Sarah Murray

“ The view of Loch Garrie from a simple bridge over a torrent, facing the lake, is beautiful. The rising hill from that bridge leads to the source of the Truim water, and the neat solitary inn of Dalwhinie, close to its edge. A person accustomed only to the scenes in the vicinity of London, or the greatest part of England, would be dismayed at the sight of this lonely habitation, the only one for miles round, where not a tree or a shrub is to be seen; only desolate crags, and a boggy heath of great extent on every side; nothing cheering, but the babbling water running to the Spey river. ”

“ All I could see through torrents of rain, was delightful, particularly below the junction of the branches of the Tiviot (we met at Mosspole) with the main stream; which came rolling down amongst rocks and wood, in a very charming style. Any one, less delighted than I am with wild nature, would, perhaps, be somewhat alarmed at such a road, and such scenery, in a violent rainy day. The road, too, rough and steep, and not wider than a carriage; with huge clifted rocks on the right, sometimes covered with wood, at others, bare, and frowning through the shade of other overhanging precipices ”

“ With some fatigue I continued the walk, from the fall of the burn to the top of the mountain, whence I had a view of the lake, and the majestic mountains surrounding it. It was like coming up out of one world, to give a peep down into another on the contrary side of the mountain. The way back to the green round table is winding, steep, and rocky: most of the rocks, when I was there, were covered with heath in full bloom, beautiful and fragrant; others shaded by vast plantations that have flourished amazingly, forming a delightful shade ”

“ The noble mountains, on each side the lake, covered with wood, through which peep masses of huge rock, some descending perpendicularly to the lake's edge, others sweeping with bold variety into it, breaking the line without lessening the majesty of its straightness, which is its peculiar character, for in that respect no other great lake in Scotland is like it. About a mile further I came to a simple bridge, thrown from rock to rock over a rapid river, issuing from a beautiful close cluster of wooded rocks and high hills. ”

“ On the left side of the bridge, on a very high rocky bank, are tall ash trees, birch, beach, abele trees, and mountain ash; some carelessly spreading over the side of the bridge, branching down to the arch; others from the shelves of the rocks; with huge trunks, and flowing branches rising from their bare fibrous roots, shooting to an incredible distance, from crevice to crevice, in search of nutriment, where the human eye sees no soil: likewise the hazel, the alder, and the crooked maple, with all sorts of shrubs feathering down the rough bank to the water's edge ”

“ The southern view, (from this shelf) , over Loch Lomond is enchanting: the vast expanse of the lake, containing at least twenty-four islands, many of them large, and enriched and beautified by wood and rocks, and every thing that can charm the sight. The mountains, the woods on the banks, and the cultivation as the mountains recede from the lake, with the high blue hills in the horizon to the south, all contribute to render this view, in point of beauty, equal to any in nature, when seen in a clear day, with a favourable light. ”

“ The falls of Moness are infinitely superior to any falls in that part of Scotland: they extend near half a mile in length, and are numberless; not only of the burn itself, but of a continued chain of torrents dashing in every direction from the rocky banks; some hopping from rock to rock, others, from immense heights, slipping down grassy beds, winding round the stumps and stems of trees, and through dark thick copse. ”

“ There is but a very small part of the castle standing; a middling modern house, being erected on a part of its wall: it is situated, as I have before mentioned, upon a small peninsulated promontory of an immense rock, high above the surrounding river, North Esk, which winds round the castle, rushing hoarsely over its rocky bed, imprisoned by perpendicular sides of towering rocks, finely covered with wood;—its noise, and its romantic beauties, increase as it rolls down towards Hawthorndean, and forms a most picturesque view from the turning at the entrance to the castle. ”

“ At the end of a mile or two we quitted the bank of the river, and every track that had been gone before us, entering on the roughest and most uneven boggy, rocky, watery, black mountain moor, that human being ever explored. It was with the utmost difficulty that the poor little beast could keep upon his legs, though born and bred on such wastes; but there is a sagacity in the shelties not easily credited: if they be left to themselves, they will pick out their way in these horrid places with as much caution and wisdom as a man can. ”

