Schiehallion

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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S

chiehallion, an isolated mountain of Perthshire, on the mutual border of Fortingall and Dull parishes, 4¼ miles SE of Kinloch-Rannoch, and 11 WNW of Aberfeldy. Its altitude above sea-level is 3547 feet. It is situated at the eastern entrance of the district of Rannoch, a little detached from the long ridge of 7 miles breadth at the base, and 3000 feet or upwards in mean elevation, which divides Rannoch from the vales of Glenlyon and Fortingall; and, seen on entering the country by any approach from the Lowlands, it has a conspicuous and commanding appearance. Viewed from the NW, it seems a cone; but viewed from the S or E, it is seen to be elongated eastward and westward, to rest on a long narrow base, to rise gently at its E end, and to be steep on the W and on the S side. Its outline is, on the whole, curvilinear, and has fewer angles and breaks than that of most of the monarch-heights of the Highlands. The view from its summit promises, a priori, to be magnificent; but, when actually seen, it greatly disappoints. The valley of the Tummel is sufficiently remote to appear trifling; Loch Rannoch seems stript of its attractions, and sinks into comparative tameness; Glenlyon is shut out by the interposed mountain-range; and all else is a tumultuous sea of wild elevations, among which the eye traces few striking forms. Schiehallion is known throughout the scientific world as the scene, in 1772, of curious observations by Dr Nevil Maskelyne, astronomer-royal, to ascertain the mean density of the earth by observing the effect of the mountain on the plumbline; and it afterwards acquired additional celebrity from the visit and notices, first of Dr Playfair, and next of Dr Macculloch. The name is said to be a corruption of the Gaelic Ti-chaillinn, ` the maiden's pap.'-Ord. Sur., sh. 55, 1869.

An accompanying 19th C. Ordnance Survey map is available.

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.

©2013 The Editors of The Gazetteer for Scotland
Supported by: The Robertson Trust,  The Royal Scottish Geographical Society,
  School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh.