Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/205

Rh By the assistance of the most excellent owner of Mieklour, I was enabled to see Loch Clunie, which is only a small lake; but its banks, and its surrounding mountains of Stormount (in fact, part of the Grampions) render Loch Clunie a place worth seeing. In it is an island, covered with wood; out of which rises a large old castle-like building, belonging to Lord Ayrly. On this island was born the admirable Crichton; but not a trace of his family is left. Between Loch Clunie and Blair Gowrie, is Marlie, near a small lake, lying low; so does Ard Blair.

Blair Gowrie is a small town upon the west precipitate bank of the river Airdle, and lies at the beginning of another wild pass through the Grampions, by Glen Shee and Glen Beg, to Bramar. A mile from Blair Gowrie, from Lerinty Burn, is a zig-zag road, to climb a lofty hill; and again it zig-zags round wonderful precipices, down to the Cally Bridge; and from thence the traveller scarcely ever loses sight of some fine water or other, till through many a glen he reaches the Castle of Bramar, and Invercauld, on the banks of the Dee; which lovely place I had no opportunity of seeing, as I went the other Highland road to Fort George, by Blair of Atholl.