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Glen Moriston, 1.—Loch Cluany;
Cluany Inn; Glen Shiel, 2.—Battle of Glen ShieI, 3.—Subterranean Structure;
Glen Shicl, 4.—Loch Duich; Shielhonse to Kyle Akin, 5.—Village of nornie;
Mandonan Castle, 6.—Lochalsh, 7.—Falls of Glomak, 8.—To Loch Aflrick and
Strathglass, foot-note.—Glenelg, 9.—Dunes or Burghs in Glenelg, 10.
THE road from Invermoriston
to Shielhouse, which forms the great line of communication between the
north-western and the eastern coasts of Inverness-shire, is 36¼ miles in
length: at Shielhouse it separates into two branches, leading respectively
to Kyle Akin and Kyle Rhea, the two ferries communicating with the island of
Skye.
1. The lower portion of Glen
Moriston is exceedingly beautiful. On every side the eye ranges over an
uninterrupted forest, mantling alike the bottom of the valley and the
expanded mountain sides; the smiling livery of the birch—frequently
diversified and contrasted with the dark and sombre hues of aged and
majestic pines. There are but two or three habitations to break upon the
woodland solitude, thus pleasingly contrasting with GIen Urquhart.
Invermoriston House, (J. M. Grant,) a rather old mansion, near Loch Ness
side, is hemmed in by an amphitheatre of hills, the terminal ones crowned by
precipitous frontlets of rock. Behind it there is a comfortable small inn.
Between them the river forms a waterfall, worthy of a visit. The course of
the lower section of the river Moriston is frequently impetuous and
headlong; at times dashing with violence from side to side of the deep,
narrow, and rocky channel, which in the course of ages it has worn for
itself; at others escaping, tormented and foaming, from such confined
passage, it encloses in its arms some wooded islet or isolated rock, where
the aged pine holds undisputed sway, and, luxuriating in its undisturbed
freedom, shoots its weather-beaten stem into a thousand fantastic shapes ;
or it ripples quietly alongst low birchen-clad banks; and thus many of the
reaches of river scenery, amidst close embowering, but far extending trees,
are of surpassing beauty.
At Torgoil, where there is a respectable
public-house, the road crosses the river Moriston by a handsome granite
bridge. Between the fifth and sixth mile. above Torgoil Bridge, and about
two miles from the end of Loch Cluany, we recross the river at Doe Bridge,
where we meet with uncommonly fine specimens of the fir and aspen.
In the recesses of Corriegoe, the high group of
hills to the north, intermediate between this glen and Strathglass, is the
cave where Prince Charles was secreted for several weeks by its bandit
occupants, proof against the tempting reward offered for his head: and three
miles above Torgoil, close by the road-side, is the spot where Mackenzie,
with considerable anxiety, even in the agonies of death, for his unfortunate
master, diverted for a while pursuit from the royal fugitive, by feigning to
be the Prince. 2. Loch
Cluany presents no interesting features. The mountain, on the south side,
rises rather abruptly from the water, and a few trees are scattered along
its face: occasional mossy promontories, projecting into the loch, complete
the character of this sheet of water. Cluany, distant about twenty-five
miles from Invermoriston, is as good a house as could be expected, where the
chief customers are drovers: to them travelIers are in a great measure
indebted for the goodness of the stabling on these roads, although, in some
places, by way of making the most of a thing, the stable is not divided into
stalls, drovers' ponies being accommodating animals, who, like their
masters, can sleep three in a bed. From the east end of Loch Cluany to about
four miles beyond the inn, the glen is pretty level, and barren without
grandeur: here it becomes extremely narrow; and, passing a low, rocky
barrier, we suddenly find the waters and the road descending into Glen Shiel,
through a narrow pass, between mountain walls of rock. The traveller will be
struck by the rugged and conical character of the mountains in this quarter,
and his attention will be particularly attracted by two singularly
sharp-peaked hills, at that part of the descent where the glen bends towards
Loch Duich. The upper portions of Glen Moriston and Glen Shiel are destitute
of trees and houses of any kind: the lower part of the Water of Shiel is
skirted with alders, and a few smoky dingy hovels.
