View source for River Avon, Strathspey

{{For|other rivers called Avon|River Avon (disambiguation){{!}}River Avon}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox river
| name               = River Avon
| native_name        = {{native name|gd|Abhainn Athfhinn}}
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<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image              = Linn of Avon - geograph.org.uk - 6998.jpg
| image_size         = 288
| image_caption      = The "Linn of Avon" in Glen Avon
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| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[United Kingdom]], [[Scotland]]
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| subdivision_type3  = Region
| subdivision_name3  = [[Moray]]
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<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| length_km = 63.9
| length_ref = <ref>[http://www.almanacofscotland.co.uk/rivers.htm "Longest Scottish Rivers"]. ''Almanac of Scotland'' Retrieved 11 August 2024.</ref><ref>The [[Gazetteer for Scotland]] has a length of 58km excluding the headwaters above Loch A'an: [https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst3279.html "River Avon"]. Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 11 August 2024.</ref>  
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<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1            = 
| source1_location   = [[Loch A'an]], [[Moray]]
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| mouth              = 
| mouth_location     = [[Ballindalloch]], [[Moray]]
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}} 
The '''River Avon''' (pronounced “A'an”<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | editor1-last=Keay | editor1-first=John | editor1-link=John Keay | editor2-last=Keay | editor2-first=Julia | year=1994 | title=Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland | location=Hammersmith, London | publisher=[[HarperCollins]]| title-link=Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland|p=892}}</ref> /ɑːn/) is a [[river]] in the [[Strathspey, Scotland|Strathspey]] area of the [[Scottish Highlands]], and a [[tributary]] of the [[River Spey]]. It drains the north-eastern area of the [[Cairngorms|Cairngorm Mountains]] and is largely contained within the [[Cairngorms National Park]]

The source of the River Avon is conventionally said to be [[Loch A'an]] situated between [[Cairn Gorm]] and [[Ben Macdui]] ([[Scottish Gaelic language|Gaelic]]: ''Beinn MacDhuibh'').<ref name="rsgs">Royal Scottish Geographical Society,  (2006), ''Scotland: an encyclopedia of places & landscapes'', page 39</ref> Loch A'an itself collects headwaters from a number of burns on these two mountains. From there the river then continues east down Glen Avon to the north of [[Ben Avon]], for 10 miles before turning north towards the village of [[Tomintoul]] and [[:Category:Strath Avon|Strath Avon]].

There is a River Avon Fishing Association that promotes tourism in nearby towns and fishing along the river.<ref>[https://riveravonfishingassociation.weebly.com/about.html River Avon Fishing Association], accessed January 2020.</ref>

== Tributaries ==
Over the first few miles flowing east through the [[Deer forest|Forest of Glenavon]] the Avon gathers to itself numerous small burns, the most notable of which are the Burn of Loin and the Builg Burn originating at Loch Builg. The latter flows down Glen Builg to enter the Avon on its right bank just downstream of the Linn of Avon.<ref name=OS>{{Ordnance Survey}}</ref>

A mile to the southwest of Tomintoul, the Water of Ailnack enters from the confines of a precipitous gorge - the higher reaches of this watercourse are known as the Water of Caiplich. Downstream of Tomintoul, the Conglass Water originating at the [[Lecht]], enters from the east and the Burn of Lochy enters from Glen Lochy to the west. Above Bridge of Brown, the Lochy is fed in turn by the Burn of Brown. The lowermost tributary of the Avon is the River Livet which enters from [[Glenlivet]] on the right bank at Drumin just as the Avon leaves the national park.<ref name=OS/>

{{Quote frame|quote=Regarded from the point of view of river and mountain scenery, is perhaps the most perfect Glen in Scotland. For in the whole 38 miles, from its source above [[Loch Avon]], to the [[River Spey|Spey]], there is not a single dour passage, and every phase of highland landscape is presented. From the wild barren grandeur of [[Ben Macdui|Ben Macdhui]] to the luxuriant beaches of Dalnashaugh, under whose shade the river flows deep and dark to meet the Spey. It is rash to discriminate among the beautys of such a glen, but perhaps not the least attractive are those in the middle reaches, where the hills are friendly rather than fearsome, where groves of silver birches break and soften the valley side, where the alder dips its branches in the singing water, and where the oyster-catcher sweeps and cries above the shingle.|author=Sir Henry Alexander (1875 - 1940)<ref>This quotation seems to be from Sir Henry Alexander (20 June 1875 – 7 April 1940), Editor of the Aberdeen Free Press, Lord Provost of Aberdeen 1932-1935, possibly from the SMC's ''Guide Book to the Cairngorms'' that he authored. See [http://www.cairngormclub.org.uk/journals/PDFs/Articles/J081/The%20Cairngorm%20Club%20Journal%20081%20-%20In%20Memoriam%20SIR%20HENRY%20ALEXANDER,%20LL.D.%20WM.pdf ''In Memoriam''] Cairngorm Club Journal 81 (1940). </ref> |align=center}}

== Etymology ==
[[File:Fords of Avon Refuge (geograph 2031763).jpg|thumb|Fords of Avon refuge in [[Cairngorm National Park]]]]
Some authorities state that, in common with various other examples of Avon, the river takes its name from the [[Scottish Gaelic]] ''abhainn'' meaning 'river' or 'stream'. The word, in common with the [[Welsh language|Welsh]] ''afon'', is thought to originate from an early [[Proto-Indo-European language|Indo-European]] root ''ab'' or ''aub''.<ref>Ross, D. 2001 ''Scottish Place-names'' Birlinn, Edinburgh</ref><ref>{{Gaelic Placenames}}</ref> Watson (1926) however, is of the view that the derivation is from the "[[Common Brittonic|early British]] ''Abone'' not Gaelic ''abhainn''", the former being the precursor of both [[Pictish language|Pictish]] and Gaelic.<ref>[[William J. Watson|Watson, W. J.]] (1994) ''The Celtic Place-Names of Scotland''. Edinburgh; Birlinn. ISBN 1841583235. First published 1926. p.430 </ref> Whatever the exact derivation, all agree that the name has the [[List of tautological place names|tautological meaning]] of 'river river'.

{{coord|57.41468|N|3.37537|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

== References ==
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[[Category:Rivers of Moray|Avon, Strathspey]]
[[Category:Spey basin|1Avon]]
[[Category:Strath Avon]]