The River Teith is a river in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, which is formed from the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

of two smaller rivers, the '' Garbh Uisge'' (River Leny) and '' Eas Gobhain'' at Callander,

Stirlingshire Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling, gd, Siorrachd Sruighlea) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration countyRegisters of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. of Scotland. Its county town is Stirli ...

. It flows into the

River Forth The River Forth is a major river in central Scotland, long, which drains into the North Sea on the east coast of the country. Its drainage basin covers much of Stirlingshire in Scotland's Central Belt. The Gaelic name for the upper reach of th ...

near Drip north-west of

Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...

Etymology

The name ''Teith'' is obscure, but may come from the

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 as ...

''Uisge Theamhich'', which translates into English as the "quiet and pleasant water".MacKay, Moray S.(1953). ''Doune Historical Notes'', p. 104. Forth Naturalist and Historian Board . The place-name ''Callander'' may conserve an older name for the Teith, derived from

Brittonic Brittonic or Brythonic may refer to: *Common Brittonic, or Brythonic, the Celtic language anciently spoken in Great Britain *Brittonic languages, a branch of the Celtic languages descended from Common Brittonic *Britons (Celtic people) The Br ...

''*caleto-dubro'', meaning "hard-water".

Course

The Teith is formed from the confluence of two smaller rivers: one from

Loch Venachar Loch Venachar (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Bheannchair) is a freshwater loch in Stirling district, Scotland. Geography The loch is situated between Callander and Brig o' Turk. It lies approximately above sea level, and is long with a maximum ...

, the '' Eas Gobhain'' which translates as "the smith's cascade", and one from

Loch Lubnaig Loch Lubnaig (Loch Lùbnaig in Gaelic) is a small freshwater loch near Callander in the Stirling council area, Scottish Highlands. It lies in the former county of Perthshire. It is part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Th ...

- ''Garbh Uisge'' which translates as "the rough water". The river flows through Callander and is joined by the Keltie Water south of Keltie Bridge. The Teith continues to

Deanston Deanston ( gd, Baile an Deadhain) is a village in the Stirling council area, Scotland, on the south bank of the River Teith east of Doune, in south-west Perthshire. It is a part of the parish of Kilmadock. Etymology The name comes from Walt ...

and

Doune Doune (; from Scottish Gaelic: ''An Dùn'', meaning 'the fort') is a burgh within Perthshire. The town is administered by Stirling Council. Doune is assigned Falkirk postcodes starting "FK". The village lies within the parish of Kilmadock and mai ...

where the

Ardoch Burn The Ardoch Burn is a stream in Stirling council area, Scotland, which flows from the Braes Of Doune into the River Teith at Inverardoch, just behind Doune Castle. Etymology From the Scottish Gaelic ''Ard'', which translates into English as "hig ...

meets it, before its confluence with the (smaller)

Forth Forth or FORTH may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''forth'' magazine, an Internet magazine * ''Forth'' (album), by The Verve, 2008 * ''Forth'', a 2011 album by Proto-Kaw * Radio Forth, a group of independent local radio stations in Scotla ...

upstream of

Importance

The Teith is renowned for its fishing and for the splendid arched bridge southwest of

The Deanston Distillery near Doune uses the Teith to supply water for the manufacture of Deanston Single Malt

Whisky Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden c ...

. The 'Brig o' Teith' was constructed in 1535 by Robert Spittal, a Royal tailor to

Margaret Tudor Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and successfully fought to extend her regency. Marg ...

, wife of

James IV James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauch ...

. According to Charles Rogers in ''A Week at Bridge of Allan'' (1851), a ferryman refused Spittal passage across the Teith as he did not have his purse and could not pay. The bridge was built in retaliation.

References

External links

"Forth District Salmon Fishery Board"

"River Forth Fisheries Trust"

"Doune Historical Notes - Moray S MacKay
Teith 1Teith Tributaries of the River Forth Kilmadock {{Scotland-river-stub