Water of Leith: Difference between revisions
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The '''Water of Leith''' (Scottish Gaelic: ''Uisge Lìte'') is | The '''Water of Leith''' (Scottish Gaelic: ''Uisge Lìte'') is a [[river]] in [[Edinburgh]], Scotland. It rises in the [[Pentland Hills]] before flowing through the centre of the city and emptying into the [[Firth of Forth]] at the port of [[Leith]]. | ||
==Name== | ==Name== | ||
The name ''Leith'' may be of [[Common Brittonic|Brittonic]] origin and derived from ''*lejth'' meaning | The name ''Leith'' may be of [[Common Brittonic|Brittonic]] origin and derived from ''*lejth'' meaning "damp, moist" ([[Welsh language|Welsh]] ''llaith'').<ref name="bliton">{{cite web |last1=James |first1=Alan |title=A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence |url=http://spns.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Alan_James_Brittonic_Language_in_the_Old_North_BLITON_Volume_II_Dictionary.pdf |website=SPNS - The Brittonic Language in the Old North |access-date=25 November 2018 |archive-date=13 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813011121/http://spns.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Alan_James_Brittonic_Language_in_the_Old_North_BLITON_Volume_II_Dictionary.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is less likely that the name derives from the [[Old Norse]] ''lodda'' meaning a river.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} The [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] form of the name is ''Lìte'' (Leith), with ''Uisge Lìte'' being the full translation of "Water of Leith".<ref name=Bell>{{cite book|title=Literary Corstorphine: A reader's guide to West Edinburgh|date=2017|last=Bell|first=Raymond MacKean|location=Edinburgh|publisher=Leamington Books|isbn=9780244644406}}</ref> | ||
The ''[[Dictionary of the Scots Language]]'' defines the term "water" here as "A large stream, usu. thought of as intermediate in size between a [[Burn (landform)|Burn]] and a river."<ref name="DSL">{{cite web |title=Water |work=[[Dictionary of the Scots Language]]|url=https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/water|access-date=2 August 2020}}</ref> | The ''[[Dictionary of the Scots Language]]'' defines the term "water" here as "A large stream, usu. thought of as intermediate in size between a [[Burn (landform)|Burn]] and a river."<ref name="DSL">{{cite web |title=Water |work=[[Dictionary of the Scots Language]]|url=https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/water|access-date=2 August 2020}}</ref> | ||
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==Course== | ==Course== | ||
[[File:Water of Leith - geograph.org.uk - 46853.jpg|thumb|Upper reaches of the Water of Leith]] | [[File:Water of Leith - geograph.org.uk - 46853.jpg|thumb|Upper reaches of the Water of Leith]] | ||
The length of the main stream is {{Convert|31.7|km|mi|0|order=flip}}. Its source is the Colzium Springs in the [[Pentland Hills]].<ref name="Management Plan">{{cite report |author=Helen Brown |date=3 April 2020 |title=Water of Leith Management Plan 2020-2030 |url=https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/28361/water-of-leith-management-plan-2020-to-2030 |publisher=Water of Leith Action Group |page=4 |format=pdf |access-date=22 August 2023 }}</ref> The river travels through [[Harperrig Reservoir]], past the ruins of [[Cairns Castle]], on to [[Balerno]], [[Currie]], [[Juniper Green]], [[Colinton]], [[Slateford]], [[Longstone, Edinburgh|Longstone]], [[Saughton]], [[Balgreen]], [[Roseburn]] and [[West Coates]]. The river nears Edinburgh city centre between [[West End, Edinburgh|West End]] and [[Dean Village]]; the site of old [[watermill]]s in a deep gorge. The [[ravine]] is dramatically spanned by the [[Dean Bridge]], designed by [[Thomas Telford]] and built in 1832 for the road to [[South Queensferry|Queensferry]].<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA |num=119344 |num2=NT27SW 673 |desc=Edinburgh, Queensferry Road, Dean Bridge |access-date=18 June 2025}}</ref> | The length of the main stream is {{Convert|31.7|km|mi|0|order=flip}}. Its source is the Colzium Springs in the [[Pentland Hills]].<ref name="Management Plan">{{cite report |author=Helen Brown |date=3 April 2020 |title=Water of Leith Management Plan 2020-2030 |url=https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/28361/water-of-leith-management-plan-2020-to-2030 |publisher=Water of Leith Action Group |page=4 |format=pdf |access-date=22 August 2023 }}</ref> The river travels through [[Harperrig Reservoir]], past the ruins of [[Cairns Castle]], on to [[Balerno]], [[Currie, Edinburgh|Currie]], [[Juniper Green]], [[Colinton]], [[Slateford]], [[Longstone, Edinburgh|Longstone]], [[Saughton]], [[Balgreen]], [[Roseburn]] and [[West Coates]]. The river nears Edinburgh city centre between [[West End, Edinburgh|West End]] and [[Dean Village]]; the site of old [[watermill]]s in a deep gorge. The [[ravine]] is dramatically spanned by the [[Dean Bridge]], designed by [[Thomas Telford]] and built in 1832 for the road to [[South Queensferry|Queensferry]].<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA |num=119344 |num2=NT27SW 673 |desc=Edinburgh, Queensferry Road, Dean Bridge |access-date=18 June 2025}}</ref> | ||
[[File:St Bernards Well - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|St Bernard's Well sits alongside the Water of Leith in the [[Stockbridge, Edinburgh|Stockbridge]] area, with [[Comely Bank]] opposite]] | [[File:St Bernards Well - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|St Bernard's Well sits alongside the Water of Leith in the [[Stockbridge, Edinburgh|Stockbridge]] area, with [[Comely Bank]] opposite]] | ||
