30 August–5 September 1869

We got up at half-past seven, breakfasted at eight, and at half-past eight left Balmoral with Louise, Beatrice, and Jane Churchill (Brown as always, unless I mention to the contrary, on the box), for Ballater. A high and rather cold wind, but very bright sun, dreadfully dusty. Colonel Ponsonby met us at the railway station. Emilie Dittweiler and Annie Macdonald, Ocklee (for the two girls), Jane Churchill's maid, Charlie Thomson, and the footman Cannon, went with us ; Blake, Spong with the luggage, A. Thomson, with Sharp (my faithful collie dog), and Annie Gordon (house- maid), Kennedy, Arthur Grant, and Hiley (the groom) with the ponies, all went yesterday, and three cooks came from London. We had a saloon carriage, but not my own. It grew hot in the railway train. We stopped at Aberdeen and the Bridge of Dun, where Jane Churchill got into our carriage, and had luncheon with us ; but we could have no one to help to pack and unpack it, which is now so comfortably arranged in my own rail- way carriage where there is a communication with the attendants. Stopping a moment at Cupar- Angus, we passed through Perth, and had another short halt at Dunblane, where the people crowded very much. Here we got a view of the old Cathedral, and turned off to Callander, which we reached at a quarter-past three. There was a very well- behaved crowd at the quiet station. Mr. and Lady Emily Macnaghten,* to whose house (which they had most kindly lent us) we were going, and Sir Malcolm and Lady Helen MacGregor (he is Miss MacGregor's nephew, she Lady Emily Mac- naghten's niece), received us there. Their little girl gave me a nosegay. We at once got into our celebrated sociable, which has been to the top of the Furca in Szvitzerland, etc., and had been sent on before, Colonel Ponsonby and Brown going on the box. We drove off at once with post-horses through the small town of Callander, which con- sists of one long street with very few shops, and few good houses, but many poor ones. Poor Kanne (who was to have managed everything, but had fallen ill) was still laid up there. We drove on, and, after about three-quarters of a mile's drive, came to Loch Vennachar, a fine lake about four miles long, with Ben Venue and other high and beautiful mountains rising behind and around it. The road is thickly wooded with oak, birch, beech, mountain-ash, etc. The house stands ex- tremely well on a high eminence, overlooking the loch and surrounded by trees, and you drive up tli rough evergreens and trees of all kinds. Half an hour brought us to the door of the house, Inver- trossachs, which is small and comfortable. At the entrance is a nice little hall in which there is a small billiard table ; to the left, beyond that, a very nice well-sized dining-room with one large window. To the rip-ht of the hall is the drawing-- room, very much like the one at Invermark (Lord Dalhousie's) ; altogether the house is in that style, reception. but larger. The staircase is almost opposite the hall-door, and there is a narrow passage which Sfoes on to the left and risdit, alonof which are Louise's, Baby's (Beatrice's), my sitting-room (a snug little room), and my bedroom (very good size) ; and out of that, two little rooms which I use as dressing- and bath-rooms, and Emilie Dittweiler's. Further on, round a corner as it were, beyond Louise's, are Lady Churchill's, her maid's, and Colonel Ponsonby's rooms, all very fair-sized and comfortable. Close to my dressing- rooms is a staircase which goes upstairs to where Brown and our other people live. The rooms are very comfortably and simply furnished, and they have put down new carpets everywhere. In the absence of poor Kanne, whom we are so sorry for, Jungbluth, the cook, acts as steward, and showed us over the rooms. We took tea and rested a little, and at twenty minutes to six drove out with the two girls (sweet Beatrice very happy and very good, the first time she had been without a governess) and Lady Churchill. We drove along the loch, which has always to be done, as there is no road on the Inver- trossachs side further than Invertrossachs itself, and crossed over the bridge at Coilantoglcford cele- brated in the " Lady of the Lake," then to the right down a steep hill and over the bridge by Kilmahog, where there are a few cottages and a turnpike, on through the Pass of Leny, which is now (like every other burn and river) nearly dry, overhung by beautiful trees with very grand hills, reminding me much of Switzerland from their greenness, the rugged rocks, and the great amount of wood which grows at their base and a good way up. It reminded Louise and me very much of Pilatus with its meadows and fine trees on the way to Hergessvyl. We went as far as the beginning of Loch Lubnaig, a very fine wild, grand-looking loch ; turning there and going back the same way. The view of Loch Vennachar, with the beautiful deep blue of Ben Venue and the other hills, was lovely. We came in at half-past seven. Darling Beatrice took her supper on coming in, but she came and sat with us while we were at dinner for a short while. Only four at dinner. We went out for a moment afterwards. Very mild and starlight. Louise went to bed. Jane read a little to me in the drawing-room, but I went upstairs soon, as I was tired.

