Kings & rulers > More leaves from the journal of a life in the Highlands from 1862 to 1882

a very steep hill, the beginning of very wild and really
grand scenery. Louise and Jane Churchill walked up
to the top of this hill, and then we went down another
very steep one, seeing a fearfully long ascent before
us. We changed horses, and took a pair of post-horses
here. Steep green hills with a deep ravine on our left
as we went up, and then down again, this fearful hill
—surely three miles in length—called Lecht. At the
bottom we entered a glen, or rather pass, very wild,
and the road extremely bad, with rapid turnings.
Near this there are iron mines belonging to the Duke
of Richmond. Here we met a drove of very fine High¬
land cattle grazing. Turning out of this glen we came
into much more cultivated land with farms and trees,
skirted by hills in the distance—all very clear, as the
views had been all along. By half-past one we came
close by Tomintoul, which lies very prettily amongst
the trees, hills, and fields; then leaving it to our left,
we went on about a mile and a half beyond the town;
and here by the roadside, on some grass below a
heathery bank, at about a quarter-past two, we took
our luncheon, and walked a little. The Duke of Rich¬
mond’s keeper, Lindsay by name, joined us here and
rode before us. We changed horses (again a pair)
and drove on, entering Glen Livet through the small
village of Knockandhu—Blairfindy Castle on the left,
just behind the celebrated Glenlivet Distillery. We
drove on six miles; pretty country all along, distant
high hills and richly cultivated land, with houses and
cottages dotted about. At Tomnavoulin, a farm, not
far from a bridge, we met Sir Thomas Biddulph (who
had driven on in a dogcart) and our ponies. Though
the wind had gone down a good deal, there was quite