Tour
Fortingall In Highland Perthshire
Situated
almost in the mouth of Glen Lyon, Fortingall is considered
to be one of the most interesting and picturesque villages
in all of Scotland. And behind and above the single attractive
street of houses, on the crest of a wooded escarpment, perches
the site of Dun Gael, a fort of unrecorded age. It is alleged,
remarkably, that this was the birthplace of no less than
Pontius Pilate. If this seems but another Scots Myth, here
is the story. The father, a Roman Officer, was sent on a
mission of peace to Pictish King Metellanus, whose seat
was at this Dun Geal. Whether the envoy brought his wife
with him, or whether the mother of the child was a member
of Metallanus's household, we do not know. But here Pilate
was allegedly born.
But Fortingall can do even better. It also claims to have
the oldest piece of growing vegetation in Europe. In the
churchyard is the famous yew tree, dated at 3000 years of
age. The church is also of great interest. Behind the porch
is Adamnan's font. He was the Abbot of Iona in 697, and
died in this area in 704. Inside the building is a 7th century
monk's bell, shaped like a large alpine cow-bell. There
are also a number of fragments of Celtic stone carvings,
on the chancel window-ledge.
To the east, near the church, is a Stone Circle of nine
uprights in groups of three; and there are new fewer than
14 circular forts in the area. Sir James MacGregor, the
famous Dean of Lismore, was also Vicar of Fortingall, and
died here in 1551. He compiled the Book of the Dean of Lismore
in which many of the Gaelic poems of the 14th, 15th, and
16th centuries are collected.
West from the village of Fortingall, only a mile up the
glen, is MacGregor's Leap, where in 1565, the Chief of the
landless Greglach made an incredible leap across the river
chasm when pursued by Campbell Bloodhounds. Two miles further
up, there are a series of spectacular waterfalls, as the
Allt Da-gohb rushes down to the floor of the glen.
At the next hamlet, Innerwick, there is the 18th century
Glen Lyon Parish Church. But the hub of the glen is a little
farther on, at Bridge of Balgie. Here the road forks, one
branch turning south-westwards to climb steeply over the
shoulder of Ben Lawers to Loch Tay. The other road continues
up the glen, climbing to avoid the lands of Meggernie Castle,
a fine late 16th century structure, whitewashed and set
amidst ancient trees. It was built by Cailean Gorach, or
Mad Colin Campbell in 1580, who amongst other exploits abducted
the Countess of Erroll and held her there. Another lady
is said to haunt Meggernie. She was the wife of a Menzies
laird, who murdered her in a fit of jealously, and then
cut up her body into halves for better disposal. Perhaps
for the best, it her upper half which haunts the castle.
Three miles on, the Glen Lyon road passes Loch Cashlie where,
at the side of the road are a group of cairns and what appears
to be an ancient earth-house. As the head of the glen is
neared, or at least the road-end, the scenery becomes more
bleak and treeless. Beyond rear the mountains of, Ben Achallader
and Heasgarnich, and ranging to the south the fierce contours
of the Tarmachan mountains.
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