# Firth

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{{Short description|Scottish word used for various coastal inlets and straits}}
{{Other uses}}
{{One source|date=October 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

'''Firth''' is a word in the [English](/source/English_language) and [Scots](/source/Scots_language) languages used to denote various coastal waters in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom), predominantly within [Scotland](/source/Scotland). It is often used to refer to broad estuaries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1956|title=Scottish National Dictionary (1700–) Firth n1|url=https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/firth_n1|access-date=2026-02-21|website=Dictionaries of the Scots Language}}</ref> In the [Northern Isles](/source/Northern_Isles), it more often refers to a smaller [inlet](/source/inlet). It is linguistically [cognate](/source/cognate) to Scandinavian ''[fjord](/source/fjord)'' and ''[fjard](/source/fjard)'' (all from [Proto-Germanic](/source/Proto-Germanic) *''ferþuz''), with the original meaning of "sailable waterway". The word has a more constrained sense in English. Bodies of water named "firths" tend to be more common on the Scottish east coast, or in the southwest of the country, although the [Firth of Clyde](/source/Firth_of_Clyde) is an exception to this. The western [Highland](/source/Scottish_Highlands) coast contains numerous estuaries, straits, and inlets of a similar kind, but not called "firth" (e.g. [the Minch](/source/the_Minch) and [Loch Torridon](/source/Loch_Torridon)); instead, these are often called [sea loch](/source/loch)s. Before about 1850, the spelling "Frith" was more common.

A firth is generally the result of [ice age](/source/Quaternary_glaciation) [glaciation](/source/glacier) and is very often associated with a large river, where erosion caused by the tidal effects of incoming sea water passing upriver has widened the riverbed into an [estuary](/source/estuary). Demarcation can be rather vague. The [Firth of Clyde](/source/Firth_of_Clyde) is sometimes thought to include the estuary as far upriver as [Dumbarton](/source/Dumbarton), but the [Ordnance Survey](/source/Ordnance_Survey) map shows the change from river to firth occurring off [Port Glasgow](/source/Port_Glasgow). In navigation terms, the dredged River Clyde Channel for shipping meets the Firth of Clyde Channel at the [Tail of the Bank](/source/Tail_of_the_Bank), where the river crosses a [sandbar](/source/sandbar) off [Greenock](/source/Greenock) as the estuary widens at the junction to the [Gare Loch](/source/Gare_Loch). Locally, the river can be described as extending even further west to [Gourock](/source/Gourock) point.

However, some firths are exceptions. The [Cromarty Firth](/source/Cromarty_Firth) on the east coast of Scotland, for example, resembles a large [loch](/source/loch) with only a relatively small outlet to the sea and the [Solway Firth](/source/Solway_Firth) and the [Moray Firth](/source/Moray_Firth) are more like extremely large bays. The [Pentland Firth](/source/Pentland_Firth) is a [strait](/source/strait) rather than a bay or an inlet.

==Scottish firths==
===Firths on the west coast of Scotland (from north to south)===
thumb|right|200px|The Firth of Lorn and other nearby waterways
[[Image:River Nith estuary.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The estuary of the [River Nith](/source/River_Nith), opening into Solway Firth south of [Dumfries](/source/Dumfries).]]

