River Findhorn - Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust

The River Findhorn, Uisge Èireann in Gaelic, flows for 100km, and is one of Scotland’s longest rivers.

The watershed of the River Findhorn is the largest watershed in our care at 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles). From the headwaters in the Monadhliath Mountains, the River Findhorn flows through peatland, upland sporting estates, forestry, and estuary, to reach to Moray Firth through Findhorn Bay.

The headwaters of the river are largely characterised by open hill and moorland with large areas of peat draining to the tributary burns and main stem of the river. The principal land use is deer stalking and grouse shooting with some minor agricultural activity and plantation forestry.

From Tomatin to Sluie, sees the river running through an increasingly steep sided valley leading into the gorge. Land use in this area is principally grouse moor with increasing amounts of commercial forestry, as well as forestry and agriculture further downstream.

Towards the coast, the river flows from Sluie to Findhorn Bay, where it filters through saltmarsh into estuary and the sea of the Moray Firth. Before the River Findhorn reaches the sea, it is joined by water from the Mosset and Muckle Burns. Land use in the lower catchment is principally commercial forestry and agricultural.

The Findhorn Watershed Initiative is a multi-generational vision and partnership to restore a mosaic of nature rich habitats, grow a local culture of nature connection and enable a thriving nature-positive economy for the people and places of the River Findhorn’s watershed area, from the Monadhliath Mountains to the Moray Firth.

Catalysed by the global drive towards net zero and ecosystem restoration, the Findhorn Watershed Initiative brings together the watershed’s land owners, land managers, communities, businesses, and other river users across an area of 1300km2 for the benefit of future generations.

Established as a direct response to the Trust’s 2021-26 Management Plan, which prioritises climate mitigation and habitat restoration, and is inspired by a bioregioning approach.