The River Oykel is a major river in northern 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...

 that is famous for its salmon fishing. It rises on Ben More Assynt

Ben More Assynt

Ben More Assynt is a mountain in Assynt in the far north-west of Scotland, north-north-east of the town of Ullapool...

, a few miles from Ullapool

Ullapool

Ullapool is a small town of around 1,300 inhabitants in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest settlement for many miles around, and is a major tourist destination of Scotland. The North Atlantic Drift passes by Ullapool, bringing moderate temperatures...

 on the west coast of Scotland, and drains into the North Sea via the Kyle of Sutherland

Kyle of Sutherland

Kyle of Sutherland is a river estuary that separates Sutherland from Ross-shire. It flows into the Dornoch Firth and is fed by the rivers Oykel, Shin, River Cassley and Carron.The downstream extent of the Kyle of Sutherland is the bridge at Bonar Bridge...

. Traditionally it has marked the boundary between Ross

Ross

Ross is a region of Scotland and a former mormaerdom, earldom, sheriffdom and county. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning a headland - perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. The Norse word for Orkney - Hrossay meaning horse island - is another possible origin. The area...

 to the south and Sutherland

Sutherland

Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...

 to the north.

Geography

The river rises at a height of 1500 feet on the southern side of Ben More Assynt

Ben More Assynt

Ben More Assynt is a mountain in Assynt in the far north-west of Scotland, north-north-east of the town of Ullapool...

, and flows just over 35 miles. The upper valley is known as Glen Oykel (Gleann Oicill) and is mostly desolate moorland; the lower valley is known as Strath Oykel (Srath Oicill). The A837 road runs along the river for most of its length, crossing it just above the junction with the Einig, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Rosehall at Oykel Bridge. The eponymous hotel is famous among anglers, who are obliged to stay there when fishing the river.

The River Cassley

River Cassley

The River Cassley in Sutherland, in northern Scotland, drains into the Kyle of Sutherland at Invercassley , a short distance below where the River Oykel flows into the Kyle. The Kyle is subsequently joined by the River Shin about Inveran, before it becomes the Dornoch Firth at Bonar Bridge, into...

 feeds into the Oykel by Invercassley (Inbhir Charsla), forming the Kyle of Sutherland

Kyle of Sutherland

Kyle of Sutherland is a river estuary that separates Sutherland from Ross-shire. It flows into the Dornoch Firth and is fed by the rivers Oykel, Shin, River Cassley and Carron.The downstream extent of the Kyle of Sutherland is the bridge at Bonar Bridge...

 which is later joined by the River Shin

River Shin

The River Shin is a river in the Scottish North West Highlands.The river flows from Loch Shin into the Dornoch Firth and then into the North Sea. The river is just long....

 and the River Carron

River Carron, Sutherland

The River Carron is a river in Sutherland, in the Highlands of Scotland.It begins as the Abhainn a' Ghlinne Mhoir, which joins with the Alladale River to form the River Carron...

. The Kyle discharges into the North Sea via the Dornoch Firth

Dornoch Firth

The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....

.

History

The Oykel was known to the Vikings as the Ekkjal. It served as the boundary between the ancient Pictish province of Cat (Sutherland and Caithness), and the province of Ross, a role it continued until the two were merged into the Highland Region in 1975.

In 1406, the Mackays

Clan MacKay

Clan Mackay is an ancient and once powerful Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old kingdom of Moray. They were a powerful force in politics beginning in the 14th century, supporting Robert the Bruce. In the centuries that followed they were...

 defeated the Clan MacLeod of Lewis

Clan MacLeod of Lewis

Clan Macleod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis, is a Highland Scottish clan, which at its height held extensive lands in the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland. From the 14th century up until the beginning of the 17th century there were two branches of Macleods: the...

 at the Battle of Tuiteam Tarbhach

Battle of Tuiteam Tarbhach

The Battle of Tuiteam Tarbhach was a Scottish clan battle in which the Mackays wiped out raiders from the Clan MacLeod of Lewis who were returning from an attack on Mackay land in Strathnaver. The Mackays caught up with the raiders on the north bank of the River Oykel some three miles west of...

 on the north bank near the mouth of the Tutim Burn.

Flora and fauna

It is designated as a Special Area of Conservation

Special Area of Conservation

A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...

. It has abundant stocks of Atlantic salmon

Atlantic salmon

The Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....

 and over 1000 were caught by anglers in 2007.

External links

• River Oykel at the Gazetteer for Scotland site
• Special Area of Conservation data at the Joint Nature Conservation Committee
  Joint Nature Conservation Committee
  The Joint Nature Conservation Committee is the statutory adviser to the UK Government on national and international nature conservation. Its work contributes to maintaining and enriching biological diversity, conserving geological features and sustaining natural systems...
  
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