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INTRODUCTION. XI
east, and which contain aggregately large pendicles of arable land and forest, and em-
bosom a great proportion of the loveliest and far-iarned scenery of the Highlands.
Between the most northerly of these flanking screens of the glens, and the great east and
west central mountain-range, extends the vale of Rannoch, traversed along the east by
the tumultuous river Tummel, and occupied on the west by Loch- Rannoch ; and from
the west end of this lake, past the northern termination of the north and south great
range, away south-westward to the spurs of Bencruachan, extends the moor of Rannoch,
an immense level bog lying about 1,000 feet above the level of the sea, a dismal wilder-
ness occupying an area of about 400 square miles. The section of country south and
south-west of this, north of the peninsula of Knapdale and Kintyre, and west of the
north and south mountain-range, measures about 40 miles by 25, and with the exception
of the stupendous mass of Bencruachan and some attendant heights, is a series of table-
lands, elevated from 500 to 700 feet above sea-level, separated by narrow and deep glens
ploughed up by water-courses, and covered partly with heath and grass, and partly with
moorish soil and bog. The glens, though deep, are, in general, open, or expand into
vales, and in common with the banks of far-stretching bays and marine lochs, are subject
to the plough or luxuriant in wood. The long narrow peninsula of Knapdale and Kin-
tyre, extending nearly 50 miles southward, with a mean breadth of about 7 miles, rises
at its southern extremity to an altitude of about 1,000 feet above sea-level, but elsewhere
is very moderately and even gently hilly, has many interspersions of plain and valley,
and wears an arable, sheltered, and softly picturesque appearance. From the north side
of the great central range, at a point north-north-west of Beniglo, a range upwards of
30 miles in length, and about 10 or 11 in mean breadth, goes off in the direction of north
by east, to the stupendous mountain-knot of the Cairngorm heights — according to some
authorities, the loftiest in Britain — and there forks into two branches, the one extending
north-eastward, and lowering in its progress, along the right flank of the upper basin of the
Deveron, and the other, under the name of the Braes of Abernethy, running northward
between the vale of the Avon and the valley of the Spey, to the terminating and lofty
heights of Cromdale. This range, except near the north end of its divergent branches,
is unpierced by any road or practicable pass ; and, from the Cairngorm group to its
junction with the great central range, has a mean altitude of probably about 3,000 feet.
In the triangle, the two greater sides of which are formed by the Glenmore-nan-albin,
and the western moiety of the great central range, stretches north-eastward, a range 30
miles in length, and considerable in breadth, called the Monadh-Leadh mountains.
These heights commence, at their south-west end, in the Corryarrack mountains, 18
miles north-east of Bennevis : they divide in their progress into two branches, which
enclose the upper basin of the river Findhorn, and terminate nearly due south-east, from
the frith of Beauly entrance of the Caledonian canal ; and they possess an extreme alti-
tude above sea-level of not much more than 2,000 feet. The south side of the east end
of the great central range from Caerloch to Beniglo, and the ends facing the south-east
and east, of the lateral offshoots of the great range north and south, have a broad fringe
of shelving upland, which, in a general view, may be described as descending in tiers,
or as forming a declination by successive gradients to the Lowlands. This fringe — moun-
tainous on the inner side, and merely hilly in the exterior — varies in breadth from 3 to
8 miles toward the south, and from 6 to 12 miles toward the north ; it is everywhere
chequered or striped with glens and vales, bringing down the roaring and impetuous
streams cradled among the alps to the champaign country below ; it exhibits, as seen
from a distance, a magnificently varied breastwork thrown round the Highlands ; and it
encloses in its glens and vales a surpassing rich assemblage of scenery, a vast aggregate
area of picturesque and romantic forest, and not a small proportion of excellent arable
ground. Along the whole south-east side of this far-stretching and sublime and myriad-
featured declivity, from the Forth, between the vicinity of Stirling to the vicinity of
Aberfoil, to the German ocean at Stonehaven, a distance of about 80 miles, extends the
plain of Strathmore, or the Great Valley, from 1 mile to 16 miles in breadth, over the
most part from 6 to 8, and almost everywhere level, and in fine cultivation. This fine
strath sends off to the German ocean at Montrose, a short one of kindred character, and
farther north it becomes narrowed, and assumes the name of the Howe of Mearns ; and
at the point where it is crossed by the river Tay, it looks down a transverse valley
watered by that stream ; but over nearly all its length it is flanked along its south-east
side by ranges of heights which, in some places, almost vie with the Grampians along the
east, and which contain aggregately large pendicles of arable land and forest, and em-
bosom a great proportion of the loveliest and far-iarned scenery of the Highlands.
