Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

BENBEOCH
narrowest part, and dry at low water. It has a some-
what circular outline, about 8 miles in diameter. Its
shores are indented with almost innumerable baylets and
headlands ; its general surface is low fiat land, torn
into shreds by intersections of the sea, and by a multi-
tude of inland lakelets ; and its soil is so sandy and
barren as to yield but a very scanty sustenance to the
inhabitants. ' The sea here,' says Dr Macculloch, 'is all
islands, and the land all lakes. That which is not rock
is sand ; that which is not mud is bog ; that which is
not bog is lake ; that which is not lake is sea ; and the
whole is a labyrinth of islands, peninsulas, promontories,
bays, and channels.' Yet, though little better than a
patch of wilderness, half swamped in ocean, Benbecula
was an ancient property of the chiefs of Clanranald, had
once a nunnery, and still has remains of an old baronial
castle. Much land, since about the year 1830, has been
reclaimed from a state of moss ; and great attention is
given to the raising of live stock and to fishing. A
missionary of the royal bounty has a church on the
island ; where also is a Roman Catholic church (1790;
300 sittings). Mrs Gordon's Female Industrial School,
with accommodation for 218 children, had (1879) an
average attendance of 79, and a grant of £69, 3s. 6d.
Pop. (1841) 2107, (1861) 1485, (1871) 1563; of registra-
tion district (1871) 1651, (1881) 1781.
Benbeoch, a summit in Dalmellington parish, Ayr-
shire, 1521 feet high, and 1J mile NE of the village.
Ben Bheog, a mountain in Strachur parish, Cowal,
Argyllshire, flanking the western shore of the upper
waters of Loch Eck, and culminating exactly opposite
Whistlefield inn at 2029 feet above sea-level.
Ben Bheula, a mountain on the mutual border
of Strachur and Loehgoilhead parishes, Cowal, Argyll-
shire, culminating 2 miles NE of the head of Loch Eck,
at 2557 feet above sea-level.
Benbhraggie. See Ben-a-Bhragie.
Benblath, a mountain summit in Strath parish, Isle of
Skye, Inverness-shire. It is associated with Beilig and
Marsco summits, and it and they soar in fantastic out-
line, and vie in romantic grandeur with the neighbour-
ing pinnacles of Cuchullin.
Benbord. See Benabourd.
Benbrack, a summit in Dalmellington parish, Ayr-
shire, 1621 feet high, and 3 miles E of the village.
Ben Breac, a summit (946 feet) on the W coast of Ross-
shire, between Loch Ewe and Gair Loch.
Benbreck, a quondam residence of an ancient branch
of the noble family of Galloway, in Dairy parish, Kirk-
cudbrightshire. It is now a fragmentary ruin.
Benbui (Gael, beinn blmidJie, ' yellow mountain'), a
mountain in Inverary parish, Argyllshire, 9J miles NE
of Inverary town. It rises to an altitude of 3106 feet
above sea-level, and makes a grand figure in the scenery
around the head of Loch Fyne. In Benbui farm at its
south-western base, and at the confluence of Brannie
Burn with the Shira, Rob Roy Macgregor lodged for
some time at the cost of the Duke of Montrose.
Ben Buy, a mountain in the SE of Mull island, Inver-
ness-shire, overhanging the head of Loch Buy. It has
an altitude of 2352 feet above sea-level.
Ben Cailleach, a mountain (2387 feet) on the SE sea-
board of Skye, Inverness-shire, adjacent to Kyle-Rhea
strait, and nearly opposite the mouth of Loch Alsh.
Bencairn or Bengairn, a heathy mountain in the N of
Rerwick parish, Kirkcudbrightshire, 5 miles S by E of
Castle-Douglas. It rises to an altitude of 12S0 feet
above sea-level ; is surmounted by a very ancient cairn ;
and presents a bold and picturesque appearance, com-
manding an extensive and magnificent view over the
waters of the Solway Firth.
Benchait, a mountain in Blair Athole parish, Perth-
shire, one of the Athole Grampians, rising 2942 feet
above sea-level.
Benchaorach (Gael. ' mountain of the sheep '), a sum-
mit in Ardchattan parish, Argyllshire, 2J miles E of
the head of Loch Etive, and 2848 feet high above sea-
level.