3. Glen Shiel was the scene of a skirmish in
1719, which put a speedy termination to an insurrection then attempted in
favour of the exiled Stuarts. It was very trifling, and got up by the
'Marquis of Tullibardine and the Earls of Seaforth and Marischal, in
consequence of an invasion of England projected by the court of Spain, with
the view of restoring the Stuart family, and resolved on by the advice of
Cardinal Alberoni. At Cadiz, an armament was prepared, consisting of a
number of transports, on board of which 6000 troops and 12,000 stand of arms
were embarked, and provided with a convoy of ten ships of the line and
several frigates, the command of which force was entrusted to the Duke of
Ormond. The above-mentioned nobleman having landed in the Western Islands of
Scotland, with several gentlemen who had been attainted in 1716, and 300
Spaniards, endeavoured to excite the Clans to arms, but with little effect.
They were encountered in Glen Shiel by General Wightman, commander of the
forces in the north, who had hastened from Inverness, on the first news of
the rising, with his troops, which had then been recently reinforced by a
body of 2000 Dutch soldiers. The insurgent Highlanders, after a short
resistance, fled to the hills; the Spaniards were made prisoners; and the
Spanish squadron having been driven back by a storm, the whole plan was
completely frustrated. A small cascade will be observed on the left hand, in
descending the glen, which indicates the scene of the skirmish ; and a patch
of nettles is pointed out by the country people as the spot where, according
to their accounts, a colonel in the Dutch service fell.
4. About a mile and a half from the inn of
Shielhouse, there is a remarkable subterranean cavern close by the
road-side. In entering it is necessary to crawl on all-fours, but it quickly
rises to the height of eight feet, and becomes broad enough to admit of the
advance of two people abreast. The bottom is paved, and the sides lined with
large flag-stones, and it is also roofed with long slabs resting upon strong
cross stone rafters. This structure somewhat resembles what are called, in
the Orkneys, subterranean Picts' Houses, and may perhaps have been connected
with some ancient Dune or burgh. The inn of Shielhouse does not realize the
expectations formed from its exterior, the accommodation being
inconveniently confined. From the head of Loch Duich, where the inn is
situated, the appearance of Glen Shiel is strange indeed. The mountains rise
almost perpendicularly, but with a steep unvarying concave acclivity, like
the side of a tent, and terminating in detached pinnacles. The opposing
ranges rise so near each other, that but a very narrow verdant stripe of
meadow grass separates their respective bases. This rich connecting band
forms a strong contrast with the bright purple of the hills, the prevailing
colour as high as the hardy heath can vegetate, which, gradually thinning,
gives place to grey, rocky, and barren summits. The best point of view will
be found on the east side of the glen, on the face of the hill, immediately
above the bridge which the Kyle Akin road crosses.
5. Loch Duich is a beautiful arm of the sea, of
great depth, running up along the west side of Kintail. Its banks on the
east side are formed by mountains rising from the water, frequently in rocky
and often precipitous acclivities, but more gently sloping, and full of
gentle undulations on the other, singularly smooth, and carpeted with a soft
velvet-like emerald verdure, variegated with trees below, and rocks above.
From the summits of Scuir Ouran and Scuir-na-Carnich, the two very high
hills of the range extending from Kintail along the north side of Glen Shiel,
conspicuous from Shielhouse, on a clear day, the Trafalgar monument at
Forres may be distinguished.
Of the two roads leading to Skye, that by Kyle
Rhea is about five miles the shorter, to the point of junction near
Broadford; but the Kyle Akin road is much more agreeable, being more level,
and the scenery more interesting; it has the disadvantage, however, of
crossing an additional ferry.
The Kyle Akin road, on leaving Shielhouse, makes
a considerable circuit round an inlet of Loch Duich; and, crossing the water
of Crowe, at the mouth of Glen Liechk, shortly afterwards passes the church
and manse of Kintail. The length of the road from Shielhouse to Kyle Akin is
about twenty miles, and it is divided into two nearly equal portions, by the
ferry of Dornie. Leaving the manse, the road leads above the house of
Inverinat, beautifully embosomed in ascending ash woods and arable fields;
and, owing to the precipitous nature of the ground, it continues to ascend
pretty high, along the face of the hill ; but the views it commands are very
fine, especially when, as we approach Dornie, the hills of Skye come in
sight. The ravines and crevices of the rocks are partially filled with ash
and other trees, and on the slopes are numerous drystone huts, mean enough,
no doubt, but their accompanying patches of cultivated ground are welcome
and agreeable to the eye.
