1–7 October 1866

A very fine morning. Got up earlier, and breakfasted earlier, and left at a quarter to ten with Louise and Janie Ely (attended by Brown and Grant as formerly) ; Arthur having gone on with General Grey. We met many droves of cattle on the road, as it was the day for the tryst at Castleton. It was very hot, the sun very bright, and the Cairn Wall looked wild and grand. But as we went on the sky became dull and over- cast, and we almost feared there might be rain. We walked down the Devil's Etbozv, and when within a mile and a half of the Spital we stopped and lunched in the carriage, and even sketched a little. A little way on the north side of the Spital were the ponies, Gordon for me, Brechin for Louise, and Cromar for Janie Ely. There was a pony for Arthur, which he did not ride, and for Grant or any one who was tired. The dear Duchess of Athole and Miss MacGre^or came to meet us here, and when we had reached the spot where the road turns up the hill, we found Mr. Keir and his son, and Mr. Small of Dirnanean — a strong, good-looking, and pleasing person about thirty-two — and his men, the same two fine tall men, preceding us as last year. It was a steep climb up the hill which we had then come down, and excessively hot. The views both ways beauti- ful, though not clear. The air was very heavy and oppressive. We went the same way as before, but the ground was very wet from the great amount of rain. We stopped a moment in passing, at Dirnanean, to speak to Miss Small, Mr. Small's sister, a tall, stout young lady,* and then went on to Kindrogan, Mr. Keir's. All about here the people speak Gaelic, and there are a few who do not speak a word of English. Soon after entering Mr. Keir's grounds we got off our ponies, and went along a few yards by the side of the river Ardle to where Mr. Keir had got a fire kindled and a kettle boiling, plaids spread and tea prepared. Mrs. Keir and her two daughters were there. She is a nice quiet person, and was a Miss Menzies, daughter of Sir Niel Menzies, whom I saw at Taymouth in 1842. Only we ladies remained. The tea over, we walked up to the house, which is a nice comfortable one. We waited here a little while, and I saw at the door Major Balfour of Fernie, the intended bridegroom of Mr. Keir's youngest daughter. At a little over a quarter- past five started in my sociable, with Louise and the Duchess. We came very fast and well with the Duchess's horses by exactly the same road we drove from Dunkcld last year. The horses were watered at the small halfway house of Ballinliiig, and we reached Dunkdd in perfect safety at ten minutes past seven. I am where I was before, Louise in Lenchen's room, and Arthur in a room next to where Brown was be- fore, and is now. All the rest the same, and snug, peaceful, and comfortable.

Mild and muggy, the mist hanging on the hills. Breakfasted with the children. Andrew Thomson attends to Arthur. Emilie and Annie Macdonald f are with me here ; they help Louise, who, however, is very handy and can do almost everything for herself. At half-past eleven I drove out alone with the Duchess through the woods to Polney, and then along the road, and turned in at Willie Duff's Lodge, and down the whole way along the river under splendid trees which remind me of Windsor Park. How dearest Albert would have admired them ! We ended by a little walk, and looked into the old ruin. At twenty minutes to four we drove, the Duchess, Louise, and I — Janie Ely and Miss MacGregor following — to Crie/f-gate on the road of the Loch of the Lowes, where we got on ponies and rode for about an hour and a half through beautiful woods (saw a capercailzie, of which there are many here), but in a very thick mist (with very fine rain) which entirely destroyed all idea of view and prevented one's seeing anything but what was near. We came down to St. Colme's, where we got off, but where again, like last year, we saw nothing of the beautiful view. Here we took tea out of the tea-set I had given the Duchess. She has furnished all her rooms here so prettily. How Albert would have liked all this ! Dinner as yesterday. Brown waited at dinner.

A brighter morning, though still hazy. The sun came out and the mist seemed dispersing. At twenty minutes to one started with the Duchess and Louise, the two ladies following, for Loch Ordie. Several times during the drive the mist regained its mastery, but then again the sun struggled through, blue sky appeared, and the mist seemed to roll away and the hills and woods to break through. We drove by Craig Lush and Butterstone Lochs, and then turned by the Riechip Burn — up a very steep hill, finely wooded, passing by Riechip and Raemore, two of the Duke of Athole's shooting lodges, both let. After the last the road opens upon a wild moor (or " muir") for a short while, before entering the plantations and woods of Loch Ordie. Here, quite close to the lodge, on the grass, we took luncheon. The Duchess had had a hot venison pie brought, which was very acceptable. The sun had come out, and it was delightfully warm, with a blue sky and bright lights, and we sat sketching for some time. The good people have made a cairn amongst the trees where we had tea last year. At four we drove away, and went by the road which leads towards Tullymct, and out of the woods by Hardy s Lodge, near a bridge. We stopped at a very picturesque place, surrounded by woods and hills and little shiels, reminding me of the Laucha Grund at Reinhardtsbrunn. Opposite to this, on a place called Ruidh Rein- nick, or the " ferny shieling," a fire was kindled, and we took our tea. We then drove back by the upper St. Colmes Road, after which we drove through the town, up Bridge Street, and to the Market Cross, where a fountain is being erected in memory of the Duke. We went to see the dairy, and then came home on foot at a quarter to seven. Rested on the sofa, as my head was bad ; it got better, however, after dinner.

A beautiful, bright, clear morning, most pro- vokingly so. After breakfast at half-past nine, we left, with real regret, the kind Duchess's hospitable house, where all breathes peace and harmony, and where it was so quiet and snug. It was a real holiday for me in my present sad life. Louise and the Duchess went with me ; the others had gone on. Some of the principal people connected with the Duchess stood along the approach as we drove out. We went the usual way to Loch Ordie, and past the lodge, on to the east end of the loch, the latter part of the road being very rough and deep. Here we all mounted our ponies at half-past eleven, and proceeded on our journey. A cloudless sky, not a breath of wind, and the heat intense and sickening. We went along a sort of cart-road or track. The burn of Riechip runs out of this glen, through which we rode, and which really is very beautiful, under the shoulder of Benachallie. The shooting tenant of Raemore, a Mr. Gordon, was out on the opposite side of the glen on a distant hill. We rode on through the woods ; the day was very hazy. After a few miles the eastern shore of Loch Oishne was reached, and we also skirted Little Loch Oishne for a few hundred yards. We followed from here the same road which we had come on that pouring afternoon in going to Dunkeld last year, till at a quarter to one we reached the Kindrogan March. Here Mr. Keir, his son, and his keeper met us. Thence we rode by Glen Derby, a wild open glen with moors. Descending into it, the road was soft but quite safe, having been purposely cut and put in order by Mr. Keir. We then as- cended a steepish hill, after passing a shepherd's hut. Here Arthur and General Grey rode off to Kindrogan, young Mr. Keir with them, whence they were to drive on in advance. As we de- scended, we came upon a splendid view of all the hills, and also of Glen Female, which is the way to Fealar. At half-past two we five ladies lunched on a heathery knoll, just above Mr. Keir's wood, and were indeed glad to do so, as we were tired by the great heat. As soon as luncheon was over, we walked down through the wood a few hundred yards to where the carriage was. Here We then drove off again. The scenery was splendid till daylight gradually faded away, and then the hills looked grim and severe in the dusk. We cleared the Devil's Elboiv well, how- ever, before it was really dark, and then man)' stars came out, and we reached Balmoral in safety at half-past eight o'clock.