| FROM
EXPLOITATION TO CONSERVATION
As
you walk through the forest today you will encounter a very different
atmosphere to the hustle and bustle of industrial and agricultural
activity which characterised the past...
THE
LAIRDS OF GRANT (17th to 19th century ) became the Earls of Seafield
and placed great demands on the forest of Abernethy. There were many
and varied attempts to exploit the woods, in response to the needs of
war and building settlements. This provided supplementary work for
local people and, next to agriculture, was the most important industry
in Abernethy...
THE
RIVER NETHY AND RIVER SPEY played a fundamental role in transporting
timber to the markets. The loggers dammed a network of hill lochs and
burns feeding into the river Nethy which, on their release, sent large
quantities of water to float timber down to saw mills in lower Nethy.
Here the timber was either sawn for local use or assembled into rafts
for floating the 40 miles down the river Spey to the sea...
SHIPS'
MASTS, RAILWAY SLEEPERS, PITPROPS, WATERPIPES AND CHARCOAL FOR IRON
SMELTERS were some of the many uses for Abernethy Pine. The arrival of
the steam railway to Nethy Bridge in 1863 initiated the demise of
timber floating as it provided a more efficient way of transporting
timber to the markets...
THE EXPLORE ABERNETHY
CENTRE
keeps artefacts, records, maps and a library relating to the history of
the Forest.
CASTLE ROY
People have lived in this area, depending on the forest, for centuries.
See http://www.nethybridge.com/html/community/castleroy.php
for more information on the castle. See it on our Castle Roy Loop walk.
VILLAGE HISTORY
Search the village archive at http://www.nethybridge.com/html/history/index.php.
EMAIL US
Please contact us if you have any enquiries or historical information :
ranger@nethybridge.com
|
