Burn of Elsick

The Burn of Elsick is a coastal stream in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that discharges to the North Sea. [United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map Landranger 45, Stonehaven and Banchory, 1:50,000 scale, 2004] This watercourse drains primarily agricultural lands and enters the North sea at Newtonhill.

History

The Burn of Elsick flows under the Causey Mounth, an ancient drovers road dating from circa 1100 AD, [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17932 C.Michael Hogan, "Causey Mounth", Megalithic Portal, ed. by A Burnham, Nov 3, 2007] ] which track is extant as a hiking footpath. The Causey Mounth road, built on high ground to make passable this only available medieval route from coastal points south to Aberdeen. This medieval land passage specifically connected the crossing of the River Dee (where the present Bridge of Dee is located) via Portlethen Moss, Muchalls Castle and Stonehaven to the south. [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17932 C.Michael Hogan, "Causey Mounth", Megalithic Portal, ed. by A Burnham, Nov 3, 2007] ] The route was that taken by William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and the Marquess of Montrose when they led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the first battle of the Civil War in 1639. [Archibald Watt, "Highways and Byways around Kincardineshire", Stonehaven Heritage Society (1985)] [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17932 C.Michael Hogan, "Causey Mounth", Megalithic Portal, ed. by A Burnham, Nov 3, 2007] ] In the watershed is an historic home, Elsick House, owned by the Duke of Fife. The historic Gillybrands coaching inn and present day farm is situated on the banks of the Burn of Elsick.

The Salmon Fisherman's Bothy stands perched above the cascading mouth of the Burn of Elsick. [Brian H. Watt, "Old Newtonhill and Muchalls", Stenlake Publishing, Glascow (2005)] In victorian times the local area was a prolific source of salmon, but overfishing to serve the expanding human population has severely reduced the fishing stocks.

ee also

*Burn of Pheppie
*Muchalls Castle
*Saint Ternan's Church

References