Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 6

BOSS-SHIRE
Carron, upwards from Upper Loch Carron ; Loehalsh,
between Loch Carron and Loch Alsh, and at the upper
end of the latter, Glen Ling and Glen Elchaig ; Kin-
tail, ESE of Loch Alsh ; Glen Shiel, up from the top of
Loch Duich and passing over the watershed into the
hollow of Glen Clunie, which passes downwards into
Glen Morriston (Inverness-shire) ; the upper parts of
Glen Orrin and Strath Conan. Near the centre of the
N side of Strath Conan the hollow occupied by Loch
Luichart branches off to the NW to Strath Bran, which
continues westward to Auchnasheen, where it forks, one
branch passing south-westward to Glen Carron, and
the other westward and south-westward by the hollow
of Loch a Chroisg (Rosque) and Glen Docherty, to
Kinlochewe and Loch Maree. From the NW end of
Loch Luichart the hollow of Strath Bran is continued
eastward towards Strathpeffer, and from the N side
Strath Garve passes off and is continued northward by
Strath Vaich to Gleann Mor, and so to Strath Oykell ;
and north-westward by Dirrie More to Strath More and
Loch Broom. Easter Ross is almost entirely lowland
in its character, consisting nearly altogether of a fertile
and well-cultivated plain, but rising along the coast of
the Moray Firth into a ridge with lofty cliffs facing the
sea. Mid Ross is also mostly well cultivated, but con-
sists of a greater portion of uplands, and rises along the
shore of the Moray Firth into the long ridge of Akd-
meanach. The western division has a very unequal
surface, its ruggedness being scarcely surpassed even by
Inverness-shire, £ of the whole area being over 1000 feet
above sea-level. The mountain tops rising above this
can hardly be said to form distinct chains or ranges,
but occur as single isolated summits or in groups.
In Coigach, between Loch Veyatie and the outer part
of Loch Broom, are Cul Mor (27S6 feet), Cul Beag
(2523), An Stac (2009), Beinn Eun (1973, Sgorr Deas),
and Ben More Coigach (243S). The summits in the
Cromalt Hills N of the upper part of Strath Kan-
aird have been noticed in connection with the boundary,
except Meall an Fhuarain (1895 feet) ; between Glen
Oykell and Strath Carron are Beinn Ulamhie (1616),
Meall Deargaidh (1659), and Breac Bheinn (1520) ;
and between Strath Eanaird and Glen Achallt are Na
Dromannan (1337), Cnoc a Choilich (1336), Meall Liath
Choire (1798), Cnoc an Daimh (1500). Between Glen
Einig and Gleann Mor are the hills in Freevater Forest,
of which the highest point is Sean a Bhraigh (3000 feet)
— between the upper waters of the Douchary, which flows
down Glen Douchary to Glen Achallt, and the upper
waters of Corriemulzie Burn, which flows by Strath
Mulzie to Glen Einig — and from this a spur passes off to
the NW with Meall nam Bradhan (2221). To the E of
Sean a Bhraigh is Cam Ban (2762 feet), and NE of that
Bodach Mor (2689) and Bodach Beag (2500) ; and a
shoulder runs away to the eastward with the highest
points at An Socach (2424) and Srongun Aran (2138),
4 miles N of which is Cam a Choin Deirg (2302) over-
looking Strath Chuilionaich. To the SW of Cam Ban
is Cam Loch Sruban Mora (2406 feet), overlooking
Gleann Beag, a continuation westward of Gleann
Mor. To the SW of Sean a Bhraigh is a great mass
of hills occupying the district between Glen Ach-
allt on the N, Upper Loch Broom and Strath More on
the WSW, Dirrie More and Glascarnoch river (Upper
Strath Garve) on the S, and Strath Vaich and the upper
ends of Gleann Beag and Glen Douchary on the
ENE. Of these the highest points, SSW from Sean
a Bhraigh, are Eididh nan Clach Geala (3039 feet)
and Beinn Dearg (3547), and from Eididh nan
Clach Geala a ridge is sent off NW towards Ullapool,
where Glen Acnallt opens on to Loch Broom, the
highest points being Cam Mor (2122), Meall Dubh
(2105), and Beinn Eilideach (1830) overlooking Ulla-
pool. To the WSW of Beinn Dearg and E of the upper
end of Strath More are Beinn Aonaclair (2915 feet) and
Meall Doire Faid (2390), while to the E the highest
point of the lumpy mountain that overlooks Strath
Vaich is 3120 feet, and it slopes towards Glascarnoch
river by Tom Ban Mor (2433) and Meall an Torcain
266
ROSS-SHIRE