*[Firth of Lorn](/source/Firth_of_Lorn) (connects with the [Moray Firth](/source/Moray_Firth) via the [Great Glen](/source/Great_Glen) lochs and [Caledonian Canal](/source/Caledonian_Canal)).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Firth of Lorn |url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst6296.html |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=The Gazetteer for Scotland |language=en-gb}}</ref>
**Lochs adjoining the Firth: [Loch Lochy](/source/Loch_Lochy), [Loch Linnhe](/source/Loch_Linnhe), [Loch Leven](/source/Loch_Leven_(Highlands)), [Loch Oich](/source/Loch_Oich).
**Places: [Oban](/source/Oban), [Fort William](/source/Fort_William%2C_Highland).
**Islands: [Isle of Mull](/source/Isle_of_Mull), [Lismore](/source/Lismore%2C_Scotland) and [Kerrera](/source/Kerrera).
*[Firth of Clyde](/source/Firth_of_Clyde) (continuing from the [River Clyde](/source/River_Clyde) estuary).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Firth of Clyde |url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst1124.html |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=The Gazetteer for Scotland |language=en-gb}}</ref>
**[Sea loch](/source/Loch)s adjoining the ''Firth of Clyde'': [Gare Loch](/source/Gare_Loch), [Loch Long](/source/Loch_Long), [Holy Loch](/source/Holy_Loch), [Loch Striven](/source/Loch_Striven), [Loch Riddon](/source/Loch_Riddon) off the [Kyles of Bute](/source/Kyles_of_Bute), [Loch Fyne](/source/Loch_Fyne) and [Campbeltown Loch](/source/Campbeltown_Loch).
**Places: [Helensburgh](/source/Helensburgh), [Port Glasgow](/source/Port_Glasgow), [Greenock](/source/Greenock), [Gourock](/source/Gourock), [Dunoon](/source/Dunoon), [Rothesay](/source/Rothesay%2C_Argyll_and_Bute), [Wemyss Bay](/source/Wemyss_Bay), [Largs](/source/Largs), [Brodick](/source/Brodick), [Ardrossan](/source/Ardrossan), [Troon](/source/Troon), [Ayr](/source/Ayr), [Girvan](/source/Girvan) and [Campbeltown](/source/Campbeltown). Note that [Glasgow](/source/Glasgow) is at the tidal limit of the [River Clyde](/source/River_Clyde), and [Clydebank](/source/Clydebank), the  [Erskine Bridge](/source/Erskine_Bridge) and [Dumbarton](/source/Dumbarton) are on the river estuary as it widens out towards Port Glasgow.
** [Islands](/source/Islands_of_the_Clyde): [Bute](/source/Isle_of_Bute), [Cumbrae](/source/Great_Cumbrae), [Arran](/source/Isle_of_Arran)
**:In [Scottish Gaelic](/source/Scottish_Gaelic), the Firth of Clyde is treated as two bodies, with the landward end being called {{lang|gd|Linne Chluaidh}} ({{IPA|gd|ˈʎiɲə ˈxl̪ˠuəj|IPA}}; meaning the same as the English), while the area around the south of Arran, Kintyre and Ayrshire/[Galloway](/source/Galloway) is {{lang|gd|An Linne Ghlas}} {{IPA|gd|ə ˈʎiɲə ˈɣl̪ˠas̪}}.
*[Solway Firth](/source/Solway_Firth) (inlet with the rivers [Eden](/source/River_Eden%2C_Cumbria), [Esk](/source/River_Esk%2C_Dumfriesshire) and [Nith](/source/River_Nith)).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Solway Firth |url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst106.html |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=The Gazetteer for Scotland |language=en-gb}}</ref>
**The ''Firth'' is off the [Solway Coast](/source/Solway_Coast).
**[Rough Firth](/source/Rough_Firth)
**Places: [Carlisle, England](/source/Carlisle%2C_Cumbria) on the River Eden, [Annan](/source/Annan%2C_Dumfries_and_Galloway) and [Gretna](/source/Gretna%2C_Scotland), both in [Scotland](/source/Scotland). [Luce Bay](/source/Luce_Bay), [Wigtown](/source/Wigtown), [St Bees](/source/St_Bees), [Aspatria](/source/Aspatria)

===Firths on the east coast of Scotland (from north to south)===
[[Image:Cromarty Firth entrance.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Entrance to the [Cromarty Firth](/source/Cromarty_Firth), with oil rigs behind]]
[[Image:Dundee from Tay.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[Dundee](/source/Dundee) from the [Fife](/source/Fife) shore of the Firth of Tay]]

These are connected to, or form part of, the [North Sea](/source/North_Sea).

