dearg and its major tributary the Riereach Burn rise on the northern slopes of Carn nan Tri-tighearnan and flow north to meet the Nairn.