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NO7766. Den Finella

Grid square NO7766, is an interesting location from a geographical point of view because it contains interaction between both physical and human elements. Nowhere is this better seen than at Den Finella which is for the most part a river valley created by a stream which runs at right angles in relation to the NE / SW trend of the surrounding hills. The Den Finella Gorge at NO771664 is particularly interesting in that it is at that point that the stream plunges in an awe inspiring drop of over 20m to the plunge pool below. Other nearby plunge pools indicate that the stream has cut back in its course by the process of headward erosion to form a gorge and this process is still in operation. Many of the vehicle owners who cross the bridge are unaware of the spectacular waterfall below them but as the waterfall erodes back on itself this is likely to have future implications for the A92 road bridge which spans the gorge at that point.
There are a number of immediate dangers at the bridge and one of these involves parking. There are no official parking places near the bridge and there are signs on the nearby access road to Finella Cottage not to park there as the road is in use. Because of this some motorists park by the parapet of the bridge particularly on the eastern side. This space is not intended as a car park and it does involve potential danger to both the car and its occupants from fast moving or large vehicles moving south along the road. Crossing the A92, at this point, to the other side of the road also involves a certain degree of hazard particularly as there is a bend in the road a short distance away to the south. Care is again needed while looking over the fairly low parapet of the bridge to the vertiginous drop into the gorge below. While it is tempting to lean out over the parapet of the bridge to get a better view of the waterfall or the thickly wooded gorge, this is inherently dangerous. One folklore version of her story says that Finella, the huntress, jumped to her death, from the top of the waterfall, in order to avoid capture by Kenneth II’s soldiers.
While the spectacular scenery or the prospect of a chilly swim in a plunge pool tempts many visitors to further explore the area of the gorge, care is also needed. Immediately on entering the wood, there is a large sign to give warning that the path is unsafe. Unfortunately, the sign is so obscured by vegetation, that many visitors will not see it or be at pains to hold back the vegetation so that the sign can be read. In consequence of this, some people will rush into the woods without realizing that they have been cautioned not to use the path. Descent into the gorge, near the Den Finella waterfall, is difficult and dangerous and should be undertaken only with great caution. Factors such as the extremely steep slopes have at times led ropes to be placed there but as time goes by these become frayed, rotten and unreliable. The rocks are often wet with spray or rain and this can be exacerbated by slippy grass or fallen leaves.
The woodland path leads to the majestic relic of Den Finella Viaduct which rises 30m into the sky as it spans the gorge. It used local stone and was comprised of three 40 foot spans and one of 20 feet. The side span was to accommodate a woodland path along the gorge. The piers were founded on rock shelves on either side of the burn and these in turn were supported by brickwork. This amazing viaduct was part of the infrastructure of the former Montrose & Bervie Railway (M&B) which closed to passenger traffic on the 1st October 1951 and to freight in May 1966. With the disused viaduct being one of the tallest in Scotland, care should be taken while crossing it particularly because the viaduct parapets are quite low. The rail tracks have been removed from the viaduct and in their place profuse vegetation now grows. Views into Den Finella, from that lofty position, resemble a fanciful glimpse into a verdant, lost world resembling Jurassic Park.
Andrew Diack B.A. (Hons)


NO7766 : Finella Den Gorge viewed from the road bridge on the A92, AberdeenshireNO7766 : Den Finella Viaduct viewed from the A92 road bridge, AberdeenshireNO7766 : Den Finella Viaduct, AberdeenshireNO7766 : Vegetation growing on the Den Finella Viaduct, AberdeenshireNO7766 : Den Finella viewed in a north-northeast direction from the A92 bridge