PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



41 



we were informed, Sea-Trout had access to it from the Balna- 

 gown or Strathrory river, which flows past Scotsburn and BaK 

 nagowu Castle and enters the Cromarty Firth below Tarbat House, 

 but that the burn leading out of the loch into the river having 

 been diverted to supply water to Kindeace House, they can no 

 longer get into it. Sea-Trout are fairly numerous in the Strath- 

 rory river, and an occasional grilse also at times finds its way up. 



Next to the Alness in importance is the Allt Graad, which, 

 though little more than a burn in appearance, yet nearly always 

 contains an abundance of water. This is easily accounted for 

 by its being fed by Loch Glass, a dark, gloomy loch lying under 

 the north shoulder of mighty Ben Wyvis, the highest mountain 

 (3429 feet) in this part of our district. This burn is more cele- 

 brated for its beauty where it flows through the celebrated Black 

 Eocks at Evanton than for its angling, for though a few Salmon 

 and Sea-Trout enter its mouth, they are woefully poached. Like 

 the Alness just described, the Allt Graad runs into the Cromarty 

 Firth on one side of the Balconie estate, which is bounded on 

 the other by another burn of some size, the Skiack, which rises 

 in the moors beyond Milton and under Ben Wyvis, and thence 

 runs through the cultivated area of Swordale and Fowlis. Except 

 that a few Salmon enter the mouth late in the season, the Skiack 

 possesses little or no attraction, as the country through which it 

 runs is uninteresting. 



Strathpeffer has become so well known through its Spa that 

 little need be said of it here. It is a beautiful strath, well culti- 

 vated throughout the whole of its length and breadth, and the 

 views of Ben Wyvis, and away eastward to the Black Isle are very 

 fine when seen from the grounds of the Ben Wyvis Hotel. On the 

 hill immediately opposite to, and again beyond, are vast areas of 

 young plantations, and the open spaces are covered with whins 

 and bracken. On the south-east side, at the foot of the strath, rises 

 the steep rounded hill of Knockfarrel, and from not as yet being 

 much planted over, the contour lines are very well seen. 



On the other side of the strath lies the well-wooded estate of 

 Tulloch ; much of this wood consists of hardwood. The bottom of 

 the valley is flat, and the Peffery burn runs through and drains it all. 



