Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

EENSLEOCH
Bensleoch or Bensliabhoch, a mountain of W Ross-
shire, flanking the NE side of the upper part of Loch
M aree, and culminating 5 miles N by W of Kinlochewe.
It has an altitude of 3217 feet above sea-level ; is
scarred and cut by great rifts and gullies ; and rises in
such continuous mass that the entire ascent of it, from
base to summit, figures clearly in the scenery of Loch
Maree.
Bensley, a village in Kilwinning parish, Ayrshire.
Fop. (1871) 313.
Ben Smeorale, a mountain in Clyne parish, E Suther-
land, 5| miles NNW of Brora. It has an altitude of
1592 feet above sea-level.
Benspenue (Gael, beinn spionnaidh, ' mountain of
strength'), a mountain in Durness parish, Sutherland,
flanking the E side of Strath Dionard, and culminating
9J miles S by W of Fair-aird Head. It has a massive
form, and rises to an altitude of 2537 feet above sea-level.
Ben Stack, a conical mountain in Eddrachillis parish,
Sutherland, flanking the SW shore of Loch Stack, and
culminating 4J miles SE of the head of Loch Laxford
at 2367 feet above sea-level.
Ben Starav, a mountain in Ardchattan parish, Argyll-
shire, flanking the NE shore of the upper waters of
Loch Etive, and culminating 10 miles NNW of Dal-
mally. It has a broad base, furrowed sides, and a
rocky summit ; rises to an altitude of 3511 feet above
sea-level ; and figures imposingly amid a vast extent of
Highland landscape. Its sides and summit are totally
sterile. Its rock is granite, and the debris in the
channels of its brooks contains large beautiful quartz
crystals, variously colourless, yellowish, or dark-hued ;
and by lapidaries esteemed as not inferior to the precious
Cairngorm stones.
Benstomino or Beinn's Tomaine, a mountain in Fan-
parish, Sutherland, flanking the E side of the lower
waters of Loch Loyal, and culminating 5 J miles ESE of
Tongue village at 1728 feet above sea-level.
Benston, a place with lime works in New Cumnock
parish, Ayrshire. The limestone rock is about 12 feet
deep, and the lime is of prime quality as a cement.
Benstrome, a mountain in Eddrachillis parish,
Sutherland, flanking the SW side of Loch More, and
culminating 9 miles SE of Scourie.
Bent, a place, with a public school, in Lesmahagow
parish, Lanarkshire. The school, with accommodation
for 114 children, had (1S79) an average attendance of
58, and a grant of £53, 17s.
Bentalloch or Bentealluidh, a mountain in Torosay
parish, Mull island, Argyllshire, flanking the narrow
pass through the S centre of the island, and culminat-
ing 12 miles W by N of Oban. It has a finely conical
outline, is clothed with verdure to the summit, rises to
an altitude of about 2800 feet above sea-level, and pre-
sents itself as a most magnificent object to voyagers
entering the Sound of Mull from the N. Its proper
name signifies ' the prospect mountain ; ' and its popular
name among mariners is the Sugarloaf.
Ben Tarsuinn. See Arran.
Bentealluidh. See Bentalloch.
Ben Tee. See Ben Tigh.
Ben Tharsuinn, a mountain on the mutual border of
Luss and Row parishes, Dumbartonshire, situated nearly
midway between Loch Lomond and Loch Long, and
culminating 3J miles E by N of Garelochhead. Its sum-
mit-altitude is 2149 feet above sea-level.
Ben Thutaig. See Ben Hutig.
Ben Tigh, a mountain in the SW centre of Inverness-
shire, adjacent to the head of Loch Lochy. It has an
altitude of 2956 feet above sea-level.
Ben Trilleachan, a mountain in Ardchattan parish,
Lorn, Argyllshire, culminating 2 miles SW of the
head of Loch Etive at 2752 feet above sea-level.
Bents, a village, with a railway station, in Whitburn
parish, Linlithgowshire, on the Bathgate and Morning-
side railway, adjacent to the boundary with Edinburgh-
shire, 4J miles S by W of Bathgate.
