LOCH INVER TO DURNESS (Cape Wrath), AND TONGUE.

Proceeding northwards by the sea-coast, the road winds among inequalities, frequently very steep; but there is much of picturesque novelty in the strange ruggedness of the ground. Passing Bradcall, where the parish church and manse of Edderachylis are situated, and where there is a large store for packing the salmon caught along the west coast, we reach Kyle Sku, a noble inlet, penetrating in its furthest reaches the recesses of Glen Coul and Glen Dhu, where its waters are closely hemmed in by lofty barriers of rock, which descend from the northern side of Quinag. These glens are among the most striking scenes on the coast.

Scourie* is a considerable hamlet or township, with enclosed fields, encircling the termination of a well-indented bay. The small, though comfortable inn, is on the south, and on the opposite side of the bay is the local factor's house, a large substantial structure with a good garden. Off the bay the island of Handa presents, in its magnificent range of cliffs, an object well worthy of notice. They extend along nearly the whole of the western side of the island, and rise quite perpendicularly from the sea to a height of 600 or 700 feet, tenanted by myriads of sea-fowl during the breeding season. From the rock inclining landward, the precipices can be approached with some confidence. Among the rocky hills of the more inland mountains, that of Stack, which rises 2364

* From Scourie a pedestrian excursion may be made to Lochinver as follows:-Leave Scourie for Badecauld (between 2 and 3 miles); hire a boat for Drumbog, a distance of about 7 miles (charge 5s.); proceed to the village inn and obtain a guide for Lochinver, straight over the hills; the distance will be performed in 3 hours, and the guide's charge is from 3s. to 5s.

feet above the level of the sea, is remarkable for its high pyramidal summit.

Proceeding onwards from Scourie, the road skirts the extremities of two salt-water lochs-Laxford and Inchard. The outline of the former is very irregular, and at its head the road from Lairg by Loch Shin reaches the coast. At the end of Loch Inchard is a substantial public-house (Rhiconich), 11 miles from Scourie. Ascending the course of the Achriesgill, we now round the shoulder of a long ascent, called the Gualin, on which a small public-house has been erected for shelter to the wayfarer. Fronting us, on the further side of the valley, is the massive bulk of Ben Spenue (2535), and more to the right, the still loftier precipitous summits of Fonn Bhein (2979). Glasven (2543) is on the left. Having crossed the isthmus that terminates on the north-west at Cape Wrath, the tourist reaches the placid waters of the Kyle of Durness, and keeping in view for some time the farm-house of Keoldale, he strikes along a fertile table-land of limestone rock, which stretches towards Loch Erriboll, and at length reaches the comfortable inn of

DURNESS.

From the window may be descried, in the distance, the cliffs of Hoy Head in the Orkneys; and the eye ranges along a long line of coast, edged at intervals by lofty rocks. Close at hand, Farout Head projects into the north sea; on the west side of the promontory, which forms the eastern side of the Kyle of Durness, stands the old house of Balnakiel, a residence of the Bishops of Sutherland and Caithness, and afterwards of the Reay family, and near it the very old parish church of Durness. The churchyard contains a monument commemorative of Rob Donn, a Gaelic poet of great local celebrity. In the church is another, with an epitaph which tersely portrays the characteristic qualities of many of the Celtic race. The epitaph bears that "Donald MacMhurchie heir lyis lo; vas ill to his frend and var to his fo, true to his maister in veird and 1619."

VO.

The Cave of Smoo is a close below the high road.

mile to the east of the Inn, and It is one of the finest things of

LOCH INVER TO DURNESS AND TONGUE.

585

the kind in this part of the country, though on a scale not to be compared with similar excavations elsewhere. At the inner end of a narrow creek the limestone rock has been scooped out into a spacious wide-mouthed cavern, having a span of about 110 feet by 53 feet in height. Two subterraneous chambers- one within the other-branch off from the outer cave. The access to the first is over a low ledge of rock, and as both are filled with water by a burn which forms a cataract, it is necessary to have the boat (which is always to be had on the spot) dragged over. The innermost apartment is attained by the boat making its way under a low bridge of rock, which divides the entrance.

The distance from Durness to the celebrated Cape Wrath is 13 miles. The road is good, but a ferry has to be crossed; the scenery may be viewed to greater advantage from the sea, but it is hardly prudent to venture by boat, except in good weather.

