Tour
Killiecrankie, Tenandry and Strathgarry
Killiecrankie
is one of the famous names of Scotland, renowned both for
its history and its scenery. The Pass of Killiecrankie lies
three miles north of Pitlochry, and for a mile threads the
deep, steep, thickly-wooded gorge of the Garry, between
a spur of Ben Vrackie (2757 feet) and Tenandry Hill, with
the village at the north end. Through this narrow winding
defile, above the rushing river, run the A 9 highway and
the railway to Inverness.
About a mile beyond the Pass, to the north, was fought in
1689 the famous battle, between the forces of William of
Orange, newly brought to the throne, and the unseated and
exiled James VII and II. General Mackay, a veteran of the
foreign wars, led the government forces, and Graham of Claverhouse,
Viscount Dundee, the Jacobites. It is rather strange how
popular a hero he has become in Scottish minds--for he was
scarcely popular at the time, his stern hand at the putting
down of the Covenanters, during the preceding 'Killing Times',
making his name execrated by many. However, his looks and
the well-known song between them, seem to have metamorphosed
him. 'Bonnie Dundee' won this battle, but fell in the moment
of victory, a stone marking the spot. His dying words are
famed. "How goes the day ?" he gasped, of a man named Johnson,
who had aided him down from his saddle. "Well for King James,"
the other answered. "But I am sorry for your lordship."
The dying Dundee said, "If it is well for him, it matters
the less for me" He did not speak again. Two thousand of
the government troops were killed or captured, for a loss
of 900 Highlanders. Nevertheless, with Dundee's death, the
victory was more or less fruitless, and that Jacobite campaign
soon ended.
The Pass, once a dangerous trap for travellers, and the
key to Atholl, is now a popular venue for visitors, and
the National Trust for Scotland, owners of the property,
have an attractive centre here. Towards the north end is
the famed Soldier's Leap, where one of Mackay's fleeing
men managed to jump the foaming cataract between two fearsome
rocks, and so escape the pursuing enemy.
Spanning the river to the south is Bridge of Garry, recently
replaced by a modern structure. This carries the road to
Tummel and Rannoch. Just over the bridge, a small and very
steeply-climbing side-road branches off to the right, to
ascend high above the Pass on the west side, passing the
remotely but beautifully sited church and manse of Tenandry.
Although an ancient parish, the present church was built
only in 1836, with seating for 430-- an extraordinary provision
for a place of worship with no centre of population for
miles around. The graveyard is most attractively carved
out of the steep birchwoods.
This high back-road drops as steeply beyond, to rejoin the
A 9 by another bridge, at Killiecrankie village, passing
a lofty-sited dun on the way. But a branch-road continues
on up the south side of the Garry for nearly four miles,
coming to a dead-end opposite Blair Atholl, with which it
communicates only by a footbridge. On the way, this riverside
road serves the scattered farms and mansion of Strathgarry,
and the large and inevitably unsightly quarry near Glackmore.
Two fords are marked on the map as crossing the wide and
rushing river; but it would be a bold motorist who attempted
them.
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