(1735). In the great lozenge-shaped district bounded
on the N by the sea ; on the NE by the line of Loch
Broom, Strath More, Dirrie More, Glascarnoch river,
and Strath Garve ; on the S by Strath Bran and the
hollow of Loch a Chroisg (Rosque) ; and on the SW by
Glen Docherty, Loch Maree, and Loch Ewe, — the hills
may be grouped roughly into three divisions, of which
the second and third may be regarded as forming some-
what broken ranges. The first division is bounded by
Loch Broom and Strathmore on the NE side, by Gleann
Mor (a branch of Strath More passing to the SW) and
the hollow of Loch a Bhraoin (Vruin) on the SE, and
the upper part of Strath na Sheallag and the valley of
Loch na Sheallag and Gruinard river to Gruinard Bay
on the SW. The NW end is indented by the long,
narrow Little Loch Broom. The whole mass is some-
what like a lobster's pincer, Little Loch Broom being
the opening of the claw. Beginning to the S of Annat
Bay on the point stretching out between Loch Broom
and Little Loch Broom, there is the isolated mass with
the tops of Beinn Ghobhlach (Goleach ; 2082 feet) and
Cnoc a Bhaid-rallaich (1780) ; farther to the SE is Cnoc
an Droighinn (1327), Creag Chorcurrach (1193), Carn a
Bhibrain (1665), and Carn Bhreabadair (1573) — the last
three round the end of Strath Beg at the head of Little
Loch Broom. Between Strath Beg and Loch na Sheal-
lag is the lumpy mass of An Teallach, with a northern
spur, Mac us Mathair (2298 feet), a central summit
(3483), and Sgurr Ruadh (2493), and Sgurr Fiona (3474)
overlooking Loch na Sheallag. To the NW of this are
Sail Mhor (2508 feet) and Carn nam Buailtean (1283),
while to the SE are Meall a Bhainne (1503) and Carn
nam Feithean (1820)— to the NE and SW of the upper
hollow of Strathbeg river — Carn Breac Beag (1267) over-
looking the top of Strath More, and in a triangular pro-
jection to the SW between the hollow of Loch a Bhraoin
and the southward prolongation of Strath na Sheallag,
Meall an V Sithe (1871), and Creag Ralnich (2646). The
second division begins to the S of Loch na Sheallag, and
extends south-eastward till opposite Creag Ralnich,
where it becomes very narrow, and then turning to the
E stretches eastward to the valley of Strath Garve,
attaining its greatest breadth (over 7 miles) and greatest
height between Glen More on the N and Loch Fannich
on the S. The hollow on the SW is occupied by the
basins of Fionn Loch and Lochan Fada, and on the S
by that of Loch Fannich. Beginning at the NW end,
the highest summits are Beinn a Chaisgein Beag (2234
feet), Beinn a' Chaisgein Mor (2802) — above Fionn Loch
—Beinn Dearg Beag(2500), and Beinn Dearg Mhor(2974)
S of Loch na Sheallag ; Beinn a' Chlaidheimh (2750),
Sgurr Ban (3194), Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair (3250),
and Beinn Tharsuinn (2750) between Strath na Sheallag
and Lochan Fada. To the S of Creag Ralnich are Beinn
Besg (2000 feet) and An Groban (2424) at the narrowest
part of the range, which here turns to the E. In this
eastward portion the summits are A' Chailleach (3276
feet), Sgurr Bhreac (3000), Beinn nan Ramh (2333),
Sgurr nan Clach Geala (3500), Meall a' Chrasgaidh
(3062), Cam na Criche (3000), Sgurr M6r (3637), Beinn
Liath Mhor Fannaich (3000), Beinn Liath Beag (2175),
Meall an Rairigidh (3109), An Coileachan (3015), Beinn
Liath Mhor a Ghinbhais Li (2484), Beinn Dearg (2230),
Beinn Liath Beag (1967), Meall Mhic-Iomhair (1984),
Beinn a Bhric (1441), Beinn nan Cabag (1544), Carn na
dubh Choille (1570), and Creagan an Eich Ghlais (1086),
the last two on the W side of Strath Garve. The third
range begins at the N end of the NE side of Loch
Maree, extends up the whole of that side and up the
NE side of Glen Docherty, at the top of which it turns
eastward, extending as far as the glen by which the
river Fannich flows to the Bran. Beginning at the
NW end the principal summits are Beinn Airidh a' Char
(2593 feet), Meall Mheinnidh (2000), Beinn Lair (2817),
Beinn Slioch (3217) and its eastern shoulder Sgurr
an Tuill Bhain (3058), Beinn a Mhuinidh (2231), Carn
a Ghlinne (1770) overlooking Glen Docherty, Fionn
Bheinn (3060) with a south-western shoulder Meall a'
Chaoruinn (2313), a southern shoulder Creagan nan