PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



105 



tributary, the Kirkney Burn, which together join the Deveron at 

 Huntly, after draining the district of Strathbogie. And round the 

 western watershed of the Black water, besides the high Cook's 

 Cam there is another circle of hills connected with ridges from 

 Threestone Hill — already mentioned — to Crespet Hill, liound Hill, 

 and Cairn-na-Bruar, all, except Crespet Hill, being over the 2000 

 feet elevation. The Blackwater rises at almost precisely the same 

 height above the sea as does the parent stream. 



The circular valley itself is about four miles in diameter from 

 east to west, from the base of Leids Hill to the Aldivalloch Farm, 

 and about three miles from north to south, from the bridge to the 

 base hills of the Buck. Upon the west side of the encircling 

 range behind Threestone Hill and Carnbrallan, the Blackwater, 

 the first large tributary river, rises, and running through a valley 

 almost parallel with the sweep of hills, and the course of the parent 

 stream, flows into the latter at the Lower Cabrach village, which 

 at this point is 900 feet above the sea. The Blackwater flows 

 past the forest lodge of Blackwater deer forest; and the whole 

 valleys and encircling hills of Cabrach and Blackwater above the 

 junction up to the sky-line of the Buck are on the property of the 

 Duke of Kichmond. 



If a pedestrian started to walk the hills encircling Upper 

 Cabrach at the county march, where the valley narrows, via the 

 top of Meikle Firbriggs, and kept the ridge all the way round, via 

 the Buck, Leids Hill, and Mount Bladdoch, and so down the right 

 bank of the Deveron, an almost exact figure 9 would be traced by 

 his footsteps — the round part being the Upper Cabrach Valley, and 

 the tail being the continuations of the hills which, as will be seen, 

 extend all the way down the right bank of the river till they are 

 cut by the course of the Bogie near Huntly. 



From the top of the Buck, — which we visited in July, — 

 ascending from the shooting-lodge of Kildrummy in the valley of 

 the river Don, the whole of this curiously-enclosed country lies 

 like a picture beneath one's gaze — a sub-alpine (?) valley of about 

 1000 feet elevation. 



The village of the Cabrach lies near the northern entrance to 

 the valley, with manse, church, and schoolhouse; and the shooting- 



