Wick River

Wick River, known also as River Wick, has its source near Achigale Mill at the northern end of Bardarclay Moss (gbmapping|ND241536) in the Flow Country of Caithness in Highland, Scotland. The river estuary (gbmappingsmall|ND359510), is in the North Sea bay of Wick (gbmappingsmall|ND378505) and is straddled by the town of Wick. The source is at a height of about 25 metres, about 11 kilometres west and 2 kilometres north of the estuary.

River basin

The river basin includes Loch Watten and Loch Tofingall (gbmappingsmall|ND190522) to the west of the estuary, and Loch Hempriggs and the Loch of Yarrows (gbmappingsmall|ND309438) to the south/southwest.

Viewed upstream from the estuary, the river and its tributaries can be listed as follows:
* Wick River
** Burn of Newton
*** Loch Hempriggs
**** Burn of Thrumster
***** Loch of Yarrows
** Burn of Gillock
** Achairn Burn
***Alt Beag-airighe
***Camster Loch
***Toftgunn headwaters
** Loch Burn, Watten
*** Loch Watten
** Scouthal Burn
*** Burn of Acharole
**** Loch Burn (Toftingall)
***** Loch of Toftingall
** Strath Burn
*** Kensary Burn
*** Camster Burn, known also as Rowens Burn

Tributaries

At its source the river is the confluence of Scouthal Burn and Strath Burn.

* The Loch Burn of Loch Watten enters the river at gbmappingsmall|ND253550.

Between the Loch Burn and Wick Bay the river meanders generally east/southeast-ward and receives water from the following streams:

* The Burn of Winless enters the river at gbmappingsmall|ND302531,
* Achairn Burn enters at Mary Ford (gbmappingsmall|ND325522),
* The Burn of Gillock enters at gbmappingsmall|ND341522,
* The Burn of Milton enters at gbmappingsmall|ND347514,

and from numerous smaller watercourses.

Estuary

If estuary means the region of normal surface interplay between tidal flows and river current then it can be defined in Wick River as ranging from the vicinity of Wick Harbour (gbmappingsmall|ND370508) to an area about 2.5 kilometres further inland (gbmappingsmall|ND346517).

On both sides of the esturary, areas of Wick are built on artificial embankment which have narrowed the river channel, or have fixed a channel where otherwise the area would be more that of tidal beach. The structure of Wick Harbour, mostly on the south side of the estuary, has now perhaps more value as a sea defence than as a commercial harbour.

Bridges

The river is spanned by one railway, three roads and one footbridge.

* Around 300 metres east of Mary Ford (gbmappingsmall|ND328523), the river is crossed by the railway which links the burgh of Wick with the burgh of Thurso and the city of Inverness.
* Within Wick (gbmappingsmall|ND365509), the Harbour Bridge spans the river at its mouth, to link Wick town centre with Wick Harbour and Pulteneytown. It stands instead of the earlier Service Bridge.
* Also in Wick (gbmappingsmall|ND363509), the river is spanned by the main road linking John o' Groats with Latheron and Inverness (the A99-A9). The bridge here is known as the Bridge of Wick and it carries an extension of Wick’s Bridge Street.
* Near Watten (gbmappingsmall|ND244543), the river is crossed by the main highway linking Wick with Thurso, known as Achingale Bridge.
* Around 500 metres west of the Bridge of Wick (gbmappingsmall|ND358510), a footbridge spans the river via an island in the river, and this serves as a link between recreational meadows on the north and south banks.

External links

* [http://www.wickharbour.co.uk/ Wick Harbour]

Riverside settlements

From source to estuary:

* Watten (gbmappingsmall|ND242544) is portside (leftside).
* Wick (gbmappingsmall|ND363509) is to both starboard and port.