Achness Falls

Achness Falls, also known as the Achness Waterfall or Cassley Falls, is a waterfall located on the River Cassley in Sutherland, Scotland, near Rosehall and Invercassley.[1] Its name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic Ach-an-eas, the "field of the waterfall".[2]

The falls descend a narrow gorge with the upper fall being a 6-metre (20 ft) drop. The lower fall is a thin broken sheet of water down about 12 metres (39 ft) of rock and when in spate this becomes a torrent which has several pools providing a means for salmon to ascend.[3] The location is the type locality and best-studied area of the Achness Thrust, a thrust fault which dips 40 to 50° to the south at the falls.[4] Present nearby are the ruins of a broch and a more modern chapel.[2] By the side of the river is an old cemetery and there are woodland walks.[3]

Atlantic salmon fishing on the River Cassley has a long history. Achness Falls is a temporary barrier to the fish each spring; they do not advance beyond it until the water warms above 10 °C (50 °F).[5] In the late 19th century, plans to destroy the waterfall to improve the salmon run were considered.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale Explorer map series, sheets 309-470
  2. 1 2 Munro, Robert (11 March 1907). "Notes on Ornamental Stone Balls, with Reference to Two Specimens Presented to the National Museum by Mr. Andrew Urquhart". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Fourth Series. 41: 290–300.
  3. 1 2 Stott 1987, pp. 106–109.
  4. ↑ Leslie et al. 2010, pp. 363–365.
  5. ↑ "Cassley". Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Archer, Walter E. (1896). "Meetings of District Boards on East Coast". Appendix. Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 14: 6.

Bibliography

  • Leslie, A. G.; Krabbendam, M.; Kimbell, G. S.; Strachan, R. A. (2010). "Regional-scale lateral variation and linkage in ductile thrust architecture: the Oykel Transverse Zone, and mullions, in the Moine Nappe, NW Scotland". In Law, R. D.; Butler, R. W. H.; Holdsworth, R. E.; Krabbendam, M.; Strachan, R. A. (eds.). Continental Tectonics and Mountain Building: The Legacy of Peach and Horne. Geological Society of London. pp. 359–382. ISBN 978-1-86239-300-4.
  • Stott, Louis (1987). The waterfalls of Scotland : worth gaun a mile to see. Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press. ISBN 008032424X.

57°59′20″N 4°35′35″W / 57.98885°N 4.59300°W / 57.98885; -4.59300


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