EDINBURGH, KINROSS, PERTH, DUNKELD, BLAIR ATHOLL.

ton Ho Abernethy

Printed by WMFarlane

Published by A & C Black, Edinburgh.

PERTH TO DUNKELD.

263

Two miles to the north of Methven (10 from Perth), is Trinity College, an institution for the education of the clergy and youth of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It stands on the estate of George Patton, Esq. of Cairnies, who liberally granted twenty acres of ground for this purpose. The Rev. Charles Wordsworth, late warden of the College (now Bishop of St. Andrews, Dunblane and Dunkeld) contributed the munificent sum of £7000 towards the building. half a mile from the College is a comfortable inn.

Within

Strangers proceeding from the College to Crieff should take the road by Buchanty. From Buchanty a road to the right leads to GlenAlmond House (J. Patton, Esq.), within two miles of which are the remains of a vitrified fort. A Roman camp may be observed on the left, immediately before reaching the 14th mile stone, and should the tourist desire to visit Ossian's grave, he must turn into the Aberfeldy road (which branches to the right after passing the 14th mile stone), and two miles along that road he will reach the spot, which is marked by a huge square mass of rock surrounded by an elevated circle on the moor. One of General Wade's soldiers, called the "lang man," is buried within the same circle, and the General's road intersected it. The new road, however, is carried round the consecrated ground, and proceeds westwards by Foulford Inn and Monzie Castle. By this road the distance from Perth to Crieff is 21 miles.

PERTH TO DUNKELD BY RAILWAY. (Distance 15 miles) Stations: Luncarty, 4 miles; Stanley Junction, 7; Murthly, 10; and Birnam (Dunkeld), 15.

Leaving Perth by the North Inch, the tourist passes on the left Few House (Nichol, Esq.), and Tulloch Printfield; and, at the distance of two and a half miles from Perth, on the opposite side of the Tay, he will observe Scone Palace. Two and a half miles from Perth, we cross the Almond near

House, where they resided for some time, supplied with food, it is said, by a young gentleman of Perth, who was in love with them both. The disease was unfortunately communicated to them by their lover, and proved fatal, when according to custom in cases of the plague, they were not buried in the ordinary parochial place of sepulture, but in this sequestered spot. The late Lord Lynedoch put an iron railing round the grave, and planted some yew trees beside it.

its junction with the Tay, and pass through plantations chiefly on the estate of the late Lord Lynedoch. Near this a road leads off on the left to Redgorton, Monedie, and Pitcairn Green with its spinning-mills.

Close upon Luncarty Station, and between it and the river, is the battle-field of Luncarty, where a decisive battle was fought between the Scots and Danes in the reign of Kenneth III. According to tradition, the Scots were at first forced by the invaders to retreat, but they were rallied by a peasant of the name of Hay, and his two sons, who were ploughing in the neighbourhood. By the aid of these courageous peasants, who were armed only with a yoke, the Scots obtained a complete victory. It is alleged that, in commemoration of this event, the Hays have assumed as their crest a peasant carrying a bloody yoke over his shoulder. The plain on which the battle was fought is now used as a bleachfield. A mile in advance the line crosses the streams of Ordie and Shochie,* and we arrive at Stanley, famous for its extensive spinning-mills. Near this is the Linn of Campsie, where the Tay forms a considerable cascade, known to the readers of "The Fair Maid of Perth" as the scene of M'Ian's death.t The tourist next passes, on the left, the village of Auchtergaven or Bankfoot, about half a mile south of which, at Little Tullybelton, a monument was lately erected to the memory of Robert Nicol, the Scottish poet. About four miles westward is Tullybelton, the seat of Colonel Robert Richardson Robertson. The next station is Murthly, which takes its name from Murthly Castle (Sir William Stewart, Bart.), a magnificent but unfinished edifice, within fifty yards of which is the old castle of Murthly, and a small but beautiful Roman Catholic chapel, the private property of Sir William Stewart. We now skirt the base of Birnam

* Perth suffered from a nocturnal inundation of the Tay in the year 1210, and it is predicted that it will again be destroyed in a similar manner :

"Says the Shochie to the Ordie

'Where shall we meet?'

'At the cross o' Perth,

When a' men are fast asleep.""

Popular Rhyme.

+ Crossing the Tay by the ferry boat a short distance below the Linn, the tourist may proceed half a mile up the river to Stobhall, the ancient seat of the Drummonds, Earls of Perth.

Hill (1580 feet), and Birnam Wood, so famous for its reputed connection with the fate of Macbeth. The ancient forest has disappeared, and been replaced by trees of modern growth; two trees, however, of great age still remain, an oak and a sycamore, behind Birnam Hotel. From the summit of the hill a magnificent prospect is commanded of the vale of the Tay, and of the extensive woods which environ Dunkeld. Immediately under the hill is Birnam Railway Terminus, on issuing from which the traveller passes Birnam Hotel, and, crossing the river by a noble bridge,* enters

DUNKELD.

Hotels: Duke of Atholl's Arms; Royal. Birnam Hotel, at the Railway Station.] Coaches westwards to Aberfeldy, Kenmore, Killin, and Callander; northwards to Pitlochrie, Blair Atholl, and Inverness.

15 miles from Perth by Road or Railway; 10 from Dunkeld Road Station; 8 from Stanley; 16 from Cupar Angus; 12 from Blairgowrie; 13 from Pitlochrie; 18 from Aberfeldy.

Population, 1104.

WALKS AND MOUNTAIN RAMBLES.-Duke of Atholl's Pleasure Grounds; Grounds of Murthly; Summits of Birnam; Craigvinean; Newtyle; CraigWood Hills.

FAVOURITE DRIVES.-Loch of the Lowes; Craighall; Murthly Castle and Rochallion Lodge; Rumbling Bridge, Hermitage, Falls of the Braan, and Ossian's Cave; Pass of Killiecrankie; Taymouth Castle, etc. etc.

A Highland gathering is held at Dunkeld on the last Wednesday of July, at which about 6000 visitors generally attend.

There are few places of which the effect is so striking as Dunkeld when first seen on emerging from the pass of Birnam. This it owes not more to the suddenness of the view, or to its contrast with the preceding blank, than to its own intrinsic beauty; to its magnificent bridge, and its cathedral nestling among its dark woody mountains; to its noble river, and to the brilliant profusion of rich vegetation.

The Duke of Atholl's grounds † (within which are included the Cathedral, Craigvinean, and Craig-y-Barns), present a

* Foot passengers pay a toll of one halfpenny each.

Tourists are conducted over a portion of the grounds by guides provided by the Duke of Atholl. The charge for one person or a party of two is 2s. 6d., for parties of three or more 1s. each.