Craigellachie, Scotland
Encyclopedia
Craigellachie is a small village
in Moray
, Scotland
, at the confluence of the River Spey
and River Fiddich
(whose valley or glen
gives its name to the famous Scotch whisky Glenfiddich
), in walking distance of the town of Aberlour
.
The name means rocky hill and was first applied to the cliff on which much of the village is sited, above the River Spey. Craigellachie dates back to at least 1750, when there was a ferry across the Spey where today's village now stands. It also stands at the intersection of the A95
from Keith to Aberlour and the A941 from Rothes
to Dufftown
.
Craigellachie has two distilleries and is home to the Speyside Cooperage
Craigellachie Bridge
over the River Spey was built by Thomas Telford
in 1814. A plaque on one of the castellated towers guarding the entrance to the bridge records that the metalwork was cast in Wales: another that the bridge was restored to this, something like its original condition, in 1964. The bridge is a remarkable piece of engineering, and can be viewed from above or below.
Craigellachie is an important stopping off point on the Speyside Way
, a long distance path from Buckie
in the north to Aviemore
in the south.
, Glenfiddich
and The Glenlivet
.
, is named after the Scottish village and is the place where the last spike
of the Canadian Pacific Railway
was driven in November 1885.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Moray
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
, 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...
, at the confluence of the River Spey
River Spey
The River Spey is a river in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest-flowing river in Scotland...
and River Fiddich
River Fiddich
The River Fiddich is a right bank tributary of the River Spey in northeast Scotland. It rises on the eastern slopes of Corriehabbie Hill in Glenfiddich Forest and flows northeastwards beneath the A941 road, past Auchindown Castle to a sharp bend adjacent to the A920 road where it turns westwards to...
(whose valley or glen
Glen
A glen is a valley, typically one that is long, deep, and often glacially U-shaped; or one with a watercourse running through such a valley. Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower than a strath."...
gives its name to the famous Scotch whisky Glenfiddich
Glenfiddich
The Glenfiddich Distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery owned by William Grant & Sons in Dufftown, Scotland. Glenfiddich means ‘Valley of the deer’ in Gaelic, hence the presence of a deer symbol on Glenfiddich bottles.- History :...
), in walking distance of the town of Aberlour
Aberlour
Aberlour , is the name of a place in Moray, Scotland, 12 miles south of Elgin on the road to Grantown. A burn , a tributary of the River Spey, and surrounding parish, are both named Aberlour, but the name is most commonly used in reference to the village which straddles the stream and flanks the...
.
The name means rocky hill and was first applied to the cliff on which much of the village is sited, above the River Spey. Craigellachie dates back to at least 1750, when there was a ferry across the Spey where today's village now stands. It also stands at the intersection of the A95
A95 road
The A95 road is a major road of north-east Scotland connecting the A9 road in the Highlands to the A98 road near the coast.It leaves the A9 four miles north of Aviemore.It then goes:*through Drumullie;...
from Keith to Aberlour and the A941 from Rothes
Rothes
Rothes is a town in Moray, Scotland, south of Elgin and on the banks of the River Spey. The village has a population of 1209 .At the south end of the village lie the remains of Rothes Castle, which dates from the 13th century...
to Dufftown
Dufftown
Dufftown is a burgh in Banffshire, Scotland.The town was originally named Mortlach in the Middle Ages, until the 19th century when the Earl of Fife built the town as a housing for soldiers returning home from war...
.
Craigellachie has two distilleries and is home to the Speyside Cooperage
Craigellachie Bridge
Craigellachie Bridge
The Craigellachie Bridge is a cast iron arch bridge located at Craigellachie which is near to the village of Aberlour in Moray, Scotland. It was designed by the renowned civil engineer Thomas Telford and built from 1812–1814...
over the River Spey was built by Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
in 1814. A plaque on one of the castellated towers guarding the entrance to the bridge records that the metalwork was cast in Wales: another that the bridge was restored to this, something like its original condition, in 1964. The bridge is a remarkable piece of engineering, and can be viewed from above or below.
Craigellachie is an important stopping off point on the Speyside Way
Speyside Way
The Speyside Way is a Long Distance Route that follows the River Spey through some of Banffshire, Morayshire and Inverness-shire's most beautiful scenery. It is one of four Long Distance Routes in Scotland. It begins in Aviemore and ends at Buckpool harbour in Buckie, some 65 miles away...
, a long distance path from Buckie
Buckie
Buckie is a burgh town on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland in Moray. Buckie was the largest town in Banffshire by some thousands of inhabitants before regionalisation in 1975 removed that political division from the map of Scotland...
in the north to Aviemore
Aviemore
Aviemore is a town and tourist resort, situated within the Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands of Scotland. It is in the Badenoch and Strathspey committee area, within the Highland council area. The town is popular for skiing and other winter sports, and for hill-walking in the Cairngorm...
in the south.
Places of interest
Notable places in Craigellachie include the Highlander Hotel, as well as the Craigellachie Hotel. A notable nearby sight is Balvenie Castle. Many distilleries are in the area and available for touring, including most notably, AberlourAberlour
Aberlour , is the name of a place in Moray, Scotland, 12 miles south of Elgin on the road to Grantown. A burn , a tributary of the River Spey, and surrounding parish, are both named Aberlour, but the name is most commonly used in reference to the village which straddles the stream and flanks the...
, Glenfiddich
Glenfiddich
The Glenfiddich Distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery owned by William Grant & Sons in Dufftown, Scotland. Glenfiddich means ‘Valley of the deer’ in Gaelic, hence the presence of a deer symbol on Glenfiddich bottles.- History :...
and The Glenlivet
Glenlivet
Glenlivet is the glen in the Scottish Highlands through which the River Livet flows.The river rises high in the Ladder Hills. It flows gently down through the village of Tomnavoulin and onto the Bridgend of Glenlivet, flowing under the ancient packhorse bridge before emptying into the River Avon,...
.
Name connection
Craigellachie, British ColumbiaCraigellachie, British Columbia
Craigellachie is a locality in British Columbia, located several kilometres to the west of the Eagle Pass summit between Sicamous and Revelstoke...
, is named after the Scottish village and is the place where the last spike
Last Spike (Canadian Pacific Railway)
The Last Spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was the final spike driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway at Craigellachie, British Columbia at 9:22 am on November 7, 1885...
of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
was driven in November 1885.
External links
- Census data
- Stand Fast, Craig Ellachie! from Picturesque Scotland by Francis Watt M.A. and the Rev. Andrew Carter M.A.