Craigellachie is derived from "creag eileachaidh" - "high rock" or "creag egalach" - "rock of warning or alarm".
The Roy Highlands Map of c1750 marks Boat of Fiddich on the east side of the Spey, whilst Craig Elchie is marked as the hill opposite - with Elchis to the west of this. Until I saw this I had not linked the derivation of Craigellachie with Easter Elchies (where The Macallan Distillery is located). {Going back even further, the Pont Map c1583-1614 has recognisable names - if not geography - Elachy, Elchis, Danalyeth, Rotthes - and others along the River Fiddich} The Aaron Arrowsmith map of 1807, again has Boat of Fidich at the confluence of the Fiddich and Spey, and Easter Elchies and Dandaleth on the west bank. The 1902 map has Craigellachie where it now is, but also Craig Ellachie marking the cliffs above the Telford Bridge. Click the map's Google logo to go to Google Maps - for Directions, Street View etc.
Undiscovered Scotland Craigellachie Village Website Wikipedia Craigellachie & WhiskyCraigellachie has two famous whisky bars - the Craigellachie Hotel and the Highlander Inn, and is also the location of the Speyside Cooperage. Nearest Whisky shops - Dufftown Whisky Shop (4 miles); Gordon & MacPhail (13).
Distilleries Craigellachie Distillery The Macallan Distillery is just across the River Spey. |
Craigellachie features Thomas Telford's bridge, built in 1814, the first bridge in the area to survive the ravages of the River Spey. It was in regular use for traffic until 1972, and you can still cycle across it - if heading North you will appear to be heading straight for the rock face - but the old road does a sharp right angle turn.
'Stand Fast, Craigellachie' was the battle cry of Clan Grant, who owned much of the land around here and is also used by William Grant & Sons on their Grant's blend, based at nearby Glenfiddich. The final spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven in at Craigellachie, British Columbia - named after Craigellachie due to connections with Clan Grant. Arriving & DepartingOpen Cycle Map Bing Map
Craigellachie is on proposed National Cycle Route 79, but there has not yet been any development of this route - the projected route is shown on the Open Cycle Map - following the Speyside Way. Craigellachie's station is long closed - there are a few remnants in a local park. Nearest stations are Elgin (ELG) (13 miles), Keith (KEH) (12) or Aviemore (AVM) (35). Live train times: ELG, KEH, AVM. There are two preserved sections of the railway which used to run through Craigellachie (Strathspey Steam Railway at Broomhill (23); and the Keith & Dufftown railway at Dufftown (4). SleepingBridge View B&B Leslie Terrace 01340 881376
Not stayed there, but the website indicates that the owner has a keen interest in Whisky, so well worth a mention here! Highlander Inn 10 Victoria Street 01340 841446 See under Drinking below Speybank B&B Leslie Terrace 01340 871888 Strathspey B&B Victoria Street 01340 871115 Craigellachie Hotel Victoria Street 08444 146526 Greenhall Gallery 2 Victoria Street 01340 871010 Was a beautiful little B&B, with steps down to the Speyside way, and an arts and crafts shop upstairs in the Green Hall - Now only does self-catering. 2004 Photo. For other accommodation - see Undiscovered Scotland DrinkingCraigellachie boasts three bars - two having specialist Whisky bars, and the idiosyncratic Fiddichside Inn.