A very fine, bright, warm morning. We de- cided to go on an expedition, but not to Loch Lomond, as we should have to start so early. Breakfasted in the drawing-room with Louise and Beatrice. Then writing, etc. At twenty minutes to twelve I started in the sociable with Louise, Beatrice, Jane Churchill, and Colonel Ponsonby and Brown on the box, and drove (excellent post-horses, always only a pair) to Callander, but turned to the right short of it, and went on some little way. On coming to the top of a hill we saw Ben Ledi, a splendid hill ; to the north Ben Voirlich, and to the east the heights of Uam Var, a pink heathery ridge of no great elevation ; and in the distance, rising up from the horizon, Dun Myat, and the Wallace Monument on the Abbey Craig, near Stirling. We went across a moor, and then soon passed Loch Ruskie, quite a small lake. The country about here is rather lowland, but as we proceeded it was extremely pretty, with very fine trees and cornfields, and harvesting going on ; and soon after, descending a hill, we came upon the Loch of " Menteitk" (the only loch in Scotland which is ever called lake). It reminds one very much of Loch Kinnord near Dallater, and very low blue and pink hills rise in the distance. There are two or three islands in it ; in the large one, Inchmahomc, you perceive amongst the thick woods the ruins of the ancient priory. Queen Mary lived there once, and there are monuments of the Menteiths to be seen on it. To the right we passed the ruin of Rcdnock Castle, and to the left the gates of the Park of Rednock, with very fine large trees, where Mr. Graham, the proprietor, was standing. We went on and passed the Clachan of Aberfoylc (renowned in Sir Walter Scott's " Rob Roy "), and here the splendid scenery be- gins— high, rugged, and green hills (reminding me again of Pilatus), very fine large trees and beautiful pink heather, interspersed with bracken, rocks, and underwood, in the most lovely pro- fusion, and Ben Lorjzond towering up before us with its noble range. We went on perhaps a quarter of a mile, and, it being then two o'clock, we got out and lunched on the grass under an oak at the foot of Craig More. It was very hot, the sun stinging", but there were manv light white clouds in the blue sky, which gave the most beautiful effects of light and shade on this mar- vellous colouring. After luncheon and walking about a little, not finding any good view to sketch, we got into the carriage (our horses had been changed), but had not gone above a few yards when we came upon Loch Ard, and a lovelier picture could not be seen. Ben Lomond, blue and yellow, rose above the lower hills, which were pink and purple with heather, and an isthmus of green trees in front dividing- it from the rest of the loch. We got out and sketched. Only here and there, far between, were some poor little cottages with picturesque barefooted lasses and children to be seen. All speak Gaelic here. Louise and I sat sketching for half an hour, Beatrice running about merrily with Jane Churchill while we drew. We then drove on, and certainly one of the most lovely drives I can remember, along Loch Ard, a fine long loch, with trees of all kinds overhanging the road, heather making all pink ; bracken, rocks, high hills of such a fine shape, and trees growing up them as in Switzerland ; the road rough and bad, with very steep bits of hill (but the post-horses went remark- ably well) overhanging the loch, which reminded me very much of the drive along the Lake Zug in Switzerland. Altogether, the whole drive along Loch Ard, then by the very small Loch Dow and the fine Loch C/wji, which is very long, was lovely. The heather in full bloom, and of the richest kind, some almost of a crimson colour, and growing in rich tufts along the road. One can see, by the mounds or heaps of stone, all along Loch Chon, where the Glasgow waterworks are carried, but they have not disfigured the landscape. Emerging from this road we came upon the Loch Lomond Road, having a fine view of Loch Arklet, on the banks of which Helen MacGregor is said to have been born. The scene of our drive to-day is all described in " Rob Roy." Loch Arklci lies like Loch Callater, only that the hills are higher and more pointed. Leaving this little loch to our left, in a few minutes we came upon Loch Katrine, which was seen in its greatest beauty in the fine evening light. Most lovely ! We stopped at Stronachlachar, a small inn where people stay for a night sometimes, and where they embark coming from Loch L^omond and vice versa. As the small steamer had not yet arrived, we had to wait for about a quarter of an hour. But there was no crowd, no trouble or annoyance, and during the whole of our drive nothing could be quieter or more agreeable. Hardly a creature did we meet, and we passed merely a very few pretty gentlemen's places, or very poor cottages with simple women and barefooted long-haired lassies and children, quiet and unassuming old men and labourers. This solitude, the romance and wild loveliness of everything here, the absence of hotels and beggars, the independent simple people, who all speak Gaelic here, all make beloved Scotland the proudest, finest country in the world. Then there is that beautiful heather, which you do