145 



EXCURSION IX. 



LOCH RANZA TO CORRIE. 



68. THE inland route from Loch Rauza to Corrie, a distance 

 of nearly eight miles, presents a few objects of interest. A 

 walk of three miles by the high road, which winds screw-like 

 along the hill-sides, by the edges of the deep glens, brings us 

 to the summit-level of Glen Chalmadale and the watershed 

 into North Glen Sannox. The views of the northern front 

 of the ridge of the Castles and the Sui are very grand from 

 this point. A few hundred yards below the summit, as we 

 pass down into Glen Dhu, granite appears by the road-side ; 

 and in the river bed, a little farther, a junction of the slate 

 and granite is very well exposed. A glance at the map will 

 explain the occurrence of the granite here. The principal 

 junction is at the point where the river comes close in under 

 the bank, along which the road passes. Here there are 

 some peculiarities well worthy of notice. The two rocks are 

 seen to come close up against one another, most distinctly 

 contrasted ; but there are no veins emanating from the 

 granite. This rock is coarse-grained, much coarser than in 

 any other junction we have noticed; yet it is more compact 

 than the coarse-grained granite usually is, and, though hard, 

 brittle. About one hundred yards down the stream a vein 

 of fine compact granite, five feet broad, traverses the slate; 

 and thirty yards farther, another vein, one foot broad, bluish 

 coloured, fine-grained, and very brittle. The entire mass of 

 slate between this lowest vein and the main junction above 

 is much altered : it is extremely hard and tough, contorted 

 in the laminae, and, being much veined with quartz, is 

 assimilated in aspect to a granite rock. Below the lowest 

 vein it speedily assumes its usual appearance. Mr. Ramsay 



