For a description of the remainder of this Route, Oban to Inverness by the Caledonian Canal, see Route 23, page 90. ROUTE 22. OBAN TO STAFFA AND IONA. (The time occupied in this trip is about twelve hours. Return Fare £1.) HE steamer for Staffa and Iona leaves Oban every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, in June, and daily during July, August, and September. By this route a journey is made round the island of Mull; the steamer some days going by the Sound of Mull and other days returning by it, it being determined by the tides (except on the Wednesdays), when the steamer goes by the Sound of Mull and returns to Tobermory the same evening. The small boats for landing at Staffa and Iona are capable of carrying from thirty to forty passengers, and manned by experienced boatmen. A granite slip or pier for the landing of passengers has been built at Iona. At Staffa everything has been done for the comfort and safety of passengers; handrails of wire rope have been fixed from the mouth of Fingal's Cave to the inner end, which enable passengers to go to the far end of the cave without danger. A new stair from the Clam-Shell Cave leads to the summit of the island. The steamer's fare includes boats, guides, and all charges excepting meals on board. Leaving Oban Bay, we pass Dunolly Castle, and between the Maiden Island and the end of Kerrera, make for Lismore Lighthouse, nearly opposite which is the Lady Rock, covered by the sea at high tide, and with nothing visible but the Iron Beacon. Tradition says that it was on this rock one of the M'Leans of Duart placed his wife, expecting that the flowing tide would sweep her off. She was rescued by one of her brothers; and the legend forms the subject of Campbell's spirited poem of "Glenara." On the first prominent point stands the old Castle of Duart. From this quarter is to be seen one of the finest pieces of scenery in Scotland. Looking backwards is Ben Cruachan, above the Argyllshire hills; to the left Ben Nevis, the Peaks of Glencoe, with the waters of Loch Linnhe, Loch Creran, and Loch Etive; to the right the Island and Peaks of Jura and Colonsay; and in front the Kingairloch, Morven, Ardnamurchan, and Mull hills. We are now in the Sound of Mull, and after passing Duart Castle, we come in view of Torosay Castle, beautifully situated in Duart Bay. The first stop is Craignure Ferry, after which the steamer crosses to the Morven shore, where we see Ardtornish Castle, where Sir Walter Scott has laid the first scene of the "Lord of the Isles.' Rounding Ardtornish Point, the steamer touches at Lochaline, and further on we see the "Manse of Finery," the early home of Dr Norman M'Leod, the late great Scottish divine. Near Killundine Point are Con Castle, close to the water's edge, and Killundine House. Opposite these is Salen Pier, the landing-place for this district in Mull, after leaving which we pass Aros Castle, another fine ruin. A magnificent view is now obtained of the mountains Ben Tallah and Ben More. The lat ter is the highest mountain in Mull. We are now in full view of Tobermory, or the Well of Mary. From the pier, and looking across the bay, is Drumfin Castle. Leaving Tobermory, and looking towards the Morven shore, we see the chapel and residence of Lady Gordon of Drimnin. On the opposite side of the Loch Dunart from Drimnin, on the Ardnamurchan shore, is Mingary Castle, once of great importance. Passing Rhu na Gal Lighthouse, on the Mull shore, the first bay is called Bloody Bay, the scene of a great sea fight 400 years ago. We are now on the Atlantic, and passing Ardmore Point, we see Glengorm Castle, a large mansion (William Lang, Esq.). At Callach Point, and looking over by Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, we can see the Scuir of Eigg, the island of Rum with its peaks, nd the islands of Muck and Canna, the Cuchullin hills in Skye, Coll, Tyree, and the Treshnish Islands. At Treshnish Point we get a full view of all the Treshnish Islands, including Staffa, Fladda, the two Cairnburgs, Lunga, and Bach, or the Dutchman's Cap, so named from the island being shaped like the latter. One of these islands, Cairnburg, has the remains of Danish fortifications. There are no residents in any of these islands, but they are all covered with very rich grass, and are used for feeding a few cattle. On the left hand Loch Tua opens up to view, with Torloisk, the property of the Marquis of Northampton. Loch Tua is formed by the Mull shore and the islands of Ulva and Gometra, and they again form another loch called Loch-na-Keal, in the mouth of which lie the islands of Inch Kenneth and Little Colonsay. Loch-na-Keal nearly cuts Mull in two, there being only four miles between the head of it and Salen Pier in the Sound of Mull. As we approach Staffa the lifeboat is seen waiting to land passengers. This boat comes daily across