Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland

ROSS AND CROMARTY
streams flowing SE to the Cromarty Firth. The prin-
cipal tops between the Glass which reaches the Firth
below Evanton, and the Alness which reaches it below
Alness, are Meall Beag (2121 feet) and Meall Mor (2419),
Meall an Tuirc (2049), Beinn na Diollaidhe (1851), and
Caishlan (1716); between the upper part of the valley
of the Alness, called Strath Rusdale, and the upper part
of the valley of the Balnagowan Burn, called Strath
Rory, are Beinn Tharsuinn (2270) and Doire Leathan
(2089). To the N of Strath Rory is Cnoc an t-Sabhail
(1116 feet).
Rivers and Lochs. — There are a considerable number
of rivers throughout the county, and the small streams
are simply innumerable. On the NE the drainage is
carried to the Dornoch Firth by the Oykell, of which
the principal tributary from the Ross and Cromarty side
is the river Einig, and by the river Carron, the head-
stream of which is the Abhuinn a Ghlinne Mhoir in
Gleann Mor, and the principal tributary the Black
"Water (NW). Farther down the firth are the Wester
Fearn Burn, the Balblair Burn, the Edderton Burn, and
the Aldie Water. On the extreme NW is the river
Kirkaig, and Enard Bay receives the river Polly and the
Abhuinn Owskeich. On the N side of the outer part of
Loch Broom is the river Kanaird in the strath of the
same name, and in the inner portion the Ullapool from
Glen Achallt and the Lael and Broom at the head of the
loch, the latter being formed by the junction of the
Droma from Dirrie More (SE), and the Cuileig from
Gleann Mor* (SW). Little Loch Broom receives the
Strathbeg river at the top, and into Gruinard Bay flow
the Gruinard river from Strath na Sheallag on the SE,
and Little Gruinard river from Fionn Loch in the centre.
The surplus water from Loch Maree reaches Loch Ewe
by the river Ewe, and Loch Maree itself receives the
Fhasaigh from Lochan Fada on the NE side near the
head, Kinlochewe river at the head — the principal
streams of this being the Bruachaig (E) and the
Ghairbhe (SW) — and on the SW side the rivers Grudie
and Lungard. The principal stream flowing into Gair
Loch is the Kerry, and Upper Loch Torridon receives
the river' Torridon at the head, and the Balgay from
Loch Damh on the N side, while Loch Shieldaig receives
the Shieldaig from Glen Shieldaig at the upper end, and
the Abhuinn Dubh from Loch Lundie on the SW. In
the rest of the Applecross peninsula a number of fair
sized streams flow direct to the Inner Sound, the chief
being the river Applecross flowing into Applecross Bay,
a little to the S of the centre. Loch Eishorn receives
the Kishorn, Loch Carron the river Carron, Loch Alsh
a fair sized stream from Gleann Udalain, Loch Long the
Ling (NE) and the Elchaig (ESE), and Loch Duich at
the upper end the Croe (NE) and the Shiel (SE). At
the top of Glen Shiel the watershed is crossed, and the
Clunie flows eastward to Loch Clunie at the head of
Glen Morriston. To the NE of Glen Elchaig are streams
flowing to the upper end of Loch Monar, and so away
down Strath Farrar, and farther to the NE still is the
river Orrin and the small streams flowing to it. To the
N of Glen Orrin is Strath Conan, with the river Conan
issuing from Loch Luichart, and receiving about 1J mile
from the Loch the Meig (W), which flows through a
long narrow winding glen, extending westwards to
Moruisg. Flowing into Loch Luichart is the Bran,
which issues from Loch a Chroisg and flows down Strath
Bran, passing through the lochs of Achanalt and Chuilinn
near the lower end, and between the latter loch and
Loch Luichart receiving the Fannich from Loch Fan-
nich on the N. To the E of Loch Luichart is Loch
Garve, which receives from Strath Garve the Black
Water, which is formed by the union of streams from
Strath Rannoch (N), Strath Vaich (N), and the Glas^
carnoch river (NW). Below Loch Garve the stream is
still known as the Black Water, and it flows into the
Conan 1J mile below Contin church. The principal
streams flowing into the Moray Firth are the Avoch,
Rosemarkie, and Ethie Burns; and the Cromarty Firth
receives Newhall Burn (S) at Udale Bay, the Conan
* Not to be confounded with the Gleann Mor of Strath Carrou.
ROSS AND CROMARTY
from Strath Conan and the Peffery from Strathpeffer,
both at the upper end; the Skiack and Glass passing to
the S and N respectively of Evanton village, both rising
on Ben Wyvis, and the latter passing through Loch
Glass; the Alness flowing through Alness village; and
the Balnagowan Burn flowing into the head of Nigg Bay.
