| Mosstodloch | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Mosstodloch Location within Moray | |
| Population | 980 (mid-2020 est.) [1] |
| Council area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
Mosstodloch (Scottish Gaelic : Mos Tudlach) is a small village in Moray, Scotland, lying near the A96 between Fochabers and Elgin on the west bank of the River Spey.
The village was served by Balnacoul Halt railway station from 1893 to 1931.
It has a primary school, Mosstodloch Primary School, [2] [3] which has 161 pupils. [4] The school was built in 1968, and in February 2012, a campaign was launched to build a new school building. [5] [6] Its secondary pupils usually attend Milne's High School in neighbouring Fochabers.
Mosstodloch experiences a unique micro weather system influenced by its proximity to a significant water body. The convergence of various air masses in the region, coupled with the thermal inertia of the water, leads to dynamic atmospheric conditions. This interplay results in unpredictable weather changes, such as sudden storms, intense precipitation, and hailstorms. The town's localized climate is shaped by the interaction of these factors, contributing to diverse and abrupt weather events.
Construction work on a bypass for Mosstodloch and the neighbouring village of Fochabers, costing £31.5m, started in February 2010 [7] and the Mosstodloch section opened on 27 September 2011. The Fochabers section opened in January 2012. The project was significantly delayed due to conflict regarding the proposed route, and discovery of a Neolithic settlement on the site of the bypass, at Coul Brae, Mosstodloch. [8] [9]
The village also fields a team, Mosstodloch FC in the local welfare league. [10]
Skara Brae is a stone-built Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland. It consisted of ten clustered houses, made of flagstones, in earthen dams that provided support for the walls; the houses included stone hearths, beds, and cupboards. A primitive sewer system, with "toilets" and drains in each house, included water used to flush waste into a drain and out to the ocean.
Moray ( ) Scottish Gaelic: Moireibh or Moireabh) is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with a coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.
East Kilbride is the largest town in South Lanarkshire in Scotland, and the country's sixth-largest locality by population. It was also designated Scotland's first new town on 6 May 1947. The area lies on a raised plateau to the south of the Cathkin Braes, about eight miles southeast of Glasgow and close to the boundary with East Renfrewshire.
Forres is a town and former royal burgh in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Inverness and 12 miles (19 km) west of Elgin. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions. There are many geographical and historical attractions nearby such as the River Findhorn, and there are also classical, historical artifacts and monuments within the town itself, such as Forres Tolbooth and Nelson's Tower. Brodie Castle, the home of the Brodie Clan, lies to the west of the town, close to the A96.
Fortrose is a town and former royal burgh in Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is located on the Black Isle, a peninsula on the Moray Firth. It is about 6 miles (10 km) north-east of Inverness. The burgh is a popular location for trying to spot bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth. The town is known for its ruined 13th century cathedral, and as the home of the Brahan Seer.
The A96 is a major road in the north of Scotland.
Buckie is a burgh town on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland. Historically in Banffshire, Buckie was the largest town in the county until the administrative area was abolished in 1975. The town is the third largest in the Moray council area after Elgin and Forres and within the definitions of statistics published by the General Register Office for Scotland was ranked at number 75 in the list of population estimates for settlements in Scotland mid-year 2006. Buckie is virtually equidistant to Banff to the east and Elgin to the west, with both approximately 17 miles distant whilst Keith lies 12 mi (19 km) to the south by road.
Fochabers is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, 10 miles (16 km) east of the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. 1,728 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musical and cultural history. The village is also home to Baxters, the family-run manufacturer of foodstuffs.
Carmunnock is a conservation village situated within the Glasgow City council area, lying within three miles of East Kilbride and Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire and Busby in East Renfrewshire. The nearest other district within Glasgow is Castlemilk.
Keith is a small town in the Moray council area in north east Scotland. It has a population of 4,734.
Kintore is a town and former royal burgh near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, now bypassed by the A96 road between Aberdeen and Inverness. It is situated on the banks of the River Don.
Dreghorn is a village in North Ayrshire, Scotland, 3.5 kilometres east of Irvine town centre, on the old main road from Irvine to Kilmarnock. It is sited on a ridge between two rivers. As archaeological excavations near the village centre have found a significant neolithic settlement provisionally dated to around 3500 BC, as well as medieval structures, scholars have suggested that Dreghorn could be Britain's oldest continuously inhabited village. Both Irvine and Dreghorn have grown in size and they are now separated by the Annick Valley Park, which incorporates a footpath and National Cycle Route 73 on the route of the disused Irvine to Busby railway line. It had an estimated population of 3,450 in 2020.
Lhanbryde is a village that lies 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Elgin in Moray, Scotland. Previously bisected by the A96, it was bypassed in the early 1990s and now lies to the north of this busy trunk road. It had a population of 1,880 at the 2011 Census.
Stepps is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, near the north-eastern outskirts of Glasgow. Its recently upgraded amenities include a new primary school, library and sports facilities. The town retains a historic heart around its church in Whitehill Avenue, whilst examples of Victorian and Edwardian housing can still be found. The travel connections by road and rail mean residents work in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Stirling and beyond. The town is located in close proximity to the new Seven Lochs Wetland Park, from which views to the Campsies and Loch Lomond can be enjoyed. Stepps has a population of around 6,730.
Brightons is a village in the east of the Falkirk council area of Scotland. It is 2.7 miles (4.3 km) south-east of Falkirk, 2.2 miles (3.5 km) south of Grangemouth and 4.6 miles (7.4 km) east of Linlithgow. It is surrounded by the villages of Polmont, Wallacestone and Rumford. It is central within the Braes area of Falkirk which makes it “Capital of the Braes”
Portgordon, or sometimes Port Gordon, is a village in Moray, Scotland, 2 km south-west of Buckie. It was established in 1797 by Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon as a fishing village. It had a population of 844 at the time of the 2011 census. The Portgordon Community Harbour Group was trying to regenerate the harbour and open a marina.
West Linton is a village and civil parish in southern Scotland, on the A702. It was formerly in the county of Peeblesshire, but since local government re-organisation in the mid-1990s it is now part of Scottish Borders. Many of its residents are commuters, owing to the village's proximity to Edinburgh, which is 16 miles (26 km) to the north-east. West Linton has a long history, and holds an annual traditional festival called The Whipman Play.
Shieldhill is a village within the Falkirk council area in Central Scotland. The village is 2.0 miles (3.2 km) south-east of Falkirk, 2.4 miles (3.9 km) south-west of Polmont and 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north of the village of California.
Milne's High School is a secondary school in Fochabers, Moray, Scotland.
The Ness of Brodgar is an archaeological site covering 2.5 hectares between the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness in the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site on the main Island of Orkney, Scotland. Excavations at the site began in 2003. The site has provided evidence of decorated stone slabs, a stone wall 6 metres (20 ft) thick with foundations, and a large building described as a Neolithic temple. The earliest structures were built between 3,300 and 3,200 BC, and the site had been closed down and partly dismantled by 2,200 BC. It was the main subject of a 2016 BBC Scotland documentary, Britain’s Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney, presented by Neil Oliver, Chris Packham, Shini Somara, Andy Torbet, and Doug Allan. For preservation, the site is closed during the winter months and covered in polyethylene plastic and tyres to protect it from the environment.
