River Sgitheach also known as Skiach or Skiack, (

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well ...

''Abhainn Sgitheach'', "

Hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...

River") () is a river in Ross and Cromarty,

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

. It rises on the southern slopes of

Ben Wyvis Ben Wyvis ( gd, Beinn Uais) is a mountain in Easter Ross, in the northern Highlands of Scotland. It lies north-west of Dingwall, in the council area of Highland, and the county of Ross and Cromarty. Ben Wyvis is a large winding and und ...

, passes through Strath Sgitheach, passing Clare plantation, Swordale, the village of

Evanton Evanton ( gd, Baile Eòghainn or gd, Am Baile Ùr) is a small village in Easter Ross, in the Highland (council area), Highland council area of Scotland. It lies between the River Sgitheach and the Allt Graad, is north of Inverness, some sout ...

, and after about empties into the

Cromarty Firth The Cromarty Firth (; gd, Caolas Chrombaidh ; literally "kyles /nowiki>straits.html"_;"title="strait.html"_;"title="/nowiki>strait">/nowiki>straits">strait.html"_;"title="/nowiki>strait">/nowiki>straitsof_Cromarty.html" ;"title="strait">/no ...

near the ruin of the old Kiltearn parish church. About a mile to the northeast, on the other side of Balconie Point, the

Allt Graad The Allt Graad (: Ugly Stream) or River Glass is a river in Easter Ross, Highland, Scotland. It is named on Ordnance Survey maps variously as Allt Graad and River Glass. It has also been known as the "Allt Grande", and the archaic Anglicization, ...

also empties in the Firth. The ruin that lies on the beach between the two rivers is an old salmon fishing bothy of the

Novar Novar may refer to: Companies *Novar plc - the international conglomerate based in the United Kingdom, that was acquired in 2005 by Honeywell. *Novar Controls - a subsidiary of Honeywell, and former subsidiary of Novar plc. Places *Novar House ...

Estate. During the summer the water level falls but the river remains an obstacle and even at traditional fords it is difficulty to get across with dry feet. There are five bridges: an estate bridge in Strath Sgitheach; the B817 road bridge as the road enters Evanton; the railway bridge; the A9 main road bridge; and a wooden footbridge only 100 yards before the river meets the sea. Evanton waste water treatment plant is on the banks of the river between the A9 and the sea. The river was formerly anglicised as either "Skiach" or "Skiack", but the Gaelic spelling is used by the

Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey (OS) is the national mapping agency for Great Britain. The agency's name indicates its original military purpose (see ordnance and surveying), which was to map Scotland in the wake of the Jacobite rising of 1745. There was a ...

name and that of Highland Council. It is pronounced like SKEE-ach. The river game its name to the now-demolished Glenskiach distillery, which was near Milton of Katewell.

External links

Map
Sgitheach Ross and Cromarty {{Scotland-river-stub