The river flows on past [[Stockbridge, Edinburgh|Stockbridge]], [[Inverleith]], [[Canonmills]] and [[Warriston]] where it passes through shallows at a place known as Puddocky which is commonly thought to refer to "puddocks", the [[Scots language]] term for frogs,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dictionaries of the Scots Language:: SND :: puddock |url=https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/puddock |access-date=2023-08-22}}</ref> but actually took its name from the former Paddock Hall sited nearby.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ashford |first=Zella |title=The Lands of Warriston |url=https://oldedinburghclub.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/BOEC_NS3_1994_The_Lands_of_Warriston.pdf |format=PDF |journal=The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club Journal for Edinburgh History |publication-date=1994 |volume=3 |page=1 |issn=2634-2618}}</ref> The river continues past [[Bonnington, Edinburgh|Bonnington]], the site of another watermill, to [[Leith]] where it widens into the old harbour and | The river flows on past [[Stockbridge, Edinburgh|Stockbridge]], [[Inverleith]], [[Canonmills]] and [[Warriston]] where it passes through shallows at a place known as Puddocky which is commonly thought to refer to "puddocks", the [[Scots language]] term for frogs,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dictionaries of the Scots Language:: SND :: puddock |url=https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/puddock |access-date=2023-08-22}}</ref> but actually took its name from the former Paddock Hall sited nearby.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ashford |first=Zella |title=The Lands of Warriston |url=https://oldedinburghclub.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/BOEC_NS3_1994_The_Lands_of_Warriston.pdf |format=PDF |journal=The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club Journal for Edinburgh History |publication-date=1994 |volume=3 |page=1 |issn=2634-2618}}</ref> The river continues past [[Bonnington, Edinburgh|Bonnington]], the site of another watermill, to [[Leith]] where it widens into the old harbour and [[Port of Leith]] at the [[The Shore, Leith|Shore]]. Leith Docks have been extended considerably out into the [[firth]] from the old shoreline. | ||
== Water of Leith Walkway == | == Water of Leith Walkway == | ||
Revision as of 16:11, 21 December 2025
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The Water of Leith (Scottish Gaelic: Uisge Lìte) is a river in Edinburgh, Scotland. It rises in the Pentland Hills before flowing through the centre of the city and emptying into the Firth of Forth at the port of Leith.
Name
The name Leith may be of Brittonic origin and derived from *lejth meaning "damp, moist" (Welsh llaith).[1] It is less likely that the name derives from the Old Norse lodda meaning a river.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". The Gaelic form of the name is Lìte (Leith), with Uisge Lìte being the full translation of "Water of Leith".[2]
The Dictionary of the Scots Language defines the term "water" here as "A large stream, usu. thought of as intermediate in size between a Burn and a river."[3]
Course
The length of the main stream is Script error: No such module "convert".. Its source is the Colzium Springs in the Pentland Hills.[4] The river travels through Harperrig Reservoir, past the ruins of Cairns Castle, on to Balerno, Currie, Juniper Green, Colinton, Slateford, Longstone, Saughton, Balgreen, Roseburn and West Coates. The river nears Edinburgh city centre between West End and Dean Village; the site of old watermills in a deep gorge. The ravine is dramatically spanned by the Dean Bridge, designed by Thomas Telford and built in 1832 for the road to Queensferry.[5]
The river flows on past Stockbridge, Inverleith, Canonmills and Warriston where it passes through shallows at a place known as Puddocky which is commonly thought to refer to "puddocks", the Scots language term for frogs,[6] but actually took its name from the former Paddock Hall sited nearby.[7] The river continues past Bonnington, the site of another watermill, to Leith where it widens into the old harbour and Port of Leith at the Shore. Leith Docks have been extended considerably out into the firth from the old shoreline.
Water of Leith Walkway
The Water of Leith Walkway is beside the river for Script error: No such module "convert". from Balerno to Leith.[8] The route forms an attractive haven for wildlife, passing through areas of woodland, often well separated from roads. For some distance the walkway follows the route of former railway tracks, and the remains of tunnels, bridges and other features of more than one railway may be seen at many places along the route including the Colinton Tunnel Mural.[9]
Water of Leith Conservation Trust
The Water of Leith Conservation Trust, founded in 1988 is a registered charity whose objective is to "conserve the Water of Leith and its environs" and "promote the natural and built heritage of the river".[10] The Trust runs educational programs and operates a visitor centre close to where the Union Canal passes over the Water of Leith via the Slateford Aqueduct in south-west Edinburgh.
Wildlife
The river contains 15 different types of fish including brown trout, wild grayling, eels, stone loach, minnow, three-spined stickleback and flounder. A few sea-trout run the river, and occasional Atlantic salmon are reported, although those from which scale samples have been obtained have turned out to be from other catchments.
Until the weirs are either demolished or furnished with effective fish-passes, there is little chance of a population of salmon establishing themselves in this river again. Roe deer, badgers, otters and other mammals are often seen.[8] The river and its environs are the haunt of a wide variety of woodland and water birds, including kingfisher, grey heron, pied wagtail, great spotted woodpecker and white-throated dipper.
See also
- Rivers of Scotland
- River Almond, which flows through Cramond and Kirkliston
- River Esk, Lothian
- Water of Leith, a river which flows through Dunedin, New Zealand
References
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- ↑ Template:Historic Environment Scotland
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External links
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- Water of Leith Conservation Trust: The River, Visitor Center, Education, Conservation
- Scottish Government, 16/03/07: Water of Leith Flood Prevention Scheme Script error: No such module "webarchive".
- Water of Leith
- Water of Leith Millennium Bid document. The bid was successful and paid for new sections of the Walkway and the Visitor Centre.
- "Forth District Salmon Fishery Board"
- "River Forth Fisheries Trust"
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