Burn O'Vat
Encyclopedia
Burn O'Vat is an example of a pothole, located close to Loch Kinord
, near the village of Dinnet
in Aberdeenshire
, Scotland
.
. As the area warmed around 14 000 years ago the ice sheet
began to melt, resulting in a torrent of meltwater
that carried debris previously caught up in the glacial ice. A piece of this debris, consisting of rocks and boulders, is likely to be the most important component of the formation of Burn O'Vat.
Such a rock, from the meltwater stream, became lodged in a small hollow on the river bed
, causing the meltwater to flow around it in a spiralling motion. This spiralling motion caused the bed underneath the rock to erode creating, over time, a feature known as a pothole.
Around 13 500 years ago the volume of meltwater decreased to such a level that the stream began to deposit more than it eroded
. This change resulted in the deposition of sand and gravel into the bottom of the pothole. It is believed that this sediment extends down around 5–7 metres, below the current ground level.
The pothole, known locally as 'The Vat', measures 18 metres across and 13 metres high, from present ground level.
Approximately 12 000 years ago, the entrance to the vat was exposed when the rock in front of it was undercut by the same stream that formed the vat, albeit in the form of a waterfall
.
. The burn is 2.2 kilometres in length, with an average width of 2.7 metres.
, a notorious outlaw, to hide from the authorities. In fact, this is not true, with the cave instead being used as a hiding place for Patrick Gilroy Macgregor, an outlaw renowned for his exploits in Deeside
during the 17th century and a possible relative of Rob Roy.
of local wildlife, as well as giving detailed explanations of the formation of the local topography
. The visitor centre, as well as the Vat itself, are acknowledged as two-star visitor attractions by the Scottish Tourist Board
.
Loch Kinord
Loch Kinord is a loch in Aberdeenshire, Scotland just north of the River Dee five miles east of Ballater. It contains several islets, as noted in a 19th century book giving a brief description of the loch, and is forested with birch trees....
, near the village of Dinnet
Dinnet
Dinnet is a village in the Marr area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Approximately equidistant from Deeside towns Aboyne and Ballater and situated on the main A93 road in the valley of the River Dee, it is said to be the gateway to both the Highlands and the Cairngorms...
in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, 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...
.
Formation
Around 16 000 years ago, the area surrounding Burn O'Vat was covered by a glacial ice sheetIce sheet
An ice sheet is a mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50,000 km² , thus also known as continental glacier...
. As the area warmed around 14 000 years ago the ice sheet
Ice sheet
An ice sheet is a mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50,000 km² , thus also known as continental glacier...
began to melt, resulting in a torrent of meltwater
Meltwater
Meltwater is the water released by the melting of snow or ice, including glacial ice and ice shelfs over oceans. Meltwater is often found in the ablation zone of glaciers, where the rate of snow cover is reducing...
that carried debris previously caught up in the glacial ice. A piece of this debris, consisting of rocks and boulders, is likely to be the most important component of the formation of Burn O'Vat.
Such a rock, from the meltwater stream, became lodged in a small hollow on the river bed
Stream bed
A stream bed is the channel bottom of a stream, river or creek; the physical confine of the normal water flow. The lateral confines or channel margins, during all but flood stage, are known as the stream banks or river banks. In fact, a flood occurs when a stream overflows its banks and flows onto...
, causing the meltwater to flow around it in a spiralling motion. This spiralling motion caused the bed underneath the rock to erode creating, over time, a feature known as a pothole.
Around 13 500 years ago the volume of meltwater decreased to such a level that the stream began to deposit more than it eroded
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
. This change resulted in the deposition of sand and gravel into the bottom of the pothole. It is believed that this sediment extends down around 5–7 metres, below the current ground level.
The pothole, known locally as 'The Vat', measures 18 metres across and 13 metres high, from present ground level.
Approximately 12 000 years ago, the entrance to the vat was exposed when the rock in front of it was undercut by the same stream that formed the vat, albeit in the form of a waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
.
The Vat Burn
The Vat burn is the stream which resulted in the formation of the vat, and which now runs through it. The source of the burn lies 1.2 kilometres east of the vat on Culblean Hill. The burn flows due east, through the vat, to its mouth at Loch KinordLoch Kinord
Loch Kinord is a loch in Aberdeenshire, Scotland just north of the River Dee five miles east of Ballater. It contains several islets, as noted in a 19th century book giving a brief description of the loch, and is forested with birch trees....
. The burn is 2.2 kilometres in length, with an average width of 2.7 metres.
History of the Vat
According to local folklore, the cave behind the waterfall in the vat was used by Rob RoyRobert Roy MacGregor
Robert Roy MacGregor , usually known simply as Rob Roy or alternately Red MacGregor, was a famous Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century, who is sometimes known as the Scottish Robin Hood. Rob Roy is anglicised from the Scottish Gaelic Raibeart Ruadh, or Red Robert...
, a notorious outlaw, to hide from the authorities. In fact, this is not true, with the cave instead being used as a hiding place for Patrick Gilroy Macgregor, an outlaw renowned for his exploits in Deeside
River Dee, Aberdeenshire
The River Dee is a river in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It rises in the Cairngorms and flows through Strathdee to reach the North Sea at Aberdeen...
during the 17th century and a possible relative of Rob Roy.
The Vat Today
In modern times, the Vat has become a popular tourist attraction, offering many walks around the area, as well as into the Vat itself. The Vat also has its own visitor centre which provides the opportunity to see taxidermy modelsTaxidermy
Taxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
of local wildlife, as well as giving detailed explanations of the formation of the local topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
. The visitor centre, as well as the Vat itself, are acknowledged as two-star visitor attractions by the Scottish Tourist Board
VisitScotland
VisitScotland is Scotland's national tourism agency. It is a public body, with offices in Edinburgh, Inverness, London as well as other parts of Scotland...
.