River Cree

The **River Cree** is a river in Dumfries an Gallowa, Scotland that rins throu Newtoun Stewart an intil the Solway Firth.  It forms a pairt o the boond atween the historical coonties o Wigtounshire an Kirkcoubrieshire. The watters of the Cree is the Minnoch Watter, Trool Watter, Penkiln Burn an Palnure Watter that souk fae the Range o the Awfu Haund, the labyrinth-like range o muntains an lochs, bogs, burns, an crags, risin at its heichest til the Merrick (that is 2,764 fit abuin sea level), 12 mile til the north an veesible fae Newtoun Stewart.

The River Cree providit a route fae the coast til the forestit hinterland. Than it becam the boond atween communitys leevin on baith sides, dividin Wigtounshire fae Kirkcoubrieshire. It divides an aw the pairish o Peningham fae the pairish o Minnigaff, an the toun o Newtoun Stewart fae the veelages o Creebrig and Minnigaff, sicweys identifyin a variety o admeenistrative entitys. Thare wis twa-three brigs until the 18t century an towes and local customs coud be excised at sic crossin pynts. The Cree wis an aw the soorce o pouer for the claith mills built in Newtoun Stewart in the 18t century whan watter pouer wis a key element in industrial development.

Maist o the time, the Cree is fuirdable an the auld site o the main fuird, juist ablo the praisent brig, is still veesible in the street ootset o Newtoun Stewart. The location o the first wuiden brig an the boat ferry is still identifiable local laundmerks juist til the north o the praisent brig. 

A new steel brig, the Sparling Brig, wis strung across the river doun the watter o the Toun Brig in 1998 as pairt o an attractive riverside walk. The brig is name't efter the fish - the spirlin (or smelt, rash-fish, or Cherry o Tay) (*Osmerus eperlanus*) that breeds yet in the rivermooth, ane o anely three sites in Scotland. Maistly for this reason the Cree mooth, "The Sleeky Cree", is a Site o Speicial Scienteefic Interest (SSSI). The remeenin brig down the watter o Newtoun Stewart wis built in 1979 as a part o the A75 road bypass.

Afore thare wis proper roads, an afore the railwey cam tae Gallowa in the 19th century, bouky guids sic as coal an fertilisers, graivel an grain, timmer an stane, wis transportit bi sea. The Cree his a windin, sleeky rivermooth, no guid for navigation, bit thare wis a herbour at the Carty Port, a couple o mile sooth o Newtoun Stewart, an ither anes forder doun the river mooth at Wigtoun an Creetoun that coastal cargaes wis tredit fae. Raiglar services linkit the Solway ports wi Liverpuil. Awtho baith o thir ports is nou awmaist in ruination, thare is acteeve fishin ports yet forder sooth aroond the Machars peninsula at Garliestoun, the Isle o Whithorn, an Port William.

The shore is hame an aw tae feeshin tradeetions, wildlilfe, and a lairge expanse o saut merses - the "inks". Wigtoun Bay is nou a goamt wildlife hainin, whaur saut merses is gresst bi sheep aw year roond an bi muckle flocks o wild guiss in the winter. The bay is parteecular notit for the important nummers o pink-fittit geese (*Anser brachyrhyncus*) that winters on the inks.

Saumon fisherys uisin stake nets can be seen yet in the bay bit is no langer common. Ither tradeetional methods o saumon fishin uisin "haaf nets" hae dwinnled an aw. Houiver, keen anglers return year efter year til the Cree, an fine fresh-ran saumon is catcht yet in worthwhile nummers. 

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