Scotland/Scots > Black's picturesque tourist of Scotland

562 NORTH AND WEST SUTHERLANDSHIRE.
ford, shortening the distance bj about one half. It is also
very level (although constructed amidst some of the loftiest
mountains and great deer forests of the county), and in gran¬
deur the view is unrivalled in Highland scenery. Besides
these, a road conducts from Helmsdale, due north, to Bighouse.
The only drawback to the Sutherlandshire roads is, that they
are very narrow—generally 10, and not exceeding 12 feet,
including the edging of sward. Like the Ross-shire roads,
they are free of toll. The Sutherlandshire roads are also con¬
nected with those on the west of Ross-shire by one from Led-
more, on the way between Oikel Bridge and Loch Assynt,
through Strathcannaird, to Ullapool, whence there is a line of
communication, not only direct to the Dingwall and Loch
Carron road at Strathgarve, but also round by Poolewe, Gair-
loch, and Kinlochewe, to the same road, at Auchnasheen.
Angling used to be one of the great attractions of Sutherland¬
shire. The innkeepers had the privilege of salmon fishing for
a period of the year for their inmates. Now the rivers are
almost all let, and the right of salmon fishing, if to be had at
all, must be well paid for. On the lakes there is more license,
and trout fishing is unrestricted.
Bonar Bridge to Loch Inver, Scotjrie, Ddirness, Tongue,
Lairg, and Golspie.
The hanging plantations of fir and larch, which on the
Sutherland side skirt the firth for several miles below Bonar
Bridge, extend also for some little distance to the west. The
Assynt road crosses the Shin at Shin Bridge, and proceeds
westwards to Invershin * by the northern bank of the river Oikel.
* Here the road from Golspie, by Lairg to Assynt, joins that from Bonar Bridge.
Instead of proceeding from Shin Bridge right on to Rosehall, a detour may he made
by Lairg (11 miles from Bonar Bridge), which is very pleasingly situated at the lower
end of Loch Shin. This loch is about 20 miles in length, and of a very softened
character; while the new churches and manses, Established and Free, and some
scattered cottages, are features quite in keeping with the scene. On the west side
of the Shin, Sir James Matheson has another fine property, Achany, joining that of
Bosehall. The road from Golspie to Lairg, a distance of 19 miles, strikes off from
the main north road at the Mound, and leads through Strathfleet, in which are
located a considerable number of small tenants, the cultivated spaces around whose
dwellings give pleasing indication of industry and enterprise, and earnests of what