not see elsewhere. I prefer it greatly to Switzerland, magnificent and glorious as the scenery of that country is. It was about ten minutes past five when we went on board the very clean little steamer " Rob Roy " — the very same we had been on under such different circumstances in 1859 on the 14th of October, in dreadful weather, thick mist and heavy rain, when my beloved Husband and I opened the Glasgozv Waterworks. We saw the spot and the cottage where we lunched. We took a turn and steamed a little way up the bay called Glen Gyle, where there is a splen- did glen beautifully wooded, which is the country of the MacGregors, and where there is a house which belonged to MacGregor of Glen Gyle, which, with the property, has been bought by a rich Glasgow innkeeper of the same clan. We turned and went on, and nothing could be more beautiful than the loch, wooded all along the banks. The rugged Ben Vcmic, so famed in the " Lady of the Lake " (which we had with us as well as several guide-books, of which we find Black's far the best), rises majestically on the southern side of the lake, and looking back you see the Alps of Arrochar, which well deserve the name, for they are quite pointed and most beautiful ; their names are Ben Veau, Ben Voir lich, Ben Elm, and Ben Crosh. Next came the well- known " Silver Strand? "Helens Isle? which is most lovely, and the narrow creek so beautifully wooded below the splendid high hills, and the little wooden landing-place which I remembered so well ; and very melancholy and yet sweet were my feelings when I landed and found on the path some of the same white pebbles which my dearest Albert picked up and had made into a bracelet for me. I picked up and carried off a handful myself. We had taken our tea on board on deck. We now entered two hired carriages, the girls and I in the first, with Brown on the box, and Jane Churchill and Colonel Ponsonby in the second. The evening was lovely, and the lights and pink and golden sky as we drove through the beautiful Trossachs were glorious indeed — and along Loch Achray — the setting sun behind Ben Venice, which rose above most gloriously, so beautifully described by Sir W. Scott : We passed the fine Trossachs Inn where Louise had stopped with Alice and Louis in 1865, and a lovely little church in a most picturesque position, and lastly the Brig of Titrk. It is a long way round Loch Vennachar to Invertrossachs : you see the house for three-quarters of an hour before you can eet to it. Home at eiufht. The drive back was lovely, for long after the sun had set the sky re- mained beautifully pink behind the dark blue hills. A most successful day. Dinner as yesterday. I felt very tired.

Up by half-past seven, and breakfasting at a quarter to eight. Got on my pony Sultan at nine, the others walking, and went through the wood to the loch's edge, where we three got into a small boat and were rowed across to the other side by the keeper and underkeeper, Brown sitting in the bow, Colonel Ponsonby and Jane Churchill going" across in another very small boat rowed by one man. Here we got into our car- riage as before. Dear Beatrice enjoys it all very much, and is so good and cheerful. We drove on through the beautiful Trossachs to Loch Katrine. It was a very dark thick morning ; no distance to be seen at all, and Ben Venue very imperfectly. We embarked by ten o'clock on board the steamer " Rob Roy," and steamed off for Stronachlachar. No distant view was visible, and the colour of the sky was really that of a thick November fog. However, by the time we reached Stronachlachar, it was much lighter to the left, towards where we were going. Here we got into two hired carriages again. Jane and Colonel Ponsonby preceding us this time. We drove along Loch Arklet, a lovely drive with pink heathered hills to the right, and gradually the mist cleared off, and allowed us to see rugged peaks above and in front of us. We met (as we had done from the first) several large coaches, but with only 6utside seats, full of tourists. This reminded me, as did the whole tour this day and on Thursday, of Switzerland and our expeditions there, especially now when we suddenly came upon Loch Lomond, and drove down a very steep hill to Lnversnaid, where there is only one house (a small inn), and saw high mountains, looking shadowy in the mist (dry mist), rising abruptly from the loch. We went at once on board the fine steamer "Prince Consort" (a pleasant idea that that dear name should have carried his poor little wife, alas ! a widow, and children, on their first sail on this beautiful lake which he went to see in 1847). She is a fine large vessel, a good deal larger than the " Winkelried " (in which we used to go on the Lake of Lucerne), with a fine large dining-cabin below, a very high upper deck, and a gallery underneath on which people can stand and smoke without incommoding the others above. The following people were on board : Mr. A. Smollett, late M.P., Mr. Wylie, factor to Sir T. Colquhoun, and Mr. Denny, the auditor, and Mr. Young-, the secretary. We steamed southward, and for the first half nothing could be finer or more truly Alpine, reminding me much of the La/'c of L^ucerne ; only it is longer — Loch Lomond being twenty- two miles long. We kept close