Benchaorach, a mountain on the mutual border of
142
BEN CRUACHAN
Luss and Row parishes, Dumbartonshire, 4| miles "W
by S of Luss village. It has an altitude of 2338 feet
above sea-level.
Ben Chapull, a mountain in Kilninver parish, Argyll-
shire, 8i miles SE of Oban. Rising 1684 feet above sea-
level, it towers above all the neighbouring hills, and
commands an extensive view to the W and the N. Its
name signifies ' mare's mountain. '
Benchill, an estate in Redgorton parish, Perthshire.
It belonged to the Gowrie family, who generally were
provosts of Perth. Forfeited to the Crown after the
Gowrie conspiracy, it passed to the Arnots, who also
long were provosts of Perth, and from them to the noble
family of Nairn ; and, with the exception of Nether
Benchill, it was again forfeited to the Crown after the
rebellion of 1745.
Benchinnin, the section of the Grampian Mountains
within Forfarshire. Extending about 24 miles from
NE to SW, and from 9 to 15 in the opposite direction,
it is divided from Aberdeenshire and Perthshire by a
lofty line of watershed, so as to have a general declivity
toward the SE ; and it possesses comparative continuity
or compactness, yet is cloven by North Glenesk, Glen
Cotimet, South Glenesk, Glenprosen, Glenisla, and a
number of lesser glens. Along some of the glens it ex-
hibits bold and terrific precipices, but in general consists
of tame rounded masses, mostly covered with stunted
heath, or with a thin coat of moorish soil ; and, as
seen from the seaboard of the county, it forms a magni-
ficent background to a rich expanse of lowland scenery,
and forms a picturesque sky-line along the horizon.
Benchoehail or Beinn a' Chochuill, a mountain on the
mutual border of Ardchattan and Glenorchy parishes,
Argyllshire, 3Jmiles NE of the summit of Ben Cruachan.
Rising to a height of 3215 feet above sea-level, it would
anywhere else seem massive and lofty, but by the side
of its gigantic neighbour, it is dwarfed into a hill of
moderate size.
Ben Chonzie, a mountain of Perthshire, culminating at
304S feet above sea-level, exactly on the meeting-point
of Comrie, Monzievaird, Monzie, and Killm parishes,
If mile S of the upper waters of the Almond, and 5^
miles N of Comrie village. Its name signifies ' the mossy
mountain,' and alludes to a tract of about 40 acres of
whitish moss on its summit.
Ben Clachan, a mountain in Applecross parish, Ross-
shire, on the seaboard opposite the northern extremity
of Raasay island. Its height is 2028 feet above the sea,
Bencleuch, a mountain on the mutual border of Tilli-
coultry parish, Clackmannanshire, and Alva parish, Stir-
lingshire. The loftiest of the Ochils, it rises to a height
of 2363 feet above sea-level, overhanging the head of
the romantic Glen of Alva ; and it commands one of the
widest and most brilliant views in Scotland.
Benclibrick or Beinn Cleith-bric (Gael, 'strong, spotted
mountain'), a mountain in the S of Farr parish, central
Sutherland, between Loch Naver and Loch Coir'an
Fhearna. The conical Meall an Eoin, its highest point,
3 miles SSE of the head of Loch Naver, rises to an alti-
tude of 3154 feet above sea-level, and commands a strik-
ing prospect from the German Ocean to the Atlantic,
and from the Ross mountains to Orkney. A cavern in
it, at Carnavaddy, was the retreat of a notable outlaw
in last century, who made great havoc among the deer
and cattle of the surrounding country.
Bencoinachan or Benchoraeh, a mountain 2338 feet
high, on the mutual border of Row and Luss parishes,
Dumbartonshire, culminating 4J miles W by S of Luss
village, and separating the head-streams of Luss and
Fruin Waters.
Ben Creachan, a mountain close to the mutual border
of Perth and Argyll shires, 4 miles E of the head of
Loch Tulla, One of the grandest of the Central Gram-
pians, it rises 3540 feet above sea-level.
Bencroghan, the principal summit of a hill-range
nearly through the middle, and almost from end to end,
of North Uist island, Outer Hebrides, Inverness-shire.
It has an altitude of about 1500 feet above sea-level.
Ben Cruachan (Gael. ' cone-shaped mountain '), a nioun-