Burn of Mosset

Forres, Scotland

Before my trip to Scotland, I was unfamiliar with using the word “burn” to describe a body of water. However, burn or bourne can describe a stream or a body of water with a decent flow rate. Other sources say a burn is larger than a stream, but smaller than a river. Several place names in the United Kingdom follow this naming convention, including Blackburn and Bournemouth. The football teams representing both cities would make for a decent tie in the F.A. Cup.

Flowing through the Town of Forres is a small, nondescript river known as the Burn of Mosset or Mosset Burn. The river flows for only a couple of miles in Moray, but its small size is matched by its disruptive power. Within the last 50 years, the river has caused six catastrophic flooding events in the town.

To prepare for future flooding events, environmentalists have used natural ideas to build up the natural floodplain. One idea is to plant only trees native to Northern Scotland. The goal is to take advantage of trees’ natural ability to stabilize soil and slow water flow. Instead of using fill dirt, the scientists allowed for multiple water channels to encourage migratory fish to visit and spawn in the burn. Scientists also created a low embankment to protect nearby fields. During construction, they used only natural materials to secure the embankment. They avoided common habitat-rehabilitation tools, such as mesh guards, to protect wildlife and keep foreign materials out of the waterway. Knowing that the tavern and our van were in this floodplain, I was thankful for the attention to potential flooding.

Around the dam area is a wonderful town park that makes for a great place to take a stroll or to have a picnic. The main trail in the park is an easy stroll, but walks like this help you to appreciate how a town tries to work with, instead of attempting to conquer, nature.

I appreciated the park and the environmentalists’ efforts to use natural approaches to incorporate the burn into the town, rather than building massive construction projects that may or may not solve occasional flooding. When I have witnessed efforts to incorporate natural waterways into human construction, such as in Malmö, Copenhagen, or Pitlochry, it reminds me that as humans, we are part of nature and should do what we can to maintain our symbiotic relationship with other living organisms. Conservation is a deep-seated religious tenet and is the basis of the Abrahamic religions. Genesis 1:28-30 alludes to our natural birthright as humans to manage and care for nature. 

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. – New International Version.

Overall, I did not think my morning stroll around the Burn of Mosset would lead to a reflection on conservation efforts or to humans’ relationship to the environment. Still, a walk can be a great way to clear your head and to appreciate the area around you during your travels. As a traveler, never forget to check out the “small” places that may not be on anyone’s must-travel list. I am often surprised by the places that provide the most impactful memories.