*[Dornoch Firth](/source/Dornoch_Firth) (northernmost of the eastern firths).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dornoch Firth |url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst6302.html |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=The Gazetteer for Scotland |language=en-gb}}</ref>
**Places: [Dornoch](/source/Dornoch), [Dornoch Firth Bridge](/source/Dornoch_Firth_Bridge) (road bridge, {{convert|1/2|mi|m|abbr=on|disp=or}} long), [Bonar Bridge](/source/Bonar_Bridge), [Kyle of Sutherland](/source/Kyle_of_Sutherland), [Tain](/source/Tain), [Portmahomack](/source/Portmahomack) on Tarbat Ness (fishing village facing west to northwest on the east coast).
**Rivers: [Oykel](/source/River_Oykel), [Cassley](/source/River_Cassley), [Shin](/source/River_Shin) and [Carron](/source/River_Carron%2C_Sutherland)
**Headland: Tarbat Ness.
*[Cromarty Firth](/source/Cromarty_Firth) (loch-type firth with relatively narrow opening to the sea). The Firth runs out into the [Moray Firth](/source/Moray_Firth).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cromarty Firth |url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst6301.html |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=The Gazetteer for Scotland |language=en-gb}}</ref>
**Places: [Cromarty](/source/Cromarty), [Dingwall](/source/Dingwall), [Invergordon](/source/Invergordon).
**Rivers: Conon, Orrin, Rusdale, Glass, Alness.
*[Moray Firth](/source/Moray_Firth) and [Beauly Firth](/source/Beauly_Firth) (a loch-type firth) connected with the Firth of [Inverness](/source/Inverness). The Firth of Inverness is rarely identified on modern maps, but forms a connection via the River Ness, [Loch Ness](/source/Loch_Ness) and the other [loch](/source/loch)s of the [Great Glen](/source/Great_Glen) and stretches of the [Caledonian Canal](/source/Caledonian_Canal) with the [Firth of Lorne](/source/Firth_of_Lorne) on the west coast of Scotland.
**Places on the ''Moray Firth'': ''Inverness'', [Nairn](/source/Nairn), [Fortrose](/source/Fortrose), [Fort George](/source/Fort_George%2C_Highland).
**Headlands: [Whiteness Head](/source/Whiteness_Head), Chanonry Point, Alturlie Point.
**Places on the ''Beauly Firth'': [Beauly](/source/Beauly).
*[Firth of Tay](/source/Firth_of_Tay) (estuary of the [River Tay](/source/River_Tay)).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Firth of Tay |url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst1122.html |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=The Gazetteer for Scotland |language=en-gb}}</ref>
**Places: [Perth](/source/Perth%2C_Scotland), [Dundee](/source/Dundee%2C_Scotland), [Monifieth](/source/Monifieth), [Tayport](/source/Tayport), [Newport on Tay](/source/Newport_on_Tay), [Newburgh, Fife](/source/Newburgh%2C_Fife).
**Rivers: [Tay](/source/River_Tay), [Earn](/source/River_Earn).
**Headland: Buddon Ness.
**Islands: [Mugdrum Island](/source/Mugdrum_Island)
*[Firth of Forth](/source/Firth_of_Forth) (estuary of the [River Forth](/source/River_Forth)).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Firth of Forth |url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst1120.html |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=The Gazetteer for Scotland |language=en-gb}}</ref>
**Places: [Edinburgh](/source/Edinburgh), [Dunfermline](/source/Dunfermline), [Kirkcaldy](/source/Kirkcaldy), [Grangemouth](/source/Grangemouth), [Rosyth](/source/Rosyth), [North Queensferry](/source/North_Queensferry), [South Queensferry](/source/South_Queensferry), [Musselburgh](/source/Musselburgh), [Crail](/source/Crail), [Cellardyke](/source/Cellardyke), [Anstruther](/source/Anstruther), [Pittenweem](/source/Pittenweem), [St Monans](/source/St_Monans), [Elie](/source/Elie_and_Earlsferry), [Earlsferry](/source/Earlsferry), [Longniddry](/source/Longniddry), [Aberlady](/source/Aberlady), [Gullane](/source/Gullane), [Dirleton](/source/Dirleton), [North Berwick](/source/North_Berwick). It is spanned by the [Queensferry Crossing](/source/Queensferry_Crossing), {{convert|2,700|m|ft|abbr=on}} long; the [Forth Road Bridge](/source/Forth_Road_Bridge), {{convert|2,512|m|ft|abbr=on}} long; and the [Forth Bridge](/source/Forth_Bridge), {{convert|2,498|m|ft|abbr=on}} long.
**Rivers: [Forth](/source/River_Forth), [River Avon](/source/River_Avon%2C_Falkirk), [Water of Leith](/source/Water_of_Leith), [River Almond](/source/River_Almond%2C_Lothian), [River Esk](/source/River_Esk%2C_Lothian), [River Leven](/source/River_Leven%2C_Fife)
**[Islands](/source/Islands_of_the_Forth): [Bass Rock](/source/Bass_Rock), [Craigleith](/source/Craigleith), [Eyebroughy](/source/Eyebroughy), [Fidra](/source/Fidra), [Inchcolm](/source/Inchcolm), [Inchgarvie](/source/Inchgarvie), [Inchkeith](/source/Inchkeith), [Inchmickery](/source/Inchmickery), [Isle of May](/source/Isle_of_May), [Lamb](/source/Lamb_(island))

