Devon, River

Gorge on the River Devon
©2011 Gazetteer for Scotland

A river rising on Blairdenon Hill in the Ochils at an altitude of 548m (1800 feet) the River Devon flows east and southeast through Glendevon, takes a sharp turn to the southwest at Crook of Devon and then continues westwards along the foot of the Ochil Hills until it reaches the River Forth to the west of Alloa. Its upper reaches have been dammed to form reservoirs (Upper Glendevon, Lower Glendevon and Castlehill) and at Rumbling Bridge it passes through a narrow ravine with a series of waterfalls with names such as the Devil's Mill and Cauldron Linn.

The last song by Robert Burns, 'Fairest maid on Devon banks, Crystal Devon, winding Devon', was written in July 1796 and recalls Charlotte Hamilton of Mauchline whom he had seen at nearby Harviestoun nine years earlier.

During the 18th and 19th centuries the water of the Devon was used by textile mills and bleachfields, many of which were developed by Dunfermline industrialists.

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