from the island of Gometra, a distance of about five miles. The boatmen, before the steamer arrives, have fixed upon the best landing-place for the day, it depending entirely on wind and weather at which part of the island it may be most suitable to do so. Sometimes the landing has to be made at the very furthest end of the island from Fingal's Cave, which gives a walk of the entire length of the island (one mile), at other times the passengers are landed at the entrance to the cave. FINGAL'S CAVE may be entered on foot at the south side, where it looks towards Iona; the visitor walking along the tops of pillars. Its direction is about north-east and south-west. The dimensions, as given by Sir J. Banks, are:Length from rock without, 371 feet. The sea never entirely ebbs from it, so that there is always a floor of green water; and its swell produces something like the effect of a "ship heaving in a sea way." The top is divided by a fissure, and is irregular. Near the mouth it is a mass of shapeless rock. Further up it is composed, like the floor, of broken ends of pillars. Here, says Scott ("Lord of the Isles"),— Nature herself would seem to raise Leaving the Cave, we pass round the Causeway, where is pointed out the Corner Stone, being the only square stone on the island. From this point, a very fine view is got of the Bending Pillars seemingly bent out by the weight of the mass above them. Half way along the Causeway is Fingal's wishingchair. Tradition says one has only to sit on it, and wish three separate wishes, when they are all sure to be granted. We now ascend the stair to the top of the island, from whence we get the best view of the Clam-shell Cave. This cave cannot be entered either by boat or on foot. From the right hand side of the stair, looking down over the Causeway, and the Herdsman, we have a wonderful view - pillars and stones in every conceivable shape, position and angle, and of every size, all built or fitted into each other. From the summit of the island M'Kinnon's Cave is to be seen. From the summit we see Iona, and its Cathedral, and further off, Big Colonsay, Islay and Jura, and to the left the Tresnisk Islands, Coll, Tyree, &c. Leaving Staffa we keep close to Fingal's, M'Kinnon's, and the Boat Caves, giving an opportunity of viewing them from the sea. After a sail of about thirtyfive minutes, we reach IONA, and upon being landed, passengers are conducted by the official guide (appointed by the Duke of Argyll, who is the proprietor of the island) to the ruins of the Nunnery. Leaving these ruins we pass up what was called the Street of the Dead, past the Established Church and Manse and "M'Lean's Cross," thought to be the oldest cross in Scotland, being one of 360 said to have been standing on the island, but of which only two now remain entire "this and St Martin's." The latter is in the grounds of the Cathedral, as also the graves of the chiefs and kings, of whom there are sixty said to be interred here; St Orran's Chapel, with its Norman doorway and triple arch; and the Cathedral itself and St Columba's tomb; the gravestones of bishops, abbots, and monks, and of M'Leod of M'Leod. Iona was the cemetery of the Scottish kings. So great was its repute as a burial-place, that, besides fortyeight kings of Scotland, four kings of Ireland, eight Norwegian monarchs, and one of France, repose here. This distinction it acquired partly from its peculiar sanctity, and partly from a belief in an ancient Gaelic prophecy, thus rendered into English: "Seven years before that awful day, The green-clad Isla, too, shall sink, Iona has a population of about 260; with two churches, Free and Established. The Free Church stands prominently on the point at Martyr's Bay, so called from the fact that it was in this place in olden times that the bodies of those who had suffered martyrdom were landed when brought to the island for interment. Exactly opposite Iona is the Ross of Mull, composed entirely of granite. The two islands are divided by the Sound of Iona, which is about a mile wide. sea. The route back to Oban is round the south of Mull, and through the Torrin Rocks. Dubhheartach Lighthouse can be seen at a distance of 16 miles. The reef called the Torrins stretches to St John's Rock, on which the lighthouse is built. Clearing these rocks, and rounding Ardanalish Point, we get under the headlands of Mull; the first and most prominent, being the highest, is called Gorry's leap, rising almost perpendicular from the We next reach the Carsaig Arches, a formation very similar to Staffa. After passing the Arches, we may get sight of the Nun's Cave, which abounds with valuable geological specimens, and fossils of many kinds. We are now at Carsaig Bay, where the steamer usually stops. Leaving this we reach Lochbuy, at the head of which can be seen the old and new castles of Lochbuy. From