River Ericht

The River Ericht rises where the Blackwater and Ardle meet at Bridge of Cally in Perthshire. It flows south for about sixteen kilometres before joining the River Isla, which itself reaches the River Tay. Along its course the river carves Craighall Gorge, a steep rocky cleft that shows the water’s power. Blairgowrie and Rattray lie where the Ericht widens and the valley opens out. Textile mills once lined its banks, their waterwheels turning to spin wool and linen. Salmon and trout run the Ericht in season, and anglers with the right permit cast flies above the deeper pools. The river’s swift current still turns old millstones set into the banks at intervals. Walkers follow the Ericht’s edge where the gorge walls rise twenty metres or more. The water’s noise fills the gorge, mixing with the calls of grey wagtails that dart above the ripples. Paths run beside the river through riverside meadows and small woodlands. The riverbank changes from rough pasture to dense alder and willow scrub. In spring the woods echo with songbirds, while in autumn the water reflects the turning leaves. The Ericht ends its short journey where it slips quietly into the Isla, carrying its load of silt and stories downstream.