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#FolkloreThursday: River Spey / Uisge Spè

8/13/2020

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The River Spey in summer, near Aviemore in Strathspey
It's #folklorethursday! The River Spey (Uisge Spè in Gaelic), unbeknownst to many of us, is home to a yellow waterhorse - and quite an unusual one at that.

You'll find waterhorses, or kelpies, in many a loch or river across the Highlands, where they like to carry off young ladies, and sometimes appear in human form too, often in old-fashioned but fine clothes.

Our resident Spè waterhorse however only carries off married couples... so beware if you're on the bank attempting to cross and get offered a lift! You may both be dragged down to one of the deeper pools...

(PS - you might also like to have a listen to musician Hamish Napier's album The River, composed about the River Spey and part of his Strathspey Trilogy. The brilliant cover image by Somhairle MacDonald also features said naughty waterhorse.)


If you'd like to hear more stories and folktales of Aviemore and the Cairngorms, join an upcoming wee guided walk!
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  Sarah shared stories about local history and folklore, how the plants and trees were - and can still be - used and really brought the area to life. If you're interested in foraging, storytelling, or just nature in general, you'll enjoy this experience. I've been coming here for years and still learned loads, I'd definitely recommend it!

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