River Teith

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.

This edition is copyright © The Editors of the Gazetteer for Scotland, 2002-2022.

It has taken much time and money to make the six-volumes of Groome's text freely accessible. Please help us continue and develop by making a donation. If only one out of every ten people who view this page gave £5 or $10, the project would be self-sustaining. Sadly less than one in thirty-thousand contribute, so please give what you can.

Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry Arrow

Teith, The, a river of SW Perthshire, formed by two head-streams which rise within ¾ mile of one another, and within 2½ miles ENE of the head of Loch Lomond, but which so far diverge from each other as to be at one point 9½ miles asunder. The northern one, rising at an altitude of 1760 feet, runs 8½ miles E by N to Loch Doine (7½ x 21/3 furl.; 420 feet), passes 1½ furlong thence to Loch Voil (3½ miles x 3 furl.; 414 feet), assumes then the name of the Balvag, and winds 6 miles south-south-eastward to Loch Lubnaig (37/8 miles x 3 furl.; 405 feet), and thence, through the Pass of Leny, goes 37/8 miles south-eastward to a confluence with the other head-stream in the vicinity of Callander. It thus has a total course of 257/8 miles, mainly through the parish of Balquhidder, but partly through that of Callander. The southern head-stream, rising at an altitude of 1750 feet, runs 37/8 miles south-eastward through Glengyle to Loch Katrne (8 miles x 7¼ furl.; 364 feet), from its foot passes 1¾ mile east-by-southward through the Trossachs to Loch Achray (1¼ mile x 3 furl.; 276 feet), winds next 13/8 mile east-south-eastward to Loch Vennachar (3¾ miles x 5 furl.; 270 feet), and proceeds thence 17/8 mile east-north-eastward to its confluence with the other head-stream. It is thus, in a large degree, the connecting stream of a chain of most picturesque lakes; and its length of run, inclusive of its course through those lakes, is 207/8 miles, through or along the borders of Callander, Buchanan, Aberfoyle, and Port of Monteith parishes. The Teith proper, or united stream, abounds in beautiful scenery, but has none of the grand, bold, romantic features of its headwaters. It runs 131/8 miles south-eastward through or along the borders of Callander, Kilmadock, Kincardine, and Lecropt parishes. Its tributaries are numerous; but, excepting Keltie Water, they are all inconsiderable. The 'arrowy' Teith, if either its volume of water or its length of course had been made the ground of decision, would have been regarded as the parent-stream, and the Forth which joins it as the tributary. The point at which they unite is the Bridge of Drip, 2¼ miles NW of Stirling. Yielding fairly good salmon and trout fishing, the Teith is a clear stream, and, for the most part, rapid. It is excelled by none in Scotland for water-power, or for general adaptation to manufacture; yet in consequence of the want of lime and coal there is buta small aggregate of public works on its hanks.—Ord. Sur., shs. 46, 38, 39, 1869-72.

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

If you have found this information useful please consider making
a donation to help maintain and improve this resource. More info...

By using our site you agree to accept cookies, which help us serve you better