to the east shore, passing under Ben Lomond with its variously called shoulders — Cruachan, Craig a Bochan, and Ptarmigan — to Rowardennan pier, where there is a pretty little house rented from the Duke of Montrose (to whom half Loch Lomond belongs) by a Mr. Mair, a lovely spot from whence you can ascend Ben Lomond, which is 3,192 feet high, and well wooded part of the way, with cornfields below. After you pass this, where there are fine mountains on either side, though on the west shore not so high, the lake widens out, but the shores become much flatter and tamer (indeed to the east and south completely so) ; but here are all the beautifully wooded islands, to the number of twenty-four. Some of them are large ; on Inchlonaig Island the yews are said to have been planted by Robert Bruce to encourage the people in the use of archery. Another, Inch Cailliach, is the ancient burial-place of the Mac Gregors. On the mainland we passed Cornick Hill, and could just see Buchanan House, the Duke of Montrose's, and to the right the island of Inch Mnrrin, on which the Duke has his deer preserve. The sun had come out soon after we went on board, and it was blowing quite fresh as we went against the wind. At two o'clock we stopped off Portnellan for luncheon, which we had brought with us and took below in the hand- some large cabin, where fifty or sixty people, if not more, could easily dine. Colonel Ponsonby also lunched with us. . . . This over, we went to the end of the lake to Balloch, and here turned. It became very warm. To the left we passed some very pretty villas (castles they resembled) and places, amongst others Cameron (Mr. Smol- lett's), Arden (Sir J. Lumsden's, Lord Provost of Glasgow), Ross-Dhu (Sir J. Colquhoun's), the road to Glen Fruin, the islands of Inch Conna- chan, Inch Tavanach, the point of Slob Gobhlach, Lnss, a very prettily situated village, the mountain of Ben DubJi, and the ferry of Inveruglas, oppo- site Rowardennan. Then Tarbct, a small town, where dearest Albert landed in 1847, and here began the highest and finest mountains, with splendid passes, richly wooded, and the highest mountains rising behind. A glen leads across from Tarbet to Arrochar on Loch Long, and here you see that most singularly shaped hill called the Cobbler, and a little further on the splendid Alps of Arrochar. All this and the way in which the hills run into the lake reminded me so much of the Nasen on the Lake of Lucerne. The head of the lake with the very fine glen (Glen Falloch), along which you can drive to Oban, is magnificent. We (Louise and I) sketched as best we could, but it is most difficult to do so when the steamer keeps moving on ; and we were afterwards much vexed we had not asked them to go more slowly, as we had to wait again for the " Rob Roy " steamer at Stronachlachar. From the head of Loch Lomond (where is the Hotel of Inverarnari) we turned ; we were shown a hole in the rock, on the east side, which they called Rob Roys Cave, and landed at Lnversnaid. The people (quite a small crowd) threw bunches of heather as we passed. Heather is everywhere the decoration, and there is indeed no lovelier, prettier ornament. It was in such full bloom. The mountains here are peculiarly fine from the sharp serrated out- line and wonderful clothing of grass and trees. It was a very bright warm evening, and the drive back, which we had to take slowly, not to arrive too soon, was extremely pretty. At Stronach- lachar, both on embarking and disembarking, there were a few people collected. On board we had again our tea, and Mr. Blair, the very oblig- ing gentlemanlike host of the Trossachs Inn (and possessor of the Loch Katrine steamer), who was in attendance each time, gave us some clotted cream. It was a splendid sail over this most lovely loch, and delightful drive back by the Trossachs. We orot into the boat a^ain where we left it this morning, and rowed across ; but this time it was most unpleasant, for it blew and was very rough, and the little boat rolled and danced. The second smaller one with the two others shipped water. Rode back and got up to the house by half-past seven. This was the only contretemps to our most successful, enjoyable day. How dearest Albert would have enjoyed it ! Dinner just as before, Jane reading the news- papers. This day year we went to the Briinig Pass.

A dull muggy morning. Decided not to go to kirk, as it would have been very public. So at eleven rode (on Sultan) with dear Beatrice (on her little Beatrice) for an hour, first up at the back of the farm, and then a little way on the beautiful pink heathery and bracken hills just behind the house, and saw Loch Drunkie almost dry from the drought, and looked over to the Brig of Turk, then back by the stables to the house. Read the collect, epistle, and gospel, and the second lesson for the day, with the two girls, Beatrice reading the last-named. While we were at luncheon it rained, but it soon ceased, and the afternoon became quite fine and was very warm. At half-past five walked out with Louise, Beatrice, and Jane Churchill, stopping at the lodge where Mclsaacs, the keeper, and his wife live. Walked some way on, and then drove with Beatrice round a short way on the Tros- sachs Road, coming home at half-past seven.