===Firths on the north coast of Scotland===
thumb|right|200px|Map of the Pentland Firth and associated lands

*The [Pentland Firth](/source/Pentland_Firth). This is a strait between the Scottish mainland and the [Orkney Islands](/source/Orkney_Islands), and forms a link between the [Atlantic Ocean](/source/Atlantic_Ocean) and [North Sea](/source/North_Sea).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pentland Firth |url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst6716.html |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=The Gazetteer for Scotland |language=en-gb}}</ref>
**Places: [John o' Groats](/source/John_o'_Groats), [Canisbay](/source/Canisbay), [Gills Bay](/source/Gills_Bay), [Rattar](/source/Rattar) (all Caithness)
**Headlands: [Brims Ness](/source/Brims_Ness), [Brough Ness](/source/Brough_Ness), [Duncansby Head](/source/Duncansby_Head), [Dunnet Head](/source/Dunnet_Head)
**Islands: [Hoy](/source/Hoy%2C_Orkney), [Pentland Skerries](/source/Pentland_Skerries), [Swona](/source/Swona), [South Ronaldsay](/source/South_Ronaldsay), [South Walls](/source/South_Walls) (all generally considered to be part of [Orkney](/source/Orkney)); [Stroma](/source/Stroma%2C_Scotland)

===Firths in the Northern Isles===
[[Image:Saviskaill cliffs.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Cliffs in Saviskaill Bay on [Rousay](/source/Rousay), looking northward to [Westray](/source/Westray) across Westray Firth]]

The Northern Isles were part of Norway until the 15th century, and retain many Norse names. In Shetland in particular, "firth" can refer to smaller inlets, although '''geo''', '''voe''' and '''wick''' are as common. In Orkney, "wick" is common.

* [Orkney Islands](/source/Orkney_Islands)
** Bay of Firth ([Firth, Orkney](/source/Firth%2C_Orkney))
** [North Ronaldsay](/source/North_Ronaldsay) Firth
** [Stronsay](/source/Stronsay) Firth
** [Westray](/source/Westray) Firth
** Wide Firth
* [Shetland Islands](/source/Shetland_Islands) (Mainland)
** Lax Firth ([Laxfirth](/source/Laxfirth)) & Cat Firth near [Nesting](/source/Nesting%2C_Shetland) & [Whiteness](/source/Whiteness%2C_Shetland)
** Collafirth/Colla Firth (two places of this name)
** Firths Voe, [Firth](/source/Firth%2C_Shetland)
** Gon Firth
** Olna Firth
** Olnes Firth
** Quey Firth
** Unie Firth
** Ura Firth
** Burra Firth/Burrafirth (a number of Shetland places with this name)
** Effirth
* Shetland [North Isles](/source/North_Isles): [Yell](/source/Yell%2C_Shetland), [Unst](/source/Unst)
** Whale Firth
** Burrafirth

===Other similar waters in Scotland===
thumb|right|200px|Loch Eriboll
In the [Scottish Gaelic language](/source/Scottish_Gaelic_language), ''linne'' is used to refer to most of the firths above; it is also applied to the [Sound of Sleat](/source/Sound_of_Sleat), [Crowlin Sound](/source/Crowlin_Sound), [Cuillin Sound](/source/Cuillin_Sound), [Sound of Jura](/source/Sound_of_Jura), [Sound of Raasay](/source/Sound_of_Raasay), and part of [Loch Linnhe](/source/Loch_Linnhe).

