Glencroe, an alpine glen of Lochgoilhead parish in the N of Cowal district, Argyllshire. Commencing at a col (860 feet) between the heads of Loch Fyne and Loch Long, it descends 4 ¼ miles south-eastward to Loch Long at Ardgartan, 2 ½ miles SW of Arrochar; is flanked on the N side by Ben Arthur or the Cobbler (2891 feet), on the S side by the Brack (2500) and Ben Donich (2774); and is traversed by impetuous Croe Water, and by the road from Loch Lomond to Inverary by way of Arrochar and Glenkinglas. The rocks consist almost entirely of mica slate, shining like silver, beautifully undulated, and in many parts embedded in quartz. Large masses, fallen from the mountains, lie strewn on the bottom of the glen; others, of every shape, jut from the mountains' side, and seem every moment ready to fall; and torrents descend the cliffs and declivities in great diversity of rush and leap, and make innumerable waterfalls. The road was formed by one of the regiments under General Wade, immediately after the Rebellion of 1745; it descends for 1 ½ mile in declivitous zig-zag, and, though proceeding thence at an easier gradient to the foot, is everywhere difficult and fatiguing. A stone seat, inscribed 'Rest and be Thankful,' is placed at its summit; superseded a plainer one placed on the same spot by the makers of the road; and is sung as follows by Wordsworth: -
'Doubling and doubling with laborious walk.
Who that at length has gained the wished-for height,
This brief, this simple. way side call can slight,
And rest not thankful?'
And Dorothy, his sister, describes 'the narrow dale, with a length of winding road, a road that seemed to have insinuated itself into the very heart of the mountains - the brook, the road, bare hills, floating mists, scattered stones, rocks, and herds of black cattle being all that we could see.'-Ord. Sur., shs. 37, 38, 1876-71.
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errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from
the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be
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