Bents, a burn in the S centre of Aberdeenshire, rising
in Tough parish, and running about 4£ miles northward
148
BEN VENUE
partly within Tough, partly on the boundary with
Alford to the river Don.
Ben Tulachan, a summit in the NW of Balquhidder
parish, SW Perthshire, 4 J miles NNE of the head of Loch
Katrine. It has a height of 3099 feet above sea-level.
Ben Uaig, a mountain near the N centre of Mull
island, Argyllshire, adjacent to Pennygowan Bay, and
1320 feet high.
Benuaish. See Ben Wyvis.
Ben Uary or Beinn na h'Urrachd, a mountain on the
mutual border of Loth and Kildonan parishes, Suther-
land, 6J miles W by N of Helmsdale. It has an alti-
tude of 2046 feet above sea-level. A good mineral
spring is at its N foot.
Ben Udlaman, a summit on the NW border of Blair
Athole parish, Perthshire, belonging to the central
Grampians, and culminating 9 furlongs from the E
shore of Loch Ericht at 3306 feet above sea-level.
Ben Ular. See Ben Bheula.
Ben Usninish, a summit (1000 feet) in the SE of the
Park district of Lochs parish, Lewis island, Ross-shire.
It groups with Benmore and Crionaig ; and with them
is celebrated in old hunting songs.
Ben Vacher. See Benevachar.
Benvaddu, a mountain in Farr parish, Sutherland,
flanking the E side of Strathnaver, 13 miles SSW of
Strathy.
Benvalla or Penvalla, a mountain in Stobo parish,
Peeblesshire, flanking the NE side of the upper part of
Hopehead Burn, 2J miles NW of Stobo Castle. It has
an altitude of 1764 feet above sea-level.
Benvan. See Ben Ban.
Ben Vane, a mountain in Arrochar parish, Dumbarton-
shire, near the Argyllshire boundary, and 4| miles NW
of Tarbet. It overhangs the western bank of Inveruglas
Water, immediately below its efflux from Loch Sloy,
and has an altitude of 3004 feet above sea-level.
Ben Vane, a mountain 2685 feet high on the mutual
border of Balquhidder and Callander parishes, Perth-
shire, 4 j miles N by E of Loch Achray.
Ben Vannoch, a mountain (3125 feet) of W Perth-
shire, 1J mile NW of the head of Loch Lyon, and 2J
miles SE of Ben Achallader.
Ben Varen, the western one of the three great mountain
ridges of the N division of Arran island, Buteshire. It
extends about 7 miles from N to S ; has greater breadth
but less height and less sublimity than the middle and
eastern ridges, culminating at 2345 feet above sea-level;
and, as seen from points on the W coast, shows an out-
line similar to that of a long house with rounded roof.
Benveallich, a mountain on the mutual border of Loth
and Kildonan parishes, Sutherland. It has an altitude
of 1SS8 feet above sea-level.
Benveedan or Beinn Fhada, a mountain on the mutual
border of Ardchattan and Lismore parishes, Argyllshire,
separated from Buachaille-Etive by the mountain pass
which leads from Glen Etive to Glencoe. A stupendous
mass, it attains, in its highest point, Bidean nam Bian,
an altitude of 3766 feet above sea-level, or 155 feet
higher than Ben Cruachan.
Ben Venue (Gael, beinn-mheadhonaidh, 'middle
mountain '), a mountain in Aberfoyle parish, Perthshire,
flanking the S side of the lower waters of Loch Katrine
and the main part of the Trossachs, and culminating 10
miles W by S of Callander. Rising almost murally from
the margin of Loch Katrine, it surges upward to 2393
feet above sea-level, and commands extensive views to
the N, the E, and the W, including much of the territory
celebrated in the Lady of the Lake. It shows rich fleck -
ings and interminglings of verdure, natural wood, and
naked rock ; it exhibits a lofty terrace-pass and a stupen-
dous come, noticed in our article on Bealack-narn-Bo ;
it combines, more than almost any other mountain, the
characters of grandeur, romance, and beauty ; and, as to
its aggregate configuration, it looks like an immense
heap of broken hillocks, thus answering closely to Sir
Walter Scott's description :
'Crags, knolls, and mounds, confusedly hurl'd,
The fragments of an earlier world.'