Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/228

210 though the evening was chill, and a mist coming on, I took my way to the head of Loch Ericht, about three quarters of a mile over the boggy heath. The high bare crags on each side of Loch Ericht sweep precipitately to the loch's edge, with now and then patches of wood creeping up their lofty sides. There is a shooting-box, in a romantic situation, on the west bank of Loch Ericht, belonging to the Lord Advocate Dundas; but there is no getting at it except by a boat. Both Dalwhinie inn, and nearly the upper half of Loch Ericht, are in Invernesshire, in the district of Badenoch. The southern part of Loch Ericht is in Perthshire, and will be mentioned when I enter on the subject of Rannoch.

From Dalwhinie to Pitmain inn (still in Badenoch) the face of the country is much the same, till I drew near the river Spey. On crossing the Truim water from the west to the east side of it, is an extremely pretty simple bridge, and a fall of water through the arch, which is truly picturesque, with a salmon leap; and the banks and surrounding rocks (not very gigantic) sweetly ornamented with birch, alder, small oak, &c. I got out of the chaise to admire this simple sweet scene; and then proceeded towards Spey bridge,