Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Scots Corner - the River Forth

Scotland is surrounded on 3 sides by ocean and has many streams, rivers, lochs and lakes. They are the country's lifes blood so to speak. Used for farming, fishing, industry, and tourism just to name 4.
The River Forth rises near Loch Ard in the Trossachs. It is joined by the River Teith and the River Allan  and then meanders through Stirling (where I grew up). From that point it becomes tidal and goes on to form the Firth of Forth estuary. It then flows out to the North Sea. It is the main river that drains (and floods) the central belt of Scotland.
(Photograph courtesy of Finlay McWalter)

(Photograph courtesy of Alan Campbell.) See the green bit in the middle of the loop - at least once when I was growing up it was totally submerged.

(photograph courtesy of Stirling Council)
Up until about 1936 Stirling was the easternmost bridge/road crossing point over the river. There has been a bridge in existence in the town since about the 13th century.

This area is what I consider to be "the chin to the face" of Scotland.
There's lots of interesting towns, villages and scenery along the river. You can even do a river tour which takes you right from the starting point out to the sea. Much as I am not fond of the works at Grangemouth when you see it all lit up at night from the motorway/highway it's inspiring.

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