The Tay at the Mill

 

 

The River Tay that runs past Stanley is  the longest river in Scotland stretching a distance of 120 miles (193km) and has the largest catchment of any Scottish river - 2400 square miles (6216 km).  It rises in the northern slopes of Ben Lui and has a variety of names in the upper catchment.  It's known as the River Connonish then the River Finnan at the western end of Breadalbane, then it flows south eastwards through Loch Dochart where it's known as the River Dochart through Loch Iubhair in Glen Dochart until it flows into Loch Tay at Killin.  The Tay then emerges at Kenmore and flows from there to Perth where it becomes tidal.  The main tributaries are the Almond, Isla, Braan, Tummel and Lyon.

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In the last chapter of Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Fair Maid of Perth" Conachar plunges, shrieking into the roaring waters of Campsie Linn.  Scott describes the Tay between Stanley and Stobhall as "the place where the princely River Tay rushes tumutously over basaltic rocks, which intercepts the current like a dyke erected by human hands."

 

Here's a short poem submitted by the late Bill Hancock who remembers his Uncle Davie Jeffrey quoting this many years ago:

 

The Tay's aye' best ahint a spate

when the water's fine and broon

the troot'll be rising,...I munna be late

I'll haud awa' canny-wise doon.

 

 

 

A Descriptive Poem on the Silvery Tay

Beautiful silvery Tay,
With your landscapes, so lovely and gay,
Along each side of your waters, to Perth all the way;
No other river in the world has got scenery more fine,
Only I am told the beautiful Rhine,
Near to Wormit Bay, it seems very fine,
Where the Railway Bridge is towering above its waters sublime,
And the beautiful ship Mars,
With her Juvenile Tare,
Both lively and gay,
Does carelessly lie By night and by day,
In the beautiful Bay
Of the silvery Tay.
Beautiful, beautiful silvery Tay,
Thy scenery is enchanting on a fine summer day,
Near by Balnerino it is beautiful to behold,
When the trees are in full bloom and the cornfields seems like gold 
And nature's face seems gay,
And the lambkins they do play,
And the humming bee is on the wing,
It is enough to make one sing,
While they carelessly do stray,
Along the beautiful banks of the silvery Tay,
Beautiful silvery Tay,
Rolling smoothly on your way,
Near by Newport, as clear as the day,
Thy scenery around is charming I'll be bound...
And would make the heart of any one feel light and gay on a fine summer day,
To view the beautiful scenery along the banks of the silvery Tay.

William Topaz McGonagall

 

For River Tay photos