Glen Tilt

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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Glentilt, a glen in Blair Athole parish, N Perthshire, traversed by the Tilt, which, formed by Tarf Water and two other head-streams at an altitude of 1480 feet, runs 13½ miles south-westward, till, after a descent of nearly 1100 feet, it falls into the Garry at Blair Athole village. Flanked along most of its south-eastern side by the huge mass of Bengloe (3671 feet), this glen is distinguished from every other in the Highlands by its straightness, depth, and narrowness, and by the striking contrast of savage wildness at the upper end and the beautiful birch and alder woods at the lower. Marble, grey, white, and green, was discovered here about the year 1818; and to the geologist Glentilt is classic ground, as having towards the close of vast century furnished evidence for the Huttonian or denudation theory. It is interesting, too, as a favourite huntingground of Scottish sovereigns-notably of James V. (1529) and of Queen Mary (1564). And Queen Victoria writes in her Journal (12 Sept. 1844):-' At a little before four o'clock Albert drove me out in the pony phaeton till nearly six-such a drive! Really, to be able to sit in one's pony carriage, and to see such wild, beautiful scenery as we did, the farthest point being only 5 miles from the house, is an immense delight. We drove along Glentilt, through a wood overhanging the river; and as we left the wood, we came upon such a lovely view-Bengloe straight before us, and under these high hills the river Tilt gushing and winding over stones and slates, and the hills and mountains skirted at the bottom with beautiful trees; the whole lit up by the sun; and the air so pure and fine. But no description can at all do it justice, or give an idea of what this drive was. Oh! what can equal the beauties of nature ? What enjoyment there is in them! Albert enjoys it so much; he is in ecstasies here. He has inherited this love for nature from his dear father. We went as far as the Marble Lodge, a keeper's cottage, and came back the same way. ' Once more, in the ' Third Great Expedition, ' on 9 Oct. 1861, the Queen and the Prince Consort, with Prince Louis of Hesse, drove up Glentilt as far as Forest Lodge (8 miles), thence rode on ponies to Bynack Lodge (10 more), and thence again by carriage to Balmoral-in all having travelled 69 miles since starting that same morning from Dalwhinnie.—Ord. Sur., sh. 64, 55, 1874-69.

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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