| Avon | |
|---|---|
 Aqueduct over the River Avon | |
| Location | |
| Country | Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Region | Falkirk |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Avonhead |
| • location | Longriggend, North Lanarkshire |
| Mouth | |
• location | Grangemouth, Falkirk |
| Length | 31 km (19 mi) |
The Avon is a river largely in the Falkirk council area of Scotland.
It originates, near some wind turbines, at what modern maps call Avonhead Cottage [1] south of Upperton just west of Longriggend. Older maps show it near Avonhead just west of "Avonhead Rows" and north of "Avonhead Coal [2] Pit No 9". [3] Some maps show a stream coming from Fannyside Lochs in North Lanarkshire, some 3 miles (5 km) east of Cumbernauld, [4] but that is not the Avon's source even if some water drains in a rivulet from there. The west of Fannyside Loch is the source of the Glencryan Burn which ends up in the River Carron via the Red Burn and the Bonny Water. Herd's Hill, [5] the source of the Luggie Water which ends up in the River Clyde via the River Kelvin is close by. The first tributary of the Avon is the Shiellhill Burn on the south of Greengairs very close to the source of the Cameron Burn, which itself is a tributary of the Luggie Water.
The Avon picks up the Shiellhill Burn close to Upperton, north of the sewage works and west of Easter Glentore Farm. The Avon crosses Fannyside Road at the Bog Bridge [6] near Toddle Knowe. Within about a kilometre of this point are streams whose waters make it to Linlithgow, Larbert and Kirkintilloch on their way to their destinations. The next tributary is the Garbethill Burn near Jawhills [7] followed by the Rashiehill Burn. The next tributary, near Slamannan, is the Culloch Burn which also starts in Longriggend but takes a more easterly course initially. The Culloch Burn flows anticlockwise round Slamannan and joins the Avon just to the north. [8] After Avonbridge the Lin Mill Burn just after the start of the River Avon Heritage Trail. The next two tributaries are the Logie Water, near Westfield, and the Brunton Burn.
After Muiravonside Country Park, the other end of the River Avon Heritage Trail, the Bowhouse Burn confluence occurs just before the Avon Aqueduct. [9] This is the tallest aqueduct in Scotland. The Avon Aqueduct —Scotland's longest navigable aqueduct —carries the Union Canal above the river. [10]
The Avon flows under the aqueduct and later under both Linlithgow Bridge and the M9 motorway. The river broadens before it joins the Firth of Forth just east of the Grangemouth Refinery. This is not far down from where the Grange Burn and the River Carron meet the Firth.
The Avon flows through the Avon Gorge and forms the boundary between Falkirk and West Lothian council areas. It is 19 miles (31 km) in length. [4]
Like other rivers of this name throughout Britain, the name Avon simply means 'river', derived from Scottish Gaelic abhainn, or British (i.e. Old Welsh) afon.[ citation needed ]
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the north-east of the City of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Stirling, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian. The council area covers parts of the historic counties of Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire and Stirlingshire. The council is based in Motherwell.
The Forth and Clyde Canal is a canal opened in 1790, crossing central Scotland; it provided a route for the seagoing vessels of the day between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. This allowed navigation from Edinburgh on the east coast to the port of Glasgow on the west coast. The canal is 35 miles (56 km) long and it runs from the River Carron at Grangemouth to the River Clyde at Bowling, and had an important basin at Port Dundas in Glasgow.
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling, Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Sruighlea) is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. Its county town is Stirling.
The Union Canal, full name the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal, is a canal in Scotland, running from Falkirk to Edinburgh, constructed to bring minerals, especially coal, to the capital. It was opened in 1822 and was initially successful, but the construction of railways, particularly the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, which opened in 1842, diminished its value as a transport medium. It fell into slow commercial decline and was closed to commercial traffic in 1933. It was officially closed in 1965. The canal is listed as three individual scheduled monuments by Historic Scotland according to the three former counties, Midlothian, West Lothian and Stirlingshire, through which it flows.
Abronhill is an area in the north-east of Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It extends one to two miles from Cumbernauld Town Centre. Abronhill was planned with its own shopping centre and has three primary schools, along with several churches. Abronhill has 41 streets. Abronhill, and particularly the now-demolished Abronhill High School,, were used extensively as the filming location for Bill Forsyth's 1981 film Gregory's Girl and its sequel Gregory's Two Girls.
