CHAPTER VIII 



THE DIONARD 



Sometimes called the Grudie of Durness, drains thirty-one square 

 miles of very rocky, high ground, and rising at the loot of one of 

 the steep cliffs of Meal Horn in the forest of Gobernuisgach, after 

 passing through two small lochs expands into Loch Dionard — a 

 mile in length and a half broad ; on leaving the loch it has a further 

 run of fourteen miles before it falls into the Kyle of Durness, and 

 as the descent averages as nearly as possible one hundred feet to 

 the mile — for the loch is 1380 feet above sea-level — the run is 

 verj' rapid. The three tidal pools are jointly fished by the tenants 

 of the Durness and Gualen shootings and the Durness Hotel, the 

 latter monopolising the lion's share. 



Above these tidal pools the water of both banks for four miles 

 upwards belongs to the Durness shootiags, for many years past 

 rented by the late Mr. Brown of Burghwallis Hall, Doncaster, 

 who is now succeeded by his son. 



About a mile above the bridge the Durness march ends, and 

 from there upwards the rest of the river and Loch Dionard are 

 entirely on the Gualen shootings, the small lodge of which (origin- 

 ally built by one of the late Dukes of Sutherland as a refuge for 

 anyone travelling this desolate road in winter) is beautifully placed, 

 directly facing the stony heights of Ben Spionnen, and, like Durness, 

 it has had but one tenant for many years — Mr. C. E. Austen-Leigh. 



The fly is the only lure used, and they range in size from li 

 Limerick to the very smallest, the favourites being the genuine 

 and the " blue " Jock Scot, the Green Highlander, the Doctor, 

 and a local one called " The Brown Fancy," which is dressed as 

 follows : — 



Tail. Two turns of silver twist and gold pheasant tipping. 



Body. Brown mohair picked out at shoulder. Gold tinsel. 

 Mallard wing. 



The season is from the nth of February to the 26th of August 

 for nets, with extension to the rod until the 31st of October. A 

 grilse rod will do all the work. No waders are required for Gualen, 

 though perhaps on the lower reaches of Durness a pair of knee boots 

 would be of advantage to anyone desirous of keeping perfectly dry. 



On the Durness beat there are fifteen casts and some " bitties," 

 the best being " the Wheel," " the Bridge," and " the Rock!" 

 Fish rarely come into the river before the end of June, but after 



