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Scottish Rivers - information
and pictures on some of the most beautiful rivers in Scotland.
River : River Spey
2nd Longest River in Scotland
River
Length km
Length miles
Description
River Spey
172
107
The Spey is the fastest-flowing river in
Scotland. It is important for salmon fishing and whisky production (Speyside
has the largest number of distilleries in Scotland, including:
Aberlour, Balvenie, and Glenfiddich). Rising at over 1000 feet (300 m) at Loch Spey
in Corrieyairack Forest in the Scottish Highlands, 10 miles (16 km)
south of Fort Augustus, it descends to flow through Newtonmore and
Kingussie crossing Loch Insh before reaching Aviemore at the start
of Strathspey. From there it flows the remaining 60 miles (97 km)
north-east to the Moray Firth, reaching the sea 5 miles West of
Buckie.
The River Spey is
one of Scotland's big four salmon rivers. It has the third largest
drainage area after the Tay and Tweed and is the second longest
after the Tay.
The River Spey is unusual in that it increases
speed as it flows closer to the coast, due to the surrounding
geography. The mean flow is around 16 m/s making it the fastest
flowing river in Scotland, and possibly in the UK (depending on what
constitutes a river). The Spey does not meander, although it does
rapidly move its banks. South of Fochabers a high earth barrier re-inforces
the banks, but the river has broken through on several occasions,
removing a large portion of Garmouth Golf Course, sections of wall
surrounding Gordon Castle, parts of the Speyside Way and some of the
B9104 road.
