River Bogie

The River Bogie rises near Auchindoir and Kearn in north-west Aberdeenshire. It flows northeast for about eleven miles through Strathbogie to Huntly. Just below Huntly it joins the River Deveron, of which it is one of the two main tributaries. The river is known for its brown trout fishing. Its Gaelic name is Balgaidh, and it is also called the Water of Bogie.

The Bogie once supplied water to the linen bleachfields of Huntly in the 19th century. Huntly was then a major textile centre. The riverside area called Bogieside appears often in local literature and folksongs. Two examples are Adieu tae Bogieside and Bogie’s Bonnie Belle.

Visitors walk along the riverbank paths through Strathbogie. The landscape is gentle farmland with wide views over Aberdeenshire. Anglers cast for brown trout in the clear water. The meeting of the Bogie and the Deveron lies just below Huntly.