This bold headland braves the ocean currents in various

grand frontlets- some rising perpendicularly to a height of 600 feet, and others in steep acclivities, surmounted by more precipitous ridges. Sunken rocks, and a reef of perforated rocks, cause a constant turmoil, while some desolate islets stud the surface of the water. All around is utter solitude, except the durable granite lighthouse, which gives sign that here two individuals of the race of man hold watch and ward to signal vessels off the inhospitable coast. Cape Wrath well merits its name of warning, and mariners do not require to be told to give it a good berth. The range of view is magnificent, stretching from the Lewis to the Orkneys, while a grand panorama of mountain screens is spread behind.

The road from Durin to Tongue makes a great circuit round the head of Loch Erriboll, but the pedestrian can shorten the distance 10 miles by crossing the wide ferry to Heulim Inn, where a projecting peninsula affords a sheltered refuge, well known to the tempest-tossed mariner. The north-east entrance of this loch rises into the lofty cliffs of Whitten Head.

A couple of miles from the head of Loch Erriboll, a road leads through Strathmore to Aultnaharra Inn (18 miles from Erriboll), in the centre of Sutherlandshire, about half-way

between Tongue and Lairg. This route is chiefly remarkable for the remains of the celebrated round tower, Dun Dornadilla, at Aultnacaillich, about half-way. It also presents fine views of Loch Hope, a long narrow fresh-water lake parallel to Loch Erriboll, and of the rounded bulk and imposing precipices of Ben Hope on its eastern margin (3039 feet high).

Equally good views are, however, obtained of the loch and mountain from the northern end of Loch Hope, at Heulim Inn, where the Tongue road crosses the river by a chain boat. Between Loch Hope and the Kyle of Tongue rises a lengthened mossy moorland, called the Moin. Here Ben Loyal or Layghal (2505), with its four fantastic summits, disputes with Ben Hope for the supremacy, although it is inferior by 534

feet.

At the Kyle of Tongue there is a ferry, about a mile across, to the extremity of a projecting promontory, at the landward end of which is situated Tongue House, an oldfashioned mansion, formerly the seat of the Lords of Reay, whose estates were added by purchase to those of Sutherland. It is surrounded by trees and plantations. Towards the head of the Kyle, the square shell of Castle Varrick recals the thoughts to the days of feudal power and strife. A few scattered houses on the hill slope above Tongue House form the village of Kirkiboll, and here will be found a commodious and comfortable inn.*

TONGUE TO THURSO.

There is little to interest the tourist between Tongue and Thurso, a distance of 44 miles. As already mentioned, a car runs every second day between these places. This route crosses two considerable valleys-Strath Naver and Glen Halladale-watered by rivers of some size, which are bordered by fertile meadow land. These rivers are crossed by chain boats. Between these valleys are several smaller glens, and about half-way Strathy Head projects far into the sea. At the hamlet of Strathy there is a small inn. On the east side of the Naver is the comfortable inn of Bettyhill of Farr (12 miles), and on the west side of Glen Halladale, the scattered township and good inn of Melvich; 28 miles from Tongue, and towards the mouth, and on the further side of the river, is the mansion-house of Bighouse. On the coast adjacent to Melvich is the boat harbour of Port Skerray. (A road has been constructed across the country by Auchintoul and Kildonan to Helmsdale, a distance of 30 miles.) Four miles beyond the river we pass the house of Sandside (M'Donald) and the village of Reay, and beyond these the ruins of Castle Down Reay, a still older seat of the Reay Family than Tongue. About the middle of the remaining distance of 12

TONGUE TO LAIRG.

The drive of 38 miles from Tongue to Lairg is over a tract of country almost uninhabited. Ascending gradually from the coast, and passing two small lakes, our course lies along the shore of Loch Layghal or Loyal, and the eastern base of Ben Loyal, and thence all the rest of the way across elevated moorlands. At an interval of several miles south of Ben Loyal rises the great central bulk of Ben Clibrick, 3155 feet, and the second highest in the county. At the foot of this latter mountain the peaceful waters of Loch Naver stretch to the north-east, and discharge themselves through the fertile pastures of Strath Naver, into the North Sea at Bettyhill of Farr. Near the west end of Loch Naver, and near about half-way to Lairg, is Aultnaharra Inn (17 miles from Tongue, and 21 from Lairg), one of the best in the county. The stage to Lairg is but a repetition of the latter part of that from Tongue, excepting that the moorland wastes are still more extensive than those we have left behind, and more monotonous. The interval from Loch Shin to Golspie we have already noticed, (page 579).

miles, between Reay and Thurso, is the mansion-house of Forss (Sinclair). Of the tract of country just traversed, and on to Thurso Bay, there is a large portion of uninteresting moorland, but little diversified,