Mops Pool

Coastal Marsh, Saltings in Angus

Scotland

Mops Pool

Road works near Rossie Mills Road works on the A934, Montrose to Forfar Road. — Road works near Rossie Mills Credit: Maigheach-gheal

Mops Pool, located in Angus, Scotland, is a coastal marsh and saltings area that spans across a significant stretch of land. Covering approximately 200 acres, it is a rich and diverse ecosystem known for its unique and abundant plant and animal life.

The pool itself is a large, shallow body of water, fed by both freshwater streams and tidal flows from the nearby North Sea. This dynamic mix of water sources creates ideal conditions for a variety of aquatic plants and animals to thrive. The water depth fluctuates with the tides, providing a diverse range of habitats for both saltwater and freshwater species.

The surrounding marshland is characterized by its low-lying, muddy terrain and is home to an array of salt-tolerant plant species. These include sea lavender, sea rush, and saltmarsh grasses, which play a crucial role in stabilizing the marshland and providing shelter and food for a range of animals.

Birdwatchers flock to Mops Pool throughout the year, as it serves as an important breeding and feeding ground for numerous bird species. These include wintering waders such as curlews, dunlins, and redshanks, as well as resident species like lapwings and oystercatchers. Additionally, the pool attracts migratory birds during the spring and autumn, offering a temporary haven for species such as sandpipers and terns.

Mops Pool, with its interconnected network of marshes, saltings, and waterways, is not only a haven for wildlife but also plays a vital role in coastal protection and erosion control. Its value as a natural habitat and its ecological importance make it a significant site for conservation efforts and a popular destination for nature enthusiasts.

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Mops Pool Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 56.700376/-2.4829415 or Grid Reference NO7056. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Road works near Rossie Mills

Road works on the A934, Montrose to Forfar Road.

Maigheach-gheal

Sunset on Montrose Basin

A spectacular sunset on Montrose Basin as viewed from Esk Road, Rossie Island on 07.08.2008.

Andrew Diack

Waterfall at Rossie wood

Water flowing from Rossie Castle pond plunges over volcanic rocks as a waterfall in woods at Rossie. The stream then flows into the Basin. A rainbow can be seen in the photo. This is formed by sunlight being split in the spray from water falling on rocks in the plunge pool. (Rossie Castle was designed by Richard Crichton and occupied by Hercules and Henrietta Ross in 1800. The castle, which had become ruined, was demolished by army sappers c1957.)

Adrian Diack

Rossie Castle pond

This view of Rossie Castle pond is taken from the east side closest to the site of the former Rossie Castle. Rossie Castle was demolished in the 1950's. The pond is smaller in size than it was originally as it was partly filled in with agricultural waste during the 1950' and 60's. The sluice gate for the pond is in the top, far corner of the photo as viewed. The Mill House and buildings known locally as 'the kennels', both of which were close to the sluice gate, have been demolished. Water flowing through the sluice goes into a lower pond locally known as 'the dam' before flowing over two waterfalls. The stream then flows to its mouth in the Montrose Basin.

Adrian Diack

Raspberry field near the site of Rossie Castle, Montrose

This photo shows detail of raspberry bushes growing in a field near the site of Rossie Castle. During the 1950's and 60's, the region was renowned for the quantity and quality of its raspberry production and in the late 1950's a steam train known as the "Raspberry Special" took fruit to Covent Garden in London. Much of the fruit from the Montrose area was taken by tractor load to the Chivers jam factory in Montrose. The fruit was mostly picked by local people including many women and children. The pickers were paid by the weight of fruit they produced. Rev W. M. Diack, M.A., the minister of Craig and Maryton parishes during the 1950's and 60's, often worked with his parishioners to harvest the fruit at that time. After the main commercial crop had been picked, gleaning was permitted. Although the main land use in Craig and Maryton at the present time is still agricultural, changes in the choice of crop or type of livestock to be farmed have resulted in greatly reduced quantities of raspberries and other soft fruits being grown.

Adrian Diack

Site of Rossie Castle, parish of Craig, Montrose

The foreground of this photo shows the site of the former Rossie Castle near Montrose in Angus. The castle was built for Hercules and Henrietta Ross ; they took possession in 1800. The surrounding grounds had an American garden, ornamental trees, rhododendron bushes, a trout lake and a dovecot dating back to 1695. The last day of the castle came when George Ogilvie, the landowning farmer, set off a detonation at 3.00 pm on Sunday 29th September 1957. The blast reduced the once magnificent three storey, 150 foot long building to 20,000 tons of stone and rubble. With the consent of Mr Oglivie, who was an elder of Craig Parish Church, Rev William M Diack, M.A., used a little of the stone for paving at the nearby Manse of Craig. Most of the stone was used for widening the road between Montrose and Arbroath.

Adrian Diack

Potato field, Dysart

The crop has been defoliated prior to lifting.

Richard Webb

Rossie Braes crop field

Up to the late 1960's the fields along the Rossie Braes, such as the one in the photo, were typically used for growing raspberries. Since that time, the crops grown here have been more varied.

Adrian Diack