Craigellachie Hotel Victoria Street 08444 146526 A luxury hotel with prices to match, but a visit to it's Quaich Bar with some 900 whiskies is something no whisky drinker should miss. A more recent addition is the Copper Dog bar and restaurant. Highlander Inn 10 Victoria Street 01340 841446 Opposite the Hotel, the Highlander has a range of some 280 whiskies - from around the world as well as Scotland (many from Japan - it is now owned by Tatsuya Minagawa). The bar also serves real ale, and accommodation is available. Fiddichside Inn On A95 just across Fiddich Bridge 01340 881239 A traditional, very small, unspoilt pub, with a range of whiskies. More room in summer with gardens stretching down to the River Fiddich. Not sure what will happen to this place following the recent death of long time landlord Joe who was 88. EatingHighlander Inn 10 Victoria Street 01340 841446
The Highlander provides snacks and more formal meals - as well as a good selection of whiskies - see under Drinking above. Craigellachie Hotel Victoria Street 08444 146526 Copper Dog bar and restaurant. Unfortunately, the hotel has been painted a rather drab yellow-brown colour, instead of the traditional white. CyclingNearest Bike shops - Elgin:
Bikes and Bowls 7 High Street, Elgin 01343 549656 Halfords Lossie Wynd N, Elgin 01343 552030 (Note: Cycle Shack shown in a May 2004 picture is no longer operating) Charlie Millett Dufftown 01340 820991 Not a shop - has a page on the Dufftown.net website - provides repairs and spares - assisted Whisky Cyclist in 2014 when stranded in Craigellachie with damaged tyre and in 2017 with a broken pedal. Bikespokes Forres 07801 365710 @ Van based mobile servicing & repairs - normally 25 miles radius from Forres, but will travel further for an extra charge ShoppingPost Office (search for AB38)
Asda (Elgin), Co-Op (Aberlour), Tesco (Elgin) Banking - nearest in Aberlour - ATM at Clydesdale Bank Raining??BBC Weather The Weather Channel (Aberlour)
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Other Transport Issues in Craigellachie (notes)
Craigellachie has two A roads passing through it - Victoria Street (A95 to Keth); and Edward Avenue/Hill Street (A941 to Dufftown). The current arrangement is quite odd - originally they crossed each other in the centre of the village and the A95 continued past the front of the Craigellachie Hotel. Following the construction of the new bridge, and the closure of the railway, the Aberlour to Rothes road by-passes the village - when this was built it was designated as a Trunk road throughout, but despite OS maps still showing it as such, the A95 through Craigellachie has been the actual primary route for 20 years.
This in a way cuts the village in half, though there is a back street (Spey Road) that connects the two, running behind the Distillery - and you can still walk/cycle along the route of the old road. The Elgin to Dufftown bus emphasises this by popping into Craigellachie to do a U-turn by the Hotel, continuing to Aberlour - for another U-turn and coming back through the upper part of Craigellachie.
Before the rail bridge was built across the Spey, the station on the western bank was named Craigellachie - it was renamed Dandelieth on the completion of the bridge and the establishment of the later Craigellachie Station by the Bridge of Fiddich, opposite the Fiddichside Inn.
Craigellachie has two A roads passing through it - Victoria Street (A95 to Keth); and Edward Avenue/Hill Street (A941 to Dufftown). The current arrangement is quite odd - originally they crossed each other in the centre of the village and the A95 continued past the front of the Craigellachie Hotel. Following the construction of the new bridge, and the closure of the railway, the Aberlour to Rothes road by-passes the village - when this was built it was designated as a Trunk road throughout, but despite OS maps still showing it as such, the A95 through Craigellachie has been the actual primary route for 20 years.
This in a way cuts the village in half, though there is a back street (Spey Road) that connects the two, running behind the Distillery - and you can still walk/cycle along the route of the old road. The Elgin to Dufftown bus emphasises this by popping into Craigellachie to do a U-turn by the Hotel, continuing to Aberlour - for another U-turn and coming back through the upper part of Craigellachie.
Before the rail bridge was built across the Spey, the station on the western bank was named Craigellachie - it was renamed Dandelieth on the completion of the bridge and the establishment of the later Craigellachie Station by the Bridge of Fiddich, opposite the Fiddichside Inn.
Photos on this page were taken by me. Click on photo to enlarge. Full size versions of all my photos of Craigellachie available on Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martynjenkins/sets/72157629947551239
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martynjenkins/sets/72157629947551239
Clan Grant (notes)
"Stand Fast, Craigellachie" is the motto of Clan Grant, whose lands stretched along much of the Spey. The heartland of the Clan was around the Aviemore - Grantown -on-Spey area. (Grantown was built by 23rd Clan Chief known as 'the Good' Sir James Grant - as he built the town and provided employment for his clan at the time that other landowners were simply clearing the land for sheep). The Craigellachie referred to is, according to the Clan Grant website, a hill above Aviemore.
From the Clan Grant Society - USA website:
Strathspey, the valley of the River Spey, was the “country of the Grants”. During the halcyon days of the clan system, it was the stated goal of succeeding chiefs to consolidate and hold all the lands in Strathspey “between the two Craigellachies”. And they very nearly succeeded!
