River Plate #1

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Macallan Beat, Lower River Spey, Scotland

Excerpt From: Flies For Atlantic Salmon & Steelhead, 2023

The River Spey is the second largest watershed in Scotland (only the Tay is larger). Typical of many rivers in Scotland—and this says something about fly design—the upper Spey flows through lochs and slow meanders before becoming the swifter salmon beats in its middle and lower reaches. From Grantown to the sea, the Spey runs through pools and riffles of first-rate salmon water.

The Macallan Beat on the lower Spey flows under the famous Craigellachie Bridge, a cast-iron arch designed by Thomas Telford and opened in 1814. Ten years later, in 1824, The Macallan became the first licensed distillery in the Highlands. The bridge was immortalized in Scottish song for the bagpipes by Miss Jane McInnes of nearby Dandaleith (soundcloud.com). “Speyside in early May—a salmon fisherman’s dream,” wrote Hugh Falkus in Salmon Fishing (1984).

River Plate #1 captures this stretch of the lower Spey beneath Craigellachie Bridge—where architecture, whisky heritage, and salmon water converge in one of Scotland’s most storied beats.

Download Information: River Plate #1 is a high-resolution archival plate. Each plate includes a white border and is suitable for high-quality printing and framing. Dimensions: 10” (width) x 8” (height) at 300 DPI. Click the button below to automatically download the high-resolution image.