River Thurso
Encyclopedia
The River Thurso has Loch Rumsdale in Caithness
as its source, about 26 kilometres south and 14 kilometres west of the burgh
of Thurso
, Caithness, and about 2 kilometres south of the railway line linking the burghs of Thurso and Wick with Inverness
. At its source and until it reaches Loch More the river is known also as Strathmore Water. Caithness is in the Highland
area of Scotland
.
From Loch Rumsdale the river flows generally east/southeast across about 4 kilometres until it is joined by Glut Water, and then generally northeast across about 7 kilometres until it enters the southern end of Loch More. On the loch’s eastern side, towards its northern end, the river flows almost immediately into the western end of Loch Beg. Then from Loch Beg’s eastern end the river flows east/northeast across about 6 kilometres until it is joined by Little River.
From Little River the River Thurso flows generally northward across about 19 kilometres until it reaches its mouth in Thurso Bay
and the Atlantic Ocean
. On its way it passes through the village of Halkirk
, about 9 kilometres south of the burgh of Thurso, and through the burgh itself, which fronts the bay.
The river is bridged twice by railways, three times by highways and twice by footways (the third footbridge was recently destroyed by the river during severe flooding).
About 4 kilometres south of Thurso burgh the river is bridged by the rail link between the burghs of Wick and Thurso. About 6 kilometres further south it is bridged by the rail link connecting both burghs with Inverness.
The highways cross the river in the burgh of Thurso, in Halkirk, and at Westerdale
, which is about 16 kilometres south of the burgh.
The three footway crossings were within the burgh of Thurso.
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
as its source, about 26 kilometres south and 14 kilometres west of the burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
of Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
, Caithness, and about 2 kilometres south of the railway line linking the burghs of Thurso and Wick with Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
. At its source and until it reaches Loch More the river is known also as Strathmore Water. Caithness is in the Highland
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
area of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
From Loch Rumsdale the river flows generally east/southeast across about 4 kilometres until it is joined by Glut Water, and then generally northeast across about 7 kilometres until it enters the southern end of Loch More. On the loch’s eastern side, towards its northern end, the river flows almost immediately into the western end of Loch Beg. Then from Loch Beg’s eastern end the river flows east/northeast across about 6 kilometres until it is joined by Little River.
From Little River the River Thurso flows generally northward across about 19 kilometres until it reaches its mouth in Thurso Bay
Thurso Bay
Thurso Bay, known also as Scrabster Bay, is a bay of Atlantic water between the points of Clairdon Head and Holborn Head on the north coast of Caithness, Scotland....
and the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. On its way it passes through the village of Halkirk
Halkirk
Halkirk is a village on the River Thurso in Caithness, in the Highland council area of Scotland. From Halkirk the B874 road runs towards Thurso in the north and towards Georgemas in the east...
, about 9 kilometres south of the burgh of Thurso, and through the burgh itself, which fronts the bay.
The river is bridged twice by railways, three times by highways and twice by footways (the third footbridge was recently destroyed by the river during severe flooding).
About 4 kilometres south of Thurso burgh the river is bridged by the rail link between the burghs of Wick and Thurso. About 6 kilometres further south it is bridged by the rail link connecting both burghs with Inverness.
The highways cross the river in the burgh of Thurso, in Halkirk, and at Westerdale
Westerdale
Westerdale is a village, civil parish and dale within the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England. The Esk Valley Walk runs through part of the village.According to the 2001 UK census, Westerdale parish had a population of 175.-The Village:...
, which is about 16 kilometres south of the burgh.
The three footway crossings were within the burgh of Thurso.