PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



49 



here it receives the waters of Loch Fannich, which lies in the 

 Fannich forest, the property of the Mackenzies of Dundonnell, 

 and which lies between the forests of Loch Eosque and Loch 

 Luichart. Trees begin to appear again, principally birch-woods, 

 and bird-life shows itself in consequence. 



The upper end of Loch Luichart is very shallow, and contains 

 plenty of pike; the largest on record was shot by one of the 

 keepers, and weighed about twenty-eight pounds. Curlews and 

 lledshanks frequent a marsh near the head of the loch, and Wood- 

 cocks breed abundantly in tlie birch woods. Ducks are not par- 

 ticularly abundant here, and the pike may have something to do 

 with this, as the same keeper who shot the large one just men- 

 tioned, told us that he was watching a brood of small Goosanders 

 one day from the hill above the loch, and noticed one or two dis- 

 appear, and never come up again. Lady Ashburton's shooting- 

 lodge overlooks the loch, and in the woods there are a good number 

 of Fallow Deer, which are often to be seen from the train, 

 principally in the winter. The loch takes a turn southwards, 

 and on this side of it the ground is occupied by sheep-farms and 

 grouse-shootings, the forests lying on the north side of the loch 

 and river Bran. 



The loch is much deeper towards its southern end, and on the 

 south side the slopes of the hill are very rough, with long heather 

 and boulders, in some places the precipices overhang the water, 

 and here the Peregrine finds a fairly secure place for her nest. 

 Towards the lower end of the loch both sides are well wooded 

 mostly with birches and a few natural firs. The Conon falls pre- 

 vent Salmon from entering the loch. 



The Blackwater has its sources in some of the highest hills in the 

 district, which are situated partly in the Fannich forest and partly 

 in the forest of Braemore. The Braemore hills are magnificently 

 wild, rocky and stony to a degree, and one wonders where the deer 

 find any grazing, at least on the higher ground. Ben Dearg, 3547 

 feet, is a grand hill, finely shaped, and stands out well when viewed 

 from the road that passes along the level valley of Glascarnoch, 

 and runs from Garve to Ullapool, there being no intervening hills 

 to obstruct the view. Sgurr Mor (3637 feet), on the opposite side 



D 



