River Lossie

The River Lossie rises in the hills above Dallas in Moray and flows north-east to the Moray Firth at Lossiemouth. Its source stands four hundred metres above sea level, yet by the time it passes through Elgin the river moves so slowly that the fall in height is barely five metres over many kilometres. The gradient between Elgin and Lossiemouth is almost flat, with the water barely dropping in normal conditions. The Lossie enters the sea at Lossiemouth’s East Beach Bridge after passing Calcots and Pittendreich. Settlements along its banks include Elgin, Kellas and Paddockhaugh in that order from south to north. The river’s name appears in medieval records as Loscyn or Lostyn, a form that may be Pictish. Scholars link the ending -yn to the Welsh suffix -in, while the first part could mean ‘tail or spear’ or ‘burning’ in Welsh. Ptolemy’s map once named a river Loksa, and some have tried to match it with the Lossie though the Findhorn is now the more likely candidate. Dallas marks the Lossie’s highest point, where the hills give way to gentler slopes. The slow current through Elgin and beyond makes the river easy to follow on foot or by bicycle. Visitors can walk the banks from Dallas to Lossiemouth, passing farmland and wooded stretches near Kellas. The river’s almost level course means there are no steep climbs or descents along most routes. At Lossiemouth the Lossie meets wide sandy beaches where the Moray Firth stretches to the horizon. Elgin offers bridges and riverside paths that let walkers cross and recross the slow-moving water. The quiet settlements along the way provide places to rest and watch herons or other water birds. The Lossie’s gentle flow and flat surroundings make it a peaceful place to explore on foot.