Craigellachie is the name of the high hill overlooking the modern town of Aviemore. It is also a village situated thirty-five miles downstream – hence, the two Craigellachies. Creag Eileachaidh (Kra GELʹ a key) means “rock of alarm”. In former times, huge bond fires were ignited on high hills in Strathspey to designate a gathering place for the men of the clan, or to proclaim a great celebration, such as the birth of the chief’s first-born son. The clan’s motto or rallying cry was, and is today: “Stand fast, Craigellachie!”
The spread of the Grants further down river is evidenced by the number of Grants that were involved in the establishment of the whisky industry in Speyside - with links to at least 10 distilleries in the area.
William Grant of Glenfiddich and Balvenie - use Stand Fast the family motto - on the crest on the bottle.
Glen Grant - the only Scottish distillery named after an individual - well two actually the brothers John and James Grant - who went on to fund another distillery initially Glen Grant No.2, subsequently re-named Caperdonich.
William Grant (a different one) co-founder of Glenrothes
Longmorn - bought by James R Grant in 1920
Glendronach - purchased by Charles Grant, son of William Grant (Glenfiddich) in 1920
Charles Grant of Wester Elchies founded the town of Aberlour - and named it after his son Charles, hence the more formal name Charlestown of Aberlour. (Archiestown on the opposite side of the Spey was named after his other son Archie). Aberlour Distillery was run by Walker, Grant & Co between 1837 and 1879
Easter Elchies House was built in 1700 for Captain John Grant. Alexander Reid leased land from the Easter Elchies Estate to build The Macallan Distillery from the Earl of Seafield - 24th Clan Grant Chief, Sir Lewis Alexander Grant-Ogilvie.
Glenfarclas - Although founded by Robert Hay in 1836, the distillery was bought by John Grant on Hay's death in 1865 - and run by his great uncle John Smith, until he went off to establish Cragganmore in 1870, which was later pat owned by the MacPherson-Grants of the Ballindalloch Estate, who in 2014 established the new Ballindalloch Distillery.
In 1904, The Glenlivet was taken over by George Smith Grant, a nephew of the John Gordon Smith, whose family had founded the distillery.
From the Clan Grant Society - USA website:
Strathspey, the valley of the River Spey, was the “country of the Grants”. During the halcyon days of the clan system, it was the stated goal of succeeding chiefs to consolidate and hold all the lands in Strathspey “between the two Craigellachies”. And they very nearly succeeded!
Craigellachie is the name of the high hill overlooking the modern town of Aviemore. It is also a village situated thirty-five miles downstream – hence, the two Craigellachies. Creag Eileachaidh (Kra GELʹ a key) means “rock of alarm”. In former times, huge bond fires were ignited on high hills in Strathspey to designate a gathering place for the men of the clan, or to proclaim a great celebration, such as the birth of the chief’s first-born son. The clan’s motto or rallying cry was, and is today: “Stand fast, Craigellachie!”
The spread of the Grants further down river is evidenced by the number of Grants that were involved in the establishment of the whisky industry in Speyside - with links to at least 10 distilleries in the area.
William Grant of Glenfiddich and Balvenie - use Stand Fast the family motto - on the crest on the bottle.
Glen Grant - the only Scottish distillery named after an individual - well two actually the brothers John and James Grant - who went on to fund another distillery initially Glen Grant No.2, subsequently re-named Caperdonich.
William Grant (a different one) co-founder of Glenrothes
Longmorn - bought by James R Grant in 1920
Glendronach - purchased by Charles Grant, son of William Grant (Glenfiddich) in 1920
Charles Grant of Wester Elchies founded the town of Aberlour - and named it after his son Charles, hence the more formal name Charlestown of Aberlour. (Archiestown on the opposite side of the Spey was named after his other son Archie). Aberlour Distillery was run by Walker, Grant & Co between 1837 and 1879
Easter Elchies House was built in 1700 for Captain John Grant. Alexander Reid leased land from the Easter Elchies Estate to build The Macallan Distillery from the Earl of Seafield - 24th Clan Grant Chief, Sir Lewis Alexander Grant-Ogilvie.
Glenfarclas - Although founded by Robert Hay in 1836, the distillery was bought by John Grant on Hay's death in 1865 - and run by his great uncle John Smith, until he went off to establish Cragganmore in 1870, which was later pat owned by the MacPherson-Grants of the Ballindalloch Estate, who in 2014 established the new Ballindalloch Distillery.
In 1904, The Glenlivet was taken over by George Smith Grant, a nephew of the John Gordon Smith, whose family had founded the distillery.