Burn of Muchalls

Last updated
Burn of Muchalls
Location
Country Scotland
Physical characteristics
Mouth North Sea
  coordinates
57°00′45″N2°09′45″W / 57.01249°N 2.16249°W / 57.01249; -2.16249 Coordinates: 57°00′45″N2°09′45″W / 57.01249°N 2.16249°W / 57.01249; -2.16249

The Burn of Muchalls is an easterly flowing stream in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that discharges to the North Sea. Its point of discharge is on a rocky beach set with scenic sea stacks. [1] Flowing principally over agricultural lands, the Burn of Muchalls traverses through the hamlet of the Bridge of Muchalls, flows beneath the A90 road and thence to the rugged shoreline of the North Sea slightly to the south of Doonie Point. Just above the discharge to the North Sea is a scenic pool, used in the drowning scene of Ophelia in the Franco Zeffirelli film Hamlet . [2] A northern fork of the Burn of Muchalls flows over lands of Muchalls Castle prior to the confluence with the mainstem Burn of Muchalls within the Bridge of Muchalls.

Contents

History

In the Middle Ages the only coastal land route, the over the Mounth, the Causey Mounth, crossed the Burn of Muchalls at the Bridge of Muchalls.

Near the mouth of the Burn of Muchalls is an old mill that earlier functioned to harness the power of the burn. [3] There is also a fisherman's stone bothy on the cliffs near the burn overlooking the North Sea.

See also

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Muchalls is a small coastal ex-fishing village in Kincardineshire, Scotland, south of Newtonhill and north of Stonehaven. Muchalls is situated slightly north of a smaller hamlet known as the Bridge of Muchalls. At the western edge of Muchalls is the historic Saint Ternan's Church. The rugged North Sea coastline near Muchalls features numerous cliffs, sea stacks and headlands, not infrequently in haar. The Grim Brigs headland is situated at Muchalls southern edge and Doonie Point headland is approximately 1.5 kilometres south.

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Bridge of Muchalls is an entirely residential hamlet in Aberdeenshire, Scotland by the North Sea. It is on the A90 dual carriageway about three miles north of Stonehaven and to the south of Muchalls Castle.

The Burn of Elsick is a coastal stream in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that discharges to the North Sea. This watercourse drains primarily agricultural lands and enters the North Sea at Newtonhill.

The Burn of Pheppie is an easterly flowing coastal stream in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that discharges to the North Sea immediately north of the village of Muchalls. Draining chiefly agricultural lands, this stream has a notable lack of turbidity and a pH level of approximately 8.02. Armouring of the stream bottom consists of pebbles, many of which are quartzite in composition, leading to a golden-green effect in some locations. Other nearby watercourses discharging to the North Sea include Burn of Elsick to the north and Burn of Muchalls to the south.

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The Causey Mounth is an ancient drovers' road over the coastal fringe of the Grampian Mountains in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This route was developed as the main highway between Stonehaven and Aberdeen around the 12th century AD and it continued to function as the principal route connecting these two cities until the mid 20th century, when modern highway construction of the A90 road occurred in this area. There are extant paved and usable sections of this road over part of the alignment; however, many parts of the ancient route are no more than footpaths, and in some cases the road has vanished into agricultural fields. Constructed in the Middle Ages, the Causey Mounth was created as an elevated rock causeway to span many of the boggy areas such as the Portlethen Moss. A considerable portion of the alignment of the Causey Mounth is illustrated on the UK Ordnance Survey Map, although a large fraction of the route cannot be navigated by a conventional passenger vehicle.

Cammachmore

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Kempstone Hill is a landform in Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. The peak elevation of this mountain is 132 metres above mean sea level. This hill has been posited by Gabriel Jacques Surenne, Archibald Watt and C.Michael Hogan as the location for the noted Battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the indigenous Caledonians. The major Roman Camp of Raedykes is situated about three kilometres to the west. From Kempstone Hill there are fine views to the North Sea facing east and slightly to the north of Muchalls Castle. There is a UK trigpoint installation on Kempstone Hill.

Megray Hill is a low-lying coastal mountainous landform in Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. The peak elevation of this mountain is 120 metres above mean sea level. This hill has been posited as a likely location for the noted Battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the indigenous Caledonians. The major Roman Camp of Raedykes is situated about three kilometres to the west. From Megray Hill there are expansive views to the North Sea facing east. The summit affords scenic views of the historic harbour of Stonehaven.

Saint Ternans Church

Saint Ternan's Church is an Episcopal church in the Diocese of Brechin, near Muchalls in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The Hill of Muchalls is a coastal mountainous landform situated approximately 1.4 kilometres west of the Bridge of Muchalls in Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. The peak elevation of this mountain is 120 metres above mean sea level. From Megray Hill there are expansive views to the North Sea facing east. The summit affords scenic vies of the historic harbour of Stonehaven.

The Mill of Muchalls is an historic water-powered mill located along the Burn of Muchalls in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This mill is situated near to the coast of the North Sea proximate to Doonie Point. The earliest position of the village of Muchalls lay slightly to the south of the Mill of Muchalls. The Mill of Muchalls is situated slightly to the east of the ancient Causey Mounth trackway, a drovers' road established at least as early as the High Middle Ages.

References

  1. Profile of the village of Muchalls, Scotland
  2. Hamlet, the film, directed by Franco Zeffirelli (1990)
  3. Brian H. Watt, Old Newtonhill and Muchalls, Stenlake Publishing, Glasgow (2005)