6. Dornie is a small fishing village of about
two score of houses and huts, built where a smaller loch (Long) branches off
from Loch Duich, and on the south side of the connecting strait. Close by
the village are the ruins of Ellandonan Castle, the ancient scat of the
Mackenzies of Seaforth. They stand on a rocky islet, and are surrounded by
the sea at flood-tide ; the castle consisted of a massive square keep about
60 feet high, only one side of which remains entire. On two sides of this
keep are the ruins of other buildings, the landward part of the islet
forming a small natural glacis, in which rises up a spring of fresh water,
surrounded by strong walls, which, extending to the castle, afforded the
inmates safe access, at all times, to the well. The best view of Loch Duich
with Ellandonan and Dornie is obtained from the north side of the ferry—the
village and ruin forming the fore, and the precipitous clustered peaks of
Glen Shiel the back ground. There are none but small public-houses in Dornie.
Ellandonan Castle was built on the site of an
old vitrified fort by Alexander II. of Scotland, as an "overband" against
the Danes and Norwegians. After the battle of the Largs, Alexander III.
appointed Coline Fitzgerald, an Irish gentleman who fought under his banners
at that engagement, to be constable of the castle. Coline married the only
daughter of Kenneth Matheson, former constable, after whom his son was named
Kenneth, and his descendants were called Mackennich, anglice Mackenzie.
Such, at least, is the tradition among the clan.
7. From Dornie the road runs along a stripe of
meadow land bordering the shore of Lochalsb, and a range of verdant hills.
About one and a half mile onwards, at the Kirkton of Lochalsh (formed by the
church, school-house, a farm-house, and some huts), the road to Strome Ferry
on Loch Carron ascends to the right. At the bend of the coast, between Kyle
Rhea and Kyle Akin, rounding a series of high precipitous cliffs faced with
clambering ash, a fine semicircular bay opens to view, in the centre of
which, close by the water's edge, stands the house of Balmacara (Lillingstone),
a bow-windowed structure, with long irregular wings. Behind it rises a
spacious elevated recess, laid out in well-cultivated fields, chequered with
hardwood, and girt with beautiful, high, broadly conical, and slightly
spiral hills of smooth verdant surface. Here there is a post-office and
small inn. Towards the top of the ascent, a road branches off on the right,
over sandstone ridges rather pleasingly wooded and cultivated, to the
fishing village of Plockton, about five miles from Balmacara: a collection
of about a hundred stone-walled, and heather-thatched, and a few slated
houses, with government manse and church, and free church, at the head of a
deeply indented little bay at the opening of Loch Carron, and opposite
Kishorn. 8. The
vicinity of Shielhouse is distinguished by the highest waterfall in the
Highlands—that of Glomak, about eight miles distant from Shielhouse, on a
stream which descends from the head of Strath Affrick to the Elchaig,
running into Loch Long. It can be approached on Highland ponies, and has
been so frequently by ladies, but walking is preferable, and it may be
easily reached in three and a-half hours. The path leads from the Bridge of
Linassie which crosses the Water of Crowe at the head of Little Loch Duich,
as the deep bay on the east side of the head of the loch on which stands the
church and manse of Kintail is called, and proceeds on the north side of the
water, beyond two other glens which open on the right, and straight onwards
alongst, and finally above the water-course along the face of a steep but
beautifully green ravine, seamed with rivulets; proceeding throughout in
almost a straight line from Linassie to a narrow pass at the head of the
ravine, about four miles from that place. From the top of the pass
continuing the same line of direction, nearly north-east across an elevated
moorland, and to the south of a little eminence, the traveller will find
himself above the water just at the top of the fall. The Water of Gloinak
issues from a series of three small lochs imbedded amidst a grand group of
abrupt serrated mountains, Ben Attow at the head, presenting a magnificent
sheeted precipice, almost vertical, and seemingly not less than a couple of
thousand feet in height. The hollow in which they lie communicates with, and
lies at right angles with Strath Affrick, which stretches easterly to
Strathglass; a noble opening through the loftiest mountain ranges in the
country, and which, in its lower portion, embraces the pine-girt waters of
Lochs Affrick and Benneveian. The mountains which form its northern
boundary, terminate in Scuir-na-Cacran, a vast mountain with several
compressed summits, and marked by a precipitous-sided corry at the top. At
some miles distance to the north, the Elchaig conducts its waters to Loch
Long, through a deeply troughed valley, lined on the north by high and very
steep hills passing above into a great rocky expanse, and nearly parallel
with Strath Africk. Between the lower hills skirting the Elchaig, and
Scuir-na-Caeran, extends an ascending and elevated moorland plain, which the
Glomak passes over, till it encounters the granite barrier of Glen Llchaig,
through which it accomplishes its descent by a tremendous ravine, into which
it plunges at once in the great waterfall of Glomak. Approaching from
Shielhouse, a steep descent from the height above, of perhaps 400 feet,
ushers us on the margin of the water, and on the moorland above the fall.
