Black Water

A historical perspective, drawn from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, edited by Francis H. Groome and originally published in parts by Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, Edinburgh between 1882 and 1885.

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Blackwater, a small river of the SE of Sutherland. It rises on Ben-an-Armuinn, near the meeting-point of Clyne, Kildonan, and Farr parishes; runs 2 miles south-westward across the head of Clyne parish; proceeds 3½ miles southward, along the boundary between Clyne and Rogart; then goes about 10 miles south-westward, through the interior of Clyne; receives, on its left bank, the tributary Skinsdale Water; and falls into the Brora, 1⁷/₈ mile WNW of the head of Loch Brora. Its early course lies through morassy moors, which give a dark tinge to its waters; and its later course lies along a deep rocky channel, and is strikingly romantic. Two cascades occur on it, respectively near Balnakyle and at Kilcolmkill, both very magnificent when the stream is in flood; and the latter is much visited by tourists.

An accompanying 19th C. Ordnance Survey map is available, or use the map tab to the right of this page.

Note: This text has been made available using a process of scanning and optical character recognition. Despite manual checking, some typographical errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be different and there are known to be occasional errors of fact in the original text, which we have not corrected because we wish to maintain its integrity. This information is provided subject to our standard disclaimer