CHAP. viii. THE NORTHERN DENS. 133 



yards long, up which, on the occasion of a storm, 

 the waves are forced with great fury, until they 

 find their escape by the " Lum " in the shape of 

 dense spray. The other opening, the Needle's Eye, 

 runs quite through the peninsular rocky height. It 

 is about a hundred and fifty yards long, and is so 

 narrow that only one person at a time can with diffi- 

 culty make his way through it. 



Eastward of Troup Head the scenery continues of 

 the same character. The fishing village of Pennan, 

 like Gardenstown, lies at the foot of a ledge of pre- 

 cipitous rocks, and is enclosed by a little creek or 

 bay. From the summit of the Red Head of Pennan 

 the indentations of the coast are seen to Kinnaird's 

 Head in the east, and to the Bin Hill of Cullen in 

 the west. 



The scenery of this neighbourhood, besides its 

 ruggedness and wildness, is rendered beautiful by the 

 Glens or Dens which break through the ridges of 

 rock, and form deep ravines, each having its little 

 streamlet at the bottom, winding its way to the 

 sea. The water is overhung by trees or brushwood, 

 sometimes by boulders or grey rocks like buttresses, 

 which seem to support the walls of the Den. These 

 winding hollows are rich to luxuriance with plants 

 and flowers, a very garden of delight to the botanist 

 Heaths, furze, primroses, wild rasps, wild strawberries, 

 whortleberries, as well as many rare plants, are to be 

 found there ; whilst the songsters of the grove 



