Early winter floods recede in Badenoch
The waters are receding again in “The drowned land” of Badenoch after a mid-week thaw which caused some disruption.
But locals are predicting worse to come over the winter in an area known for its vulnerability – and which includes the renowned Insh Marshes nature reserve by Ruthven Barracks at Kingussie.
The ancient monument was surrounded by high waters at one point and emergency checks were carried out on nearby livestock.
One family of horses played it safe by huddling on a tiny strip of higher grass on Wednesday and efforts to herd them through the water were abandoned.
“Clearly it was decided that the horses knew better,” said local photographer David MacLeod. “They knew what they were doing and chose to wait for the waters to drain away instead. They were fine by this morning (Thursday, December 3), all safe and sound.”
Melting snow from the hills after the weekend’s showers mixed with some heavy rainfall on Tuesday to see the Spey bursting its banks.
Trains were cancelled on the Inverness-Perth Highland line when tributaries feeding the Spey went into spate, notably at Lynchat between Kingussie and Kincraig.
Replacement buses and refreshments were provided by ScotRail.
