Wednesday, August 15.
At a quarter to eight o’clock we started. The two boys and Vicky were in the carriage with us, Alice followed with the ladies. It was a long journey, but through very beautiful scenery. We saw the Grampians as we left Perth. We first changed horses at Blairgowrie, 15 miles. Then came a very long stage of 20 miles, to the Spittal of Glenshee. We first passed the house of a Lieut.-Colonel Clark Rattray, called Craig Hall, overhanging a valley or glen above which we drove, and after this we came into completely wild Highland scenery, with barren rocky hills, through which the road winds to the Spittal of Glenshee, which can scarcely be called a village, for it consists of only an inn and two or three cottages. We got out at the inn, where we found Mr. Farquharson and his son, and some of his men. Here we had some luncheon, and then set off again. The next stage of 15 miles to Castleton is over a very bad, and at night, positively dangerous road, through wild, grand scenery, with very abrupt turns and steep ascents. One sharp turn is called The Devil’s Elbow. The Farquharson men joined us again here, some having gone on before, and others having followed from the inn, skipping over stones and rocks with the rapidity and lightness peculiar to Highlanders. They remained with us till we were able to trot on again.
We drove through a very fine pass called Cairn Wall and were overtaken by a heavy shower. When we reached Castleton the day had cleared, and we were able to open the carriage again. Here we were met by Sir Alexander Duff and the Duke of Leeds at the head of their men. Lady Duff, Mr. and Lady Agnes Duff, Miss Farquharson, and several of the children, and the Duchess of Leeds, came up to the carriage. The drive from Castleton to Balmoral, particularly the beautiful part from the Balloch Buie, was well known to us; and it was a great pleasure to see it all again in its beauty. Grant had met us at the Spittal of Glenshee, and ridden the whole way with us. At the door at Balmoral were Mackay, who was playing, and Macdonald in full dress. It was about four when we arrived.
Yachting Excursion.
On Board the Victoria and Albert,
Dartmouth, Thursday, August 20, 1846.
We steamed past the various places on the beautiful coast of Devonshire which we had passed three years ago—Seaton, Sidmouth, off which we stopped for ten minutes, Axmouth, Teignmouth, &c.;—till we came to Babbicombe, a small bay, where we remained an hour. It is a beautiful spot, which before we had only passed at a distance. Red cliffs and rocks with wooded hills like Italy, and reminding one of a ballet or play where nymphs are to appear—such rocks and grottos, with the deepest sea, on which there was not a ripple. We intended to disembark and walk up the hill; but it came on to rain very much, and we could not do so. We tried to sketch the part looking towards Torbay. I never saw our good children looking better, or in higher spirits. I contrived to give Vicky a little lesson, by making her read in her English history.
We proceeded on our course again at half-past one o’clock, and saw Torquay very plainly, which is very fine. The sea looked so stormy and the weather became so thick that it was thought best to give up Plymouth (for the third time), and to put into that beautiful Dartmouth, and we accordingly did so, in pouring rain, the deck swimming with water, and all of us with umbrellas; the children being most anxious to see everything. Notwithstanding the rain, this place is lovely, with its wooded rocks and church and castle at the entrance. It puts me much in mind of the beautiful Rhine, and its fine ruined castles, and the Lurlei.