Watter o Fleet

Fleet Valley National Scenic Area
Fitbrig ower the Watter o Fleet
Map showing the location of Fleet Valley National Scenic Area
Map showing the location of Fleet Valley National Scenic Area
Location within Dumfries an Gallowa
LocationDumfries an Gallowa, Scotland
Coordinates54°49′N 4°15′W / 54.817°N 4.250°W / 54.817; -4.250Coordinates: 54°49′N 4°15′W / 54.817°N 4.250°W / 54.817; -4.250
Area59 km2 (23 sq mi)[1]
Established1981
Govrenin bodyScots Naitural Heritage

The Watter o Fleet is a river in Dumfries an Gallowa, Scotland, flowin intae Fleet Bay on the Solway Firth. Its twa tributarys is the Big Watter o Fleet that begins aroond Loch Grannoch, an the Little Watter o Fleet. The river flowes throu Gaithoose o Fleet afore meetin the sea.[2]

The Watter o Fleet rises on the slopes o Cairnsmore o Fleet, a 2329 fit heich hill that is designatit as a National Naitur Reserve.[3] Lawer doun, the Fleet Valley conteens the best exemples o upland aikwuid in Kirkcoubrieshire,[4] twa o thaim (Killiegowan Wuid an Carstramon Wuid) is designatit as Speicial Auries o Conservation.[3]

The lower airt o the aurie surroondin the Watter o Fleet is designatit as the Fleet Valley Scenic Area, ane o 40 sic auries in Scotland, that hae been define't sae as tae identify auries kenspeckle scenery an tae enshuir its pertection fae inappropriate development.[5] The Fleet Valley National Scenic Area (NSA) kivers 14,465.5 acre in tot, o whit 13,277 acre is on laund, wi a forder 1188.5 acre bein marine (ablo law tide level).[1] The coastal pairt o the NSA kivers the shoreline, islands, foreshore, an sea aurie o Fleet Bay atween Barlocco Isle and Ringdoo Pynt. Inland the NSA includes the toun o Gaithoose o Fleet, and laund on baith sides o the River Fleet for aboot 6 mile northwart.[6] The aurie represents a microcosm o Scotland, wi coastal scenery in the sooth, an a wilder laundskip o hills an muirs in the north. In atween thare is a slaw transeetion throu fermland an fields, wi a feck o drystane dykes an appen wuidland.[4]

The shoreline o Fleet Bay wis a fauvourite location for airtists fae the Kirkcoubrie Airtist's Colony.[4]

The Big Watter o Fleet is crosst bi a twinty-span viaduct that wis ance a pairt o the Portpatrick Railwey route.

Cardoness Castle is a weel-preservit 15t-century tour hoose juist ablo Gaithoose o Fleet, close til the pynt whaur the river begins tae braiden taewart Fleet Bay. It wis oreeginal awnt bi the MacCullochs o Myretoun. Thay abandont the castle in the late 17t century, follaein the execution o Sir Godfrey McCulloch for the murther o a Clan Gordon neebour. It is nou in the care o Historic Environment Scotland an is a schedule't moniment.[7]

Big Watter o Fleet viaduct on the route o the umwhile Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Railway.

References

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  1. ↑ a b "National Scenic Areas - Maps". SNH. 20 December 2010. Archived frae the original on 12 Juin 2018. Retrieved 24 Januar 2018.
  2. ↑ "About the Water of Fleet". Fish Pal. Archived frae the original on 6 Apryle 2014. Retrieved 5 Apryle 2014.
  3. ↑ a b c "The special qualities of the National Scenic Areas" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. 2010. Retrieved 24 Januar 2018.
  4. ↑ "National Scenic Areas". Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 17 Januar 2018.
  5. ↑ "Map: Fleet Valley National Scenic Area" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. 20 December 2010. Archived frae the original (PDF) on 18 Januar 2018. Retrieved 5 Mairch 2018.
  6. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "Cardoness Castle (SM90058)". Retrieved 18 Apryle 2019.
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