Loch Urr
The River Urr is a picturesque river that nestles between the Kirkcudbrightshire Dee and the Dumfriesshire Nith, rising in Loch Urr high on the Craigmuie Moor, some 700 feet above sea-level, near Moniaive and entering the Solway at Kippford. It is 35 miles long and, like the other Galloway Rivers, is a spate river that fishes best on a falling water after a good dollop of rain. The upper reaches are narrow and fast flowing with deep holes bordered by boggy and marshy ground.
From Knocklearn Bridge, the river bed becomes rocky and widens, running fast as it enters the head of the wooded Urr valley at Corsock.
Knocklearn Bridge
From Corsock the banks are mainly tree-lined as the river rushes down under the bridges at Glenlair and Knockvennie to the Old Brig of Urr.
Corsock Bridge
Glenlair Bridge
Knockvennie Bridge
The Old Bridge of Urr
Thereafter, breaks in the tree cover begin to appear and lush farmland guides the stream under the Ramhill Bridges until entering trees again at the Telford Bridge near the Haugh of Urr.
The Old Ramhill Bridge
New Ramhill Bridge
Telford Bridge
From thence under the Bailey Bridge at Fort Knowe to the Buittle Bridge, just above the high water mark, the river bed widens considerably and there is an abundance of good pools and lies in angling association waters.
Bailey Bridge at Fort Knowe
Buittle Bridge
The Urr is one of only three Scottish rivers that is open until the end of November and is renowned for its large ‘greyback’ salmon at the back end of the season. Fresh run fish can be caught right to the end of the season, which runs from the 15th March until the 30th of November. In 2003, a salmon weighing 23lb was caught whilst in 1998 a greyback of 25lb was grassed. Sea trout are caught in fair numbers on the Urr from April onwards and can be found even in the very uppermost reaches of the river. Most sea trout weigh between 1 and 3lb, with the best recent sea trout being 8lb in 1996. Wild brown trout can be caught at most beats on the river above the tidal section which ends just below the Buittle Bridge.
Kippford at the mouth of the Urr