Between the most northerly of these flanking screens of the glens, and the great east and
west central mountain-range, extends the vale of Rannoch, traversed along the east by
the tumultuous river Tummel, and occupied on the west by Loch- Rannoch ; and from
the west end of this lake, past the northern termination of the north and south great
range, away south-westward to the spurs of Bencruachan, extends the moor of Rannoch,
an immense level bog lying about 1,000 feet above the level of the sea, a dismal wilder-
ness occupying an area of about 400 square miles. The section of country south and
south-west of this, north of the peninsula of Knapdale and Kintyre, and west of the
north and south mountain-range, measures about 40 miles by 25, and with the exception
of the stupendous mass of Bencruachan and some attendant heights, is a series of table-
lands, elevated from 500 to 700 feet above sea-level, separated by narrow and deep glens
ploughed up by water-courses, and covered partly with heath and grass, and partly with
moorish soil and bog. The glens, though deep, are, in general, open, or expand into
vales, and in common with the banks of far-stretching bays and marine lochs, are subject
to the plough or luxuriant in wood. The long narrow peninsula of Knapdale and Kin-
tyre, extending nearly 50 miles southward, with a mean breadth of about 7 miles, rises
at its southern extremity to an altitude of about 1,000 feet above sea-level, but elsewhere
is very moderately and even gently hilly, has many interspersions of plain and valley,
and wears an arable, sheltered, and softly picturesque appearance. From the north side
of the great central range, at a point north-north-west of Beniglo, a range upwards of
30 miles in length, and about 10 or 11 in mean breadth, goes off in the direction of north
by east, to the stupendous mountain-knot of the Cairngorm heights — according to some
authorities, the loftiest in Britain — and there forks into two branches, the one extending
north-eastward, and lowering in its progress, along the right flank of the upper basin of the
Deveron, and the other, under the name of the Braes of Abernethy, running northward
between the vale of the Avon and the valley of the Spey, to the terminating and lofty
heights of Cromdale. This range, except near the north end of its divergent branches,
is unpierced by any road or practicable pass ; and, from the Cairngorm group to its
junction with the great central range, has a mean altitude of probably about 3,000 feet.
In the triangle, the two greater sides of which are formed by the Glenmore-nan-albin,
and the western moiety of the great central range, stretches north-eastward, a range 30
miles in length, and considerable in breadth, called the Monadh-Leadh mountains.
These heights commence, at their south-west end, in the Corryarrack mountains, 18
miles north-east of Bennevis : they divide in their progress into two branches, which
enclose the upper basin of the river Findhorn, and terminate nearly due south-east, from
the frith of Beauly entrance of the Caledonian canal ; and they possess an extreme alti-
tude above sea-level of not much more than 2,000 feet. The south side of the east end
of the great central range from Caerloch to Beniglo, and the ends facing the south-east
and east, of the lateral offshoots of the great range north and south, have a broad fringe
of shelving upland, which, in a general view, may be described as descending in tiers,
or as forming a declination by successive gradients to the Lowlands. This fringe — moun-
tainous on the inner side, and merely hilly in the exterior — varies in breadth from 3 to
8 miles toward the south, and from 6 to 12 miles toward the north ; it is everywhere
chequered or striped with glens and vales, bringing down the roaring and impetuous
streams cradled among the alps to the champaign country below ; it exhibits, as seen
from a distance, a magnificently varied breastwork thrown round the Highlands ; and it
encloses in its glens and vales a surpassing rich assemblage of scenery, a vast aggregate
area of picturesque and romantic forest, and not a small proportion of excellent arable
ground. Along the whole south-east side of this far-stretching and sublime and myriad-
featured declivity, from the Forth, between the vicinity of Stirling to the vicinity of
Aberfoil, to the German ocean at Stonehaven, a distance of about 80 miles, extends the
plain of Strathmore, or the Great Valley, from 1 mile to 16 miles in breadth, over the
most part from 6 to 8, and almost everywhere level, and in fine cultivation. This fine
strath sends off to the German ocean at Montrose, a short one of kindred character, and
farther north it becomes narrowed, and assumes the name of the Howe of Mearns ; and
at the point where it is crossed by the river Tay, it looks down a transverse valley
watered by that stream ; but over nearly all its length it is flanked along its south-east
side by ranges of heights which, in some places, almost vie with the Grampians along the
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Gazetteers of Scotland, 1803-1901 > Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1 > (23) Page xi |
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