River Nethy

River Nethy near Bynack Stable

The River Nethy is a right bank tributary of the River Spey running through Inverness-shire for its whole course.

The river rises on the eastern slope of Cairn Gorm in the Cairngorm Mountains; as the Garbh Allt its source is between Cairn Gorm to the west and A' Chòinneach to the east, close to the edge of the long corrie around Loch Avon to the south. From here the stream flows north between Cairn Gorm and Bynack More, becoming the River Nethy and carving Strath Nethy through the hills and into Abernethy Forest.

The Nethy passes through Nethy Bridge, where the B970 road crosses the river and gives its name to the village, and there turns north-westward before entering the Spey at Broomhill.

Numerous burns feed the Nethy, the most significant of which is the Dorback Burn which enters from its right bank a mile above Nethy Bridge.

Name

The name 'Nethy' may be either Gaelic or pre-Gaelic in origin. It is considered to be cognate with the river names Nidd (in Yorkshire), Nith (in Dumfriesshire) and Neath (in Glamorgan): one suggestion on this basis is that it arises from a supposed word *nido meaning 'gleaming'.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about River Nethy)

• Location map: 57°16’60"N, 3°40’0"W