Glenlivet (Gleann Lìobhait) is aglen in theHighlands of Scotland through which theRiver Livet flows.
The river rises high in theLadder Hills and flows past several distileries and hamlets and then onto the Bridgend before joining theRiver Avon, one of the main tributaries of theRiver Spey. Glenlivet is known for theGlenlivet Estate and the whiskyThe Glenlivet. TheBattle of Glenlivet was fought on the hillsides of the glen in 1594.
According to theCairngorm National Park Authority the river takes its name fromGaeliclìomhaid meaning "shining or flooding one".[2]William J. Watson, whilst confirming the GaelicGleann Lìomhaid, understood the derivation to be similar to that ofGlen Lyon[3] with the root meaning being "smooth" or "polish".[4] A similar suggestion by Ross is that Livet may be derived from theliobh +ait meaning "slippery" or "smooth" + "place"[5] Nicolaisen suggested that it is either an early Gaelic or pre-Gaelic name meaning "full of water" or "floody".[6]
No part of Glenlivet is lower than 200 metres (660 ft) above sea level.[7] The River Livet rises in the Ladder Hills east ofTomintoul and to the north ofStrathdon. It begins when various small streams coalesce including the Back Burn and the Kymah Burn, below the summits of Carn an t-Suidhe and Carn na Bruar at roughly 350 metres (1,150 ft) above sea level. The river is then joined by the Blye Water that descends from near the 804 metres (2,638 ft) summit ofCàrn Mòr. The next watercourse to join the river is the Crombie Water.[8] The upper reaches of the Crombie are the location of the cottage ofScalan. Now a museum, this was the site of the 18th century College of Scalan, which was a hiddenCatholic seminary during theanti-Catholic persecutions of the time.[9][10] Downstream from Scalan is the settlement of Braes of Glenlivet, the location of theBraeval distillery.[8] Below the distillery the Crombie Water rounds the prominent hill of The Bochel and then joins the River Livet.
Less than a kilometre from this confluence is the hamlet of Tomnavoulin which hosts theTamnavulin distillery. Further downstream the river is joined from the east by the Burn of Nevie.[8] The name 'Nevie' may be derived from*nemeton and indicate a sacred place of the pre-Christian Celtic culture.[11] Just west of Bridge of Nevie was a medieval church building known as Chapel Christ. By 1869 all trace of the structure had disappeared.[12] Further downstream on the west bank of the river isThe Glenlivet distillery owned by theChivas Brothers that sells more than a million cases per annum.[13]
Next, the Burn of Tervie flows down fromBen Rinnes to the east just below the distillery. TheBattle of Glenlivet was fought on a hillside between the Burn of Nevie and the Burn of Tervie in October 1594. This was fought between aProtestant advance force loyal to KingJames VI who were commanded byArchibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll (then a teenager), againstCatholic forces commanded byGeorge Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly, andFrancis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll. The Catholics won the day decisively but "fled before the following forces of the King".[14][15]
The River Livet flows from the vicinity of the battle and on to Bridgend of Glenlivet, passing under the remains of an 18th-century bridge[1] before joining the River Avon (pronounced A'an).[8][17][18]
In the 21st century, Glenlivet is acommunity council area in Moray that encompasses the glen itself plus some surrounding settlements andhistoric parishes such asTomintoul,Ballindalloch, Inveravon andKirkmichael.[19]
TheGlenlivet Estate is part ofCrown Estate Scotland.
For about 500 years until the early 20th Century, the estate belonged to the family of theDukes of Gordon and theDuke of Richmond. The Crown Estate acquired the property of 23,000 hectares (57,000 acres) in 1937, which today has over 30 farms, 3,500 hectares (8,600 acres) of commercial forests and substantial moorland. The estate, part of which is in Strath A'an, operates a ranger service and visitor centre and has a network of walking trails.[7]
57°20′57″N3°19′55″W / 57.34917°N 3.33194°W /57.34917; -3.33194