Ben Cruachan

A historical perspective, drawn from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, edited by Francis H. Groome and originally published in parts by Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, Edinburgh between 1882 and 1885.

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Ben Cruachan (Gael. ` cone-shaped mountain '), a mountain in Lorn, Argyllshire. It fills all the space between Loch Awe and the upper reach of Loch Etive; measures fully 20 miles in circuit round the base, and rises to an altitude of 3611 feet above sea-level. It flanks the entire extent of the lower or outspread part of Loch Awe; soars, in magnificent mass, to the sky-line of all the view down Loch Awe basin; and is subtended on the NE by vast mountain ranges extending to Glencoe. It ascends steeply on the N, so as to be fully seen at near points from base to summit; but it ascends gradually, or somewhat gently, on the S and the W, and can be climbed, on these sides, with considerable ease. Its lower parts are extensively covered with natural wood, its upper parts are bare and tumulated; and its summit is split into two steep or spire-like cones. The view from it is wide, diversified, and very gorgeous, little if at all inferior to that from Ben Lawers, and excelled in Scotland by no other unless it be from Ben Lomond. Reddish granite, of porphyritic appearance, forms its main rock; clay slate, with veins of quartz, occurs near its base; and sea-shells have been found on its very summit.—Ord. Sur., sh. 45,1876.

An accompanying 19th C. Ordnance Survey map is available, or use the map tab to the right of this page.

Note: This text has been made available using a process of scanning and optical character recognition. Despite manual checking, some typographical errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be different and there are known to be occasional errors of fact in the original text, which we have not corrected because we wish to maintain its integrity. This information is provided subject to our standard disclaimer

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