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Garnock
GARNOCK (The), a small river in the district
of Cunningham, Ayrshire. It rises at the foot of a very high hill in
the moor called the Misty-law, at the boundary between Cunningham, or
the parish of Kilbirnie, and Renfrewshire. During 5 miles it flows
south-eastward; and then, during 2½ miles it flows due south;
intersecting, over nearly the whole distance, the parish of Kilbirnie,
and, at the middle point of its southerly course, sweeping past
Kilbirnie village. Having now entered the parish of Dairy, it flows 3½
miles, including two considerable sinuosities, in a south-westerly
direction; and it then resumes its southerly course, and flows 8 or 9
miles through the parish of Kilwinning and between the parishes of
Irvine on the east, and Stevenston on the west, to the sea at Irvine
harbour, contributing with Irvine water to form the small estuary
above Irvine mouth, and performing some remarkably frolicsome and
serpentine evolutions before debouching from the plain. Immediately
after its origin, it runs clear, dimpling, and beautiful down the
hills; and, before reaching Kilbirnie village, tumbles noisily over a
rocky and declivitous bed of porphyry, forming a wild and lonely
cataract, known as 'the Spout of Garnock.' In Dairy parish, it moves
slowly, with an average breadth of 60 feet, through a fertile plain,
upon a gravelly bed; and receives on its right bank the important
tributes of the Rye and the Gaaf. Further on, it is joined on the left
by Dusk water; and thence to the sea, it flows through a level and
richly wooded country, sweeping past the town of Kilwinning, and
making a confluence with the opulent stream of Lugton water. During
all the lower part of its course, it, on the one hand, enriches the
district with an abundant supply of salmon and various kinds of trouts,
and, on the other, menaces it with an occasional devastating freshet
{A sudden overflow of a stream resulting from a heavy rain or a
thaw.}. On the 19th of September, 1790, this river — though always
subject to overflows — rose 4 feet higher than it was known ever to
have done before; and prostrated and destroyed the standing corn in
many fields, and careered away to the sea with heavy freights of crops
which had been cut. Its entire length of course is about 20 miles.
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