There are about 80 lochs of fair size, and an immense
number of smaller lochs and lochans. Of these the
principal only can be mentioned here, the figures show-
ing the height of the surface above sea-level. Other
information about all the leading ones will be found in
separate articles dealing with them. On the Kirkaig
are Fionn Loch (357 feet) and Loch Veyatie (366); on
the Polly, Loch Skinaskink (243) and Lochan Gain-
mheich (251), and connected with it farther S is Loch
na Doire Seirbhe (222) ; on the Owskeich are Loch
Owskeich (72) and Loch Bad a' Ghaill and Loch
Lurgan, both 173; and in Glen Achallt is Loch Achallt
(265). At the summit level of the pass of Dirrie More
is Loch Droma (about 900 feet); and on the other
branch of the Broom river — the Cuileig — is Loch a
Bhraoin (813), while to the SE in a corrie of Sgurr
M6r is the lofty Loch a Mhadaidh (1831). In the
course of the Gruinard river is Loch na Sheallag (279
feet), and stretching south-eastward from Loch Ewe is
the celebrated Loch Maree (32). To the N of Loch Sheal-
lag are Lochan Gaineamhaich, Loch Mor Bad, and
Lochan Eich Dhuibh (737 feet); to the E of the centre of
Loch Ewe are Loch a Bhaid-luachraich (311) and Loch
Fada (498). To the NE of Loch Maree and distant from
it 3 miles, across the mountain ridge, are Fionn Loch
(559 feet) and Lochan Fada (1000) — the former having a
number of smaller lochans connected with it; among
the hills between this and Loch Sheallag are Loch
Ghiubhsachain, Loch Toll a Mhadaidh, Lochan na
Bearta, Lochan Feith, and Fuar Loch Mor; and farther
N between Little Gruinard river and Gruinard river is
Loch a Mhadaidh Mor. Connected with the river Ewe
and the NW end of Loch Maree are Loch Tollie (W, 388
feet) and Loch Kernsary (E); and connected with the
upper part of it are Loch Garbhaig (1000) N of Ben
Slioch; Loch Clair and Loch Coulin (WNW) on the
course of the Ghairbhe and about 280 feet above sea-
level; and the small Lochan Coire Mhic Fhearchair at a
height of about 1900 feet on Beinn Eighe. On the course
of the Kerry are Loch Bad an Sgalaig (353 feet), Dubh
Loch close beside it, and at the source Loch na h'Oidhche
(1250) between Busbheinn and Beinn an Eoin. On the
opposite side of Busbheinn are Loch a Ghobhainn and
Loch a Bhealaich (both 1000 feet), the source of the
Horrisdale Water, farther down which are Loch Gain-
eamhaich (900), and Loch Braigh Horrisdale (302); the
stream flows N to Gair Loch. To the E of Loch
Diabaig, in the SE of outer Loch Torridon, is Loch
Mhullaich (443 feet); to the S of Upper Loch Torridon
is Loch Damh (129), and farther up the same hollow
Loch Coultrie, and on the Amhainn Dubh flowing into
Loch Shieldaig is Loch Lundie (753). On the river
Carron are Loch Dhughaill (168 feet), and high up near
the sources Loch Sgamhain (Seaven, 491); at the source
of the northern branch of the river Ling is Loch an
Laoigh (877); and on the Elchaig are Loch na Leitrach
(281), and at the source Loch Muirichinn (1500); while
in Glen Clunie is the upper half of Loch Clunie (606),
and on the course of the river Loyne part of Loch Loyne
(700). At the top of Glen Cannich — which is mostly
in Inverness-shire — is Loch Lungard (761 feet) ana
about half of Loch Mullardoch (705); at the top of Glen
Strath Farrar — also mostly in Inverness-shire — is about
f of Loch Monar (663), and farther W An Gead Loch,
Loch an Tachdaidh, and Loch Calavie (1129); near the
source of the Orrin are Am Fiar Loch (1000) and Loch
na Caoidhe ; in Strath Conan are Loch Beannaehan
(465), Loch Luichart (280), and Loch Achilty (170);
and in Strath Bran Loch a Chuilinn (350), Loch Achan-
alt (365), Loch a Chroisg (508), and, SW of Auchnasheen,
Loch Gown (543) ; while in the tributary hollow of the
river Fannich is Loch Fannich (822). In the valley of
the Black Water is Loch Garve (220 feet), with the small
1393