“ In some parts, the craggy precipices sweep to the edge of the river; in others, small patches of velvet-looking verdure smile at the crags, careless of their frowns, and heedless too of the deep murmurs of the limpid stream which gave them birth. I entered this silent solemn pass (where no trace of human habitation is seen, no sound heard, save that of the bleating sheep, and the rushing of the water) with awful pleasure, and wild as the scene appeared, I was delighted with it. ”

“ When I quitted the narrow road under the rocks, by the side of Loch-a-chravy, it became amazingly jumbling and winding, amongst various shaped rocks and crags, covered with wood; and rended chasms, deep and dark on every side; no trace of man, or living thing to be seen; every sound reverberated from rock to rock, flying through the gloomy labyrinth to announce the approach of unhallowed steps. ”

“ You who read, imagine yourselves just at the end of a drive, of eight miles, between uniform green mountains up to the sky, and emerging at once from this narrow defile, upon a precipice hanging over a very extensive vale, watered by a fine river, and enriched by an abundance of luxuriant wood, and fields of corn and grass, with houses, ruins, and kirks, scattered thickly throughout the glen, which is bounded by mountains of every form and hue ”

“ The banks of the Clyde, from the cotton works to the Boniton falls, are beyond description sublime and beautiful. The mill at Corie Lin, the ruin of the old house of Corie on the tip of the rocks hanging over the Lin, Wallace's seat at the top of the Lin, the noble masses of projecting rock, the rich wood on every side, with the grand fall of the Lin in the centre, which rolls from a prodigious height, and dashes to a great breadth, altogether form a wonderful effect. ”

“ It is in the middle of the river, on a huge slippery rock, amidst other innumerable fragments, over and against which the impatient water loudly dashes; having huge towering rocks, full of clifted chasms, over-run with wood on each side; and in front, the small arch of the bridge just visible, through the thick shade of wood and rock, at least one hundred feet above the eye. In such a situation it is almost impossible to preserve one's head from swimming. ”

“ The town of Hawick is, in itself, a very middling place, but its situation, and its surrounding beauties, are enchanting. Its bridges, and its views, from almost every part of it, are picturesque, and highly gratifying to those who love nature in its true simplicity. Lord Napier's house and woods, seen through the arch of the bridge over the Tiviot, are well worth a wet walk, which I had, to get a view of them. ”

“ And when is there a day in the year free from rain, in Glen Croe? and on the hill called, "Rest-and-be-Thankful?" no day; no not one! So says the Argyleshire almanack. As soon as I crossed the river Kinglass, and quitted that glen; I got out of the chaise, for then it became somewhat fair above, and turned my steps to the steep of the mountain: a torrent rolled on my right, towering black crags were to my left, and, at a short distance, a broad roaring cataract faced me, dashing over the huge masses of rock, which every where crowd this mountain hollow. ”

“ The small town of Comrie is finely situated, and beautifully romantic: for some years past it has been visited with very frequent shocks of earthquakes, which at first greatly frightened the people of Comrie, and the surrounding inhabitants; but when I was there, they were so accustomed to the shocks, and had so far lost all dread of them, that they were actually going to build a town on the convulsed spot, which will probably, one day or other, open and form a lake; as the noise under ground is like the gushing of water, making a fresh passage through rocks. ”

“ In my way to Killin, on the south-side of the loch, I went up to see the fall at the hermitage, of a burn, with rocky close banks covered with wood. The height of the fall, I was told, is 240 feet: it is a very fine fall; but, in my mind, not half so beautiful as those of Moness, though higher. The one is dressed; the other is in its lovely, enchanting, native undress: even the hand of man, in favouring the access to the head of Moness, is concealed. That to the fall, at the hermitage, is art throughout, except the rock in which the hermitage is scooped. ”

“ About two miles before you arrive at Inveraray, in a very narrow woody part of the road, look for a fall of the Aray, over which is a wooden bridge. Should it be raining, and the river in any sort of flood, that fall will be magnificent; at all times it must be beautiful: its noise will be your guide to it. ”