Castlecary is a small historic village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, directly adjacent to the border with Falkirk. It has long been associated with infrastructure, being adjacent to a bridged river, a Roman fort and roads, a nationwide canal, a Victorian railway viaduct, and a modern motorway. Castlecary is close to the town of Cumbernauld but like Dullatur and Luggiebank is not officially part of the town. Around 1725, the barony of Castlecary, with a population of just seventeen families, was disjoined from the parish of Falkirk, and annexed to Cumbernauld quoad sacra. Castlecary is also near Allandale which, though in the Falkirk council area, was built for Castlecary fireclay workers.
The Forth and Clyde canal pathway runs between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde and is a 106-kilometre-long (66 mi) footpath and cycleway that runs across Scotland, between Bowling, west of Glasgow, and Lochrin Basin in Edinburgh. The path runs on the towpaths of the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals and is entirely off road. The path is well maintained and its surface is generally good, although there are some stretches particularly between Falkirk and the outskirts of Edinburgh where wet weather leads to muddy conditions unsuitable for road intended bicycles. It is well used by walkers and cyclists, and designated as one of Scotland's Great Trails by NatureScot. It also forms part of the National Cycle Network, being designated as Route 754. Sustrans advises that the path is best followed from the Clyde to the Forth because the prevailing wind is from the south west. Much of the path is also suitable for experienced horseriders, although in some places low bridges, narrow aqueducts and gates may restrict access for horses.
Upperton is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, near Airdrie and Cumbernauld, about 20 miles (32 km) north-east of Glasgow. It lies close to the B803 between Greengairs and Slamannan. Other nearby roads include Hulks Road towards the A73, Fannyside Road to Abronhill and the road to Caldercruix via Longriggend. The Avon Water flows through the village and meets the Shielhill Burn, a tributary of the River Avon, just outside the village. William Forrest's 1816 map of Lanarkshire shows the site as Upper Town. The Ordnance Survey map sites "Uppertown" on Shiel Hill.
The Carron is a river in central Scotland, rising in the Campsie Fells and flowing along Strathcarron into the Firth of Forth. It has given its name to several locations in Stirlingshire, as well as a type of cannon, a line of bathtubs, two warships, and an island in the Southern Hemisphere.
Slamannan is a village in the south of the Falkirk council area in Central Scotland. It is 4.6 miles (7.4 km) south-west of Falkirk, 6.0 miles (9.7 km) east of Cumbernauld and 7.1 miles (11.4 km) north-east of Airdrie.
The Avon Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Union Canal over the River Avon, near Linlithgow, Scotland.
Cumbernauld is a large town in the historic county of Dunbartonshire and council area of North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is the tenth most-populous locality in Scotland and the most populated town in North Lanarkshire, positioned in the centre of Scotland's Central Belt. Geographically, Cumbernauld sits between east and west, being on the Scottish watershed between the Forth and the Clyde; however, it is culturally more weighted towards Glasgow and the New Town's planners aimed to fill 80% of its houses from Scotland's largest city to reduce housing pressure there.
Longriggend is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, with a population of approximately 200. It is situated on moorland 8 km north-east of Airdrie, in the parish of New Monkland. It is roughly half way between Upperton and Caldercruix. The village appeared on a map by Timothy Pont, under the name of Langrodge. It was published in 1596 but the letters are difficult to read. The toponymy is listed along with other -rigg placenames. Longriggend is also shown on another map by Roy c1754. Slamannan Railway joined Longriggend with Airdrie and the Union Canal in 1840, but its gauge prevented its connection with the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway. Coal pits in the area used the railway extensively, and by 1895 there was a station at Longriggend. By 1901 its population had reached over 1500, and it had a post and telegraph office, and an inn nearby.
The Luggie Water is one of two streams which flow out of Cumbernauld. The Scottish New Town’s name derives from the Gaelic for "the meeting of the waters", which possibly refers to the Luggie Water and the Red Burn, both of which run through Cumbernauld but which never meet.
Cumbernauld Castle was the predecessor of Cumbernauld House in the Park in Cumbernauld. The Motte of the earliest castle survives, and stones of the second castle are incorporated in the present house.
The Red Burn is one of two main streams which flow out of Cumbernauld. The Scottish New Town’s name derives from the Gaelic for "the meeting of the waters" and there is broad agreement that one of these waters is the Red Burn.
The Falkirk Braes is a geographical and sociopolitical entity within the Falkirk local authority area in Scotland. The population is approximately 32,000 (2018), about 20% of the total for Falkirk council area.
Media related to River Avon, Falkirk at Wikimedia Commons