Lochbuy Head, the steamer leaves the Mull Coast, shaping for the Sound of Kerrera, returning into Oban Bay by the opposite direction to which it loft in the morning. ROUTE 23. OBAN TO INVERNESS BY THE CALEDONIAN CANAL. (The Steamer leaves Oban daily at 7 a.m. and arrives at Inverness about 5.30 p.m.) more EAVING Oban, we at once enter Loch Linnhe. On the left is the island of Lis(Great Garden), on the extremity of which is the lighthouse, and beyond it the Sound of Mull, with Duart Castle. On our right Loch Etive, with Dunstaffnage Castle; and in the background of mountains, Ben Cruachan, with his twin peaks. Two miles from Dunstaffnage and Loch Etive is the Cataract of Connel (Ossian's Falls of Lora). The bed of the loch here contracts till it is only 200 yards broad, and being interrupted by an extensive ridge of sunken rocks, the tides (which rise about 14 feet) rush with tremendous force through the narrow channel. On the shore of Ardmuchnish Bay, about a couple of miles from Connel, are the two remarkable eminences, Dunmacsniocharan-Dur, Bail-an-righ, said to be the site of Berigonium, the Pictish capital of Scotland. At the foot of Cruachan, Loch Etive goes to the left for 13 miles, till it approaches within 5 miles of Glencoe. The tower on our right is Loch Nell Observatory, and on the other side of the hill are the ruins of Loch Nell Castle. We now pass on the right the entrance to Loch Creran, close by the island of Eriska, and see on Lismore, Tirefuar Castle, an ancient Scandinavian watchtower. We now reach Aird's Pier, APPIN, where there is a ferry to Lismore. Leaving Appin, we see on the left Sheep Island, on which are limestone quarries, and on the right Barriemore House. Stalker Castle, situated on a rocky islet, now comes in sight. This Castle belonged to the once powerful family of the Stewarts of Appin, and was occupied by King James the Sixth, when on his hunting expeditions. The island in front is Shuna, with the ruins of Shuna Castle a little to our right. Rounding Shuna, we have on our left the mountains of Morven, Kingairloch, and Ardgour, on the right the hills of Appin, and straight ahead, we get the first sight of Ben Nevis. Less than an hour after leaving Appin, we pass on the right Ardsheal House, once one of the seats of the Stewarts of Appin. This family warmly espoused the cause of the Stuarts in the rebellion of 1745, and their estates were confiscated, but were restored about 1770. We now enter Loch Leven, and in a few minutes arrive at BALLACHULISH PIER, where passengers land who intend to drive up GLENCOE. The view here, looking either east or west, at sunset very fine. Passing through the narrows, we soon enter Loch Aber, and arrive at ARDGOUR PIER. Fifteen minutes afterwards we come in sight (on the left) of Conaglen, the seat of the Earl of Morton. Close to the shore near here, is the rock on which Glengarry was killed in 1828, by rashly leaping overboard from the stranded steamer Stirling Castle. We have now, on the right, another view of Ben Nevis, while in front lies the Great Glen, through which the Caledonian Canal runs; and in a few minutes we arrive at FORT WILLIAM. This town has been at different periods of its history called Gordonsburgh, Duncansburgh, and Maryburgh. Of late years its appearance has been very much improved by new houses and villas, and it has several good hotels. The Fort, situated at the east end, was originally built by General Monk, in the time of Oliver Cromwell, to overawe the Highlanders, and was re-erected, but on a smaller scale, by William III. It withstood sieges during the rebellions of 1715 and 1745, and was garrisoned until 1864, when the Government sold it to Mrs Cameron Campbell of Monzie, the superioress of the town. Leaving Fort William, we notice on the right the ruins of Inverlochy Castle, a large quadrangular structure, with massive round towers at each angle. Tradition says that it was at one time a royal palace, and that King Achains here signed a treaty with Charlemagne. Inhabited afterwards by Banquo, Thane of Lochaber, it subsequently passed into the possession of the Comyns. The plain, near the Castle, was in 1646 the scene of a sanguinary conflict between the Marquis of Montrose and the Marquis of Argyll. Argyll was defeated with a loss of 1500 men, and had to seek safety on board his vessels anchored in Camus-nagael Bay on the opposite shore. Neptune's Staircase-a series of locks between Corpach and Banavie-is now visible, and after threading our way among the islands at the entrance of Loch Eil. which stretches for 10 miles through the glen on our left, and passing an obelisk erected to the memory of Col. John Cameron K.T.S., who fell at Quatre Bras, we arrive at CORPACH. (Omnibuses convey passengers to BANAVIE [Lochiel Arms Hotel], and as all luggage which has been properly labelled is forwarded |