The following is a selection of other bodies of water in Scotland which are similar to various firths, but which are not termed such –
*West coast
**[Loch Broom](/source/Loch_Broom) (fjord), [Loch Eriboll](/source/Loch_Eriboll) (fjord), [Loch Hourn](/source/Loch_Hourn) (fjord), [Loch Tarbert, Jura](/source/Loch_Tarbert%2C_Jura) (fjord), [Loch Torridon](/source/Loch_Torridon) (fjord); [Loch Sween](/source/Loch_Sween), a fjord, [The Minch](/source/The_Minch) (Strait, "Skotlandsfjörð" ("Scotland's [fjord](/source/fjord)/firth") in [Old Norse](/source/Old_Norse).<ref>Anderson, Joseph (Ed.) (1893) ''Orkneyinga Saga''. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. James Thin and Mercat Press (1990 reprint). {{ISBN|0-901824-25-9}}</ref>)
*East coast
**[Eden Mouth](/source/Eden_Mouth) (estuary, near [St Andrews](/source/St_Andrews)); [Findhorn Bay](/source/River_Findhorn), [Montrose Basin](/source/Montrose_Basin) (estuary/lagoon with narrow entrance); [Tweed mouth](/source/Tweed_mouth) (estuary, very near Scottish border)

Likewise, in the [Northern Isles](/source/Northern_Isles), the words "firth" and "sound" are often used arbitrarily or interchangeably. [Bluemull Sound](/source/Bluemull_Sound) for example, is very similar to some of the firths in the [Shetland Islands](/source/Shetland_Islands).

==English firths==

*[Solway Firth](/source/Solway_Firth) (inlet with the rivers [Eden](/source/River_Eden%2C_Cumbria), [Esk](/source/River_Esk%2C_Dumfriesshire) and [Nith](/source/River_Nith)).
**The ''Firth'' is off the [Solway Coast](/source/Solway_Coast).
**Places: [Carlisle, England](/source/Carlisle%2C_Cumbria) on the River Eden, [Annan](/source/Annan%2C_Dumfries_and_Galloway) and [Gretna](/source/Gretna%2C_Scotland), both in [Scotland](/source/Scotland). [Luce Bay](/source/Luce_Bay), [Wigtown](/source/Wigtown), [St Bees](/source/St_Bees), [Aspatria](/source/Aspatria)

==Firths outside Britain==
right|thumb|The Firth of Thames is the large bay to the southeast

*[Flensburg Firth](/source/Flensburg_Firth), an inlet forming part of the border between [Denmark](/source/Denmark) and Germany
*[Kiel Firth](/source/Kiel_Firth), an inlet between [Danish Wold](/source/Danish_Wold) and [Wagria](/source/Wagria) that forms part of [Kiel Bay](/source/Kiel_Bay)
*The [Firth of Thames](/source/Firth_of_Thames) is a bay at the mouth of the [Waihou River](/source/Waihou_River) (formerly named the Thames) in [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand)
* [Firth of Tay](/source/Firth_of_Tay_(Antarctica)), [Antarctica](/source/Antarctica). Named in conjunction with neighbouring [Dundee Island](/source/Dundee_Island), as the original Firth of Tay adjoins Dundee.

==See also==
*[List of waterways](/source/List_of_waterways)
*[Loch](/source/Loch)
*[Fjord](/source/Fjord)
*[Ria](/source/Ria)

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}

{{aquatic ecosystem topics|expanded=marine}}
{{coastal geography}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Firth (geography)}}
Category:Coastal and oceanic landforms
Category:Estuaries of Scotland
Category:Firths of Scotland
Firths
Category:Scottish words and phrases
Category:Bodies of water

{{purge}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Firth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firth) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firth?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.