The water slants a little along the rock from which it first starts, and
then falls almost perpendicularly at one corner of the face of a square
abyss flanked by black, smooth mural rocks richly tinted with bright
verdure. About midway it lights on a ledge, and is parted, by a projection
of rock, into two. The depth of the whole has been plumbed and found to be
of the great extent of 350 feet. The ravine below is truly stupendous, and
it cannot be under 700 or 800 feet deep. At the bottom, for perhaps a couple
of hundred feet, walled with rock; the acclivities above very abrupt, all
but vertical, and of a fine ferny green, but, like the mountain wastes
around, entirely destitute of trees. The rapidly inclined lines of the
inflections of the ravine interlace each other, quite concealing the water,
but leading the eye down almost to the channel of Elchaig about two miles
off,—the lofty, precipitous, and rocky further sides of which bound the
view. Footmarks, admitting a cautious descent, will be found conducting from
the head of the fall to the green summit of a small projecting rock on the
west side, marked by a dwarf birch and rowan tree about opposite the middle
of the fall, but so near, that the bottom can be seen only from the brink.
From this point the water is seen to fall as from the lip of the rock, the
rapid at the top, comprising about 50 perpendicular feet of the whole
height, being concealed from view. The sky line of rock is seen from the
grassy point as farther back than the rocky eminences on either hand, which
may be about 200 yards apart, and the mountains beyond are not at all
visible. The apparent height looks just about double that of Foyers; but
estimating the length of the descent to the green point, the larger
ascertained dimensions are obviously correct. The body of water is
considerably less than that of Foyers,—and thus, unless in speat, the volume
of water is disproportioned to the great scale of the precipitous rocks. The
descent to the point is not unattended with a sense of danger, but ladies
make it out. Objects so fraught with dizzying suggestions congregated so
alarmingly close to the spectator, stun and overpower, and conspire to give
a greater impression of insecurity than need be. To approach the fall from
the Elchaig is no easy matter, and requires to wade at times in the channel
of the stream. [A few
directions may here be acceptable, in case of the pedestrian wishing to
continue Iris route to Loch Africk and Strathglass. 'lire way lies by the
sources of the Glomak, which stream, after traversing a tract of broken
spongy moss, he fords about °_00 yards below the lowest little loch already
alluded to, and follows a faint and rough tract on the face of the opposite
hill. At the head of the uppermost loch, which is about a mile long, and
called the Loch of the Bealacly the water shears to the east through a wide
strath which opens on rounding the hill. A pass will be observed on the riUs
which flank the glen he is about leaving on the opposite side: this leads by
Glen Liechk on the farther side of the hills into Kintail, and is in the
line which a road, if ever formed, as sauce intended, between Strathglass
and Kintail, will follow. In the bend of the niorurtains a solitary shieling
will be observed for tending yeld cattle and a flock of goats for a few
mouths of the year, certainly as far removed from haunts of men as could
well be. Hence the path, which is much inter• rupted, keeps down the centre
of the fine wide and straight strath. About half-way to loch Affrick place
is given to a spacious, smooth moorland, by the opening up on, the south of
two wide glens leading through the massive mountains to Cluaun: in Glen
Moriston, and by Glen Liechk into Kintail. Here will he found a solitary
shepr herd's hothie, Aultbae, where a refreshing bowl of milk will prove
acceptable. The ground hitherto traversed, since leaving the Glomak Water,
is called Greenivie. Its ample sides descend in curved cued sweeps. At
Aultbae,wbich is about midway, and perhaps six miles from Loch Affrick,
Strath Affrick, a continuation of and in the same line with Greenivie,
properly commences; and it does so in a splendid level ureadow, fully two
miles in length, fronm which in part the mountains spring at once without
broken ground. Nearing the lake, broken skirting eminences nearly fill up
the bottom. The outlines of the mountains are elongated and smooth, and
their surface affords the finest pasture for sheep. At Couline or
Annamulloeh, two shepherd's houses, on opposite sides of the river, not far
from where it joins the lake, and quite at the base of the high impending
mountains, the traveller will be fain, after a tenor twelve hours' walk from
Shielhouse, to take up his quarters for the night, an intrusion with which
the inmates la- their account. In either, lie will find a very snugly boxed
and floored apartment, fitted up for the occasional accommodation of
sportsmen, good English blankets, and substantial accessories for the inner
man, simple but good of their kind. The distance hence to Struy, in
Strathglass, which is twenty miles from Inverness, is about twenty-six
miles. There is a boat on each of the lochs, perhaps not at hand, but
which,mav he ensured by liaisons intimation over night. Otherwise the
wayfarer must plod his way along the rough track on the north side; but we
can promise him that he will find much to beguile the time, in the grandeur
and severe beauty of these lakes, and of the very imposing mountain masses
in whose bosom they repose. Their features will be found fully detailed in
our article on Strathglass (Route iv. Branch A). From the south side of Loch
Affrick, a track slants across the hill to Geusachan, at the head of
Stratbglass, about eight milce off.]
