Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/244

226 One day we went to the east border of the country of Aird, in which is Belladrum; and much did I lament that our time did not allow us to reach that place. We drove from Dochfour to Inverness: we did not go into the town, but continued on to the edge of the Firth; then turned towards Beauley. The first place we passed was Muirtown, Duff's, Esq.: by it is a great crag, composed of a substance very similar to lava; but no sign of a volcano near it. We drove to the rising hill that looks into Aird; passing through continued groves, backed by crags, and tolerably clothed with wood. One avenue consisted of the largest, and finest old ash trees I ever beheld. The hill on which we stopped is about six miles from Inverness; and from it a finer view cannot be seen: to the west, the rich country of Aird; consisting of a great variety of ground, of lofty mountains, and pastoral glens; wood clothing the heights, and fine trees sheltering the gentlemen's houses, which lie very thick in Aird;—several small lakes and waters, besides the fine Beauley river, watering and meandering through this district. I had the pleasure of seeing the white tops of Lovat Castle peeping between trees, near the mouth of the river Beauley.