“ The road sometimes descends to the margin of the lake, and again rises to a high shelf, winding round and up very steep masses of projecting rock, blown up for the purpose of making the road, whose towering fragments, huge and solid, hang over the narrow way just the width of a carriage. At about fifteen miles from Inverness, I came within sight of the Black Rock, and it seemed as if it were impossible to pass by it; In truth, it does require courage and steady horses to perform it, it being a narrow shelf blown out of the rocks ”

“ The modern habitation is two sides of a square; and the side in which are the best apartments, faces that part of Strath Earn running towards the east; from those rooms is an extensive view, but not half so fine as that to the west, over Crieff, and those beautiful hills that stop the pass, towards the lake, and the stupendous mountains around it, which give sublimity, magnificence, and beauty to the whole scene. ”

“ Garvimore inn is a lone house, with which you can have nothing to do but to bait your horses at, it being a miserable place indeed. You must lose no time at Garvimore, for you will have a very rough and slow journey, thence to Dalwhinie, of 14 miles, and be in danger of accidents if out in the dark, or even dusk. For eight of the fourteen miles you will keep nearly to the Spey side; then that lovely river quits the road, to make its way through those tremendous crags, from whose black sides you saw it issue, before you crossed it at Spey Bridge, in your way to Pitmain. ”

“ I believe the Highlanders to be stout men, both in body and mind; and I also know they will dare do many things for whisky: but I cannot well credit what was told me at Fort Augustus of one who, for the trifling wager of a bottle of that spirit, not only put himself into the river at the top of the fall of Fyres, but voluntarily went down the cataract into the pool, from which he paddled away like a duck, and climbed up the rock side, safe and unhurt, saying, "that was nothing to the fall of Niagara, down which he had precipitated himself many a time." ”

“ A few short periods of fair weather between the violent storms of rain, gave me an opportunity of seeing perfectly that part of Loch Awe, where the river Awe runs out of it. From that station the channel of the river seemed narrow; but of such a variety, grandeur, and beauty in the winding scenery about it, that nothing but the eye can take in. The huge masses of mountain of Cruchan Ben and Cruchan Barn, (that is fair) bound the lake and the river to the north-west, and extend from Dalmally to Bun Awe. Nothing can exceed the terrific appearance of that huge craggy mountain facing the north ”

“ I left Glen Almond with regret; ascended the same zig-zag by which I entered it, and proceeded, at no very great distance, by the course of the Almond to the Brig of Buchanty; a very singular and romantic spot. The country all around this bridge is an extensive waste of black and brown; but on a sudden the eye is unexpectedly caught by the sight of a mill, and the river running in a very narrow channel to the bridge, with trees hanging over it, and wood feathering down to the water over huge rocks, on which the bridge rests ”

“ Towers of rocks boldly rise to the sky, with chasms and mouths of caves on each side gaping and pouring forth never-ceasing streams. The gay red-berry mountain ash, the alder, maple, thorn, and young oak, creeping up on every side, and brightening the dark recesses that at every ten yards present themselves. ”

“ Some brush-wood, and a few shrubs and rushes hang about the broken pieces of rocks, forming a kind of irregular weirs, between the broad stages that come, step by step, from the top of the high mountain to the bottom, over which the water, in dry weather, slides in the oddest shapes imaginable ”

“ But the pieces of rock must undoubtedly adhere much more firmly to the great mass than they seem to do, for I heard of no mischief ever being done by them; though sometimes pieces do fall, as numerous fragments lie scattered by the road's side, at the base of the rock, on the edge of the river, and also choking its bed. I should fear, in time, part of the castle itself may slip down and take a watery bed in the Forth. ”

“ I got upon a wall to take in the greatest extent of it: the sun shone finely upon Glen Tumel, stretching below me far to the east; only part of Loch Tumel was in sight, with the river winding towards it; and beautiful mountains hanging over it to the north and south: wood also enriching the glen, and creeping up every sweeping mountain's side, almost to the top. My eye then turned to the west. Rannock presented itself: a space of about twenty miles in length, nearly straight, and about two and a half in breadth. The lake nearly fills fifteen miles of the space ”