9. We now return to Shielhouse, to describe the
road thence to Kyle Rhea. On leaving the inn, it almost immediately begins
the very laborious ascent of Mam Ratachan; in climbing and descending which
nearly two-thirds of the whole way (eleven miles and a half) are employed.
Having surmounted it, we find ourselves descending into Glenelg, a valley
quite destitute of trees, except towards the sea; but in their stead its
sides, even to the summit of the hills, are covered with rich green pasture;
and the sudden view of the glen and of the sea, and the hills of Skye
beyond, is impressively superb. In the glen are a colony of huts and a
farm-house, and at the opening of it, the manse, and ruins of Bernera
Barracks, one of the military stations established in the Highlands by the
Hanoverian Government, after the rebellions of 1715 and 1745, with the
Kirkton of Glenelg. Bernera Barracks consisted of two parallel houses,
capable of accommodating about two companies of soldiers. They are rather
more than a mile distant from the ferry. Kirkton of Glenelg is a respectable
village, picturesquely situated on a small bay, and contains a principal
street of slated houses, and is embellished with trees and planting. The
district of Glenelg consists of two glens—Glen More, just described, and
Glen Beg. The whole, with the estate of Glen Shiel, belongs to James Evan
Baillie, Esq., proprietor of other large estates in Inverness-shire.
10. In Glen Beg of Glenelg are two ancient
Burghs or Dunes, as these interesting circular buildings are generally
called, distant about seven miles from Bernera. They measure, one about
thirty (apparently six or eight feet less than the original height) and the
other twenty-five feet high, and thirty-three and thirty feet inside, and
fifty-seven and fifty-four feet outside diameter. The walls are double, and
ten feet thick, curved on the outer side and bulging out at the top, and
they contain tiers of galleries two-and-a-half feet wide and six feet
high—in one of the dunes four in succession, in the other only two, the
higher galleries contracting almost to a single wall. Communication between
the galleries is by openings three feet wide and five high. The flooring of
the galleries is of large flags stretching across both walls, and thus
strengthening the building. The entrance is by a low doorway, which could be
blocked up by a stone dropped from overhead, so as to be perfectly secured
from attack; and to one of them there was a subterraneous passage which has
been recently filled up. Though no cement is used, the building is so
closely joined that it could not be scaled; and thus these structures formed
places of very safe temporary retreat, in case of hostile invasion.
Unfortunately these interesting edifices have been much dilapidated for the
sake of the stones, and scarcely half is standing of the most entire. The
foundations of a third remain, and there are traces of two more in the
larger valley. Glen Beg, in which these structures are situated, is a very
beautiful strath, confined at the entrance by abrupt and rocky hills, and
afterwards widening out having a fine stream rolling through it and
pleasingly diversified with wood. The dunes now referred to are
unquestionably the most entire in the southern parts of the Highlands. We
particularly recommend tourists not to omit the opportunity of seeing these
singular buildings when in their neighbourhood, for they are abundantly
deserving of inspection. An eminent Danish antiquary, who lately visited
them, informs us, that he considers them as very ancient Celtic structures,
and not the work of Sandinavians. |
