Loch ArkaigA beautiful drive north from Spean Bridge on the A82 at the Commando Memorial turn left onto the B8004 to Gairlochy. Turn right at the Caledonian Canal and follow the signs for Achnacarry on the B8005. The narrow road skirts the head of Loch Lochy before veering left at Clunes pass through the romantically named Mile Dorcha or Dark Mile at the end of which is the Witches Pool at the Caig Falls. A stone staircase leads you to the top of the falls which are spectacular in full flood. At the east end of Loch Arkaig, a stone bridge crosses the Caig Burn. Beside the bridge is a car park, from where a path leads up to the spectacular Cia-Aig Falls which tumble into a deep, dark pool known as The Witch's Cauldron.
Dark MileA narrow densely tree-shaded pass through the hills (in the valley between Torr a' Chronain and Torr a' Mhuilt, which is sub-divided by Torr a Ghallain, a low ridge), through which a mile of twisting roadway from Loch Lochy to Loch Arkaig runs. Located to the north, at the valley's upper end, is Achnacarry; Clunes lies at the lower, or Loch Lochy end. There is a cave just off this road in which Prince Charles Edward Stuart hid from Hanoverian troops in 1746. Although with modernisation the dark Dark Mile is no longer applicable.
Caig Falls / Cia-aig Falls/ Eas Chia-aigA double waterfall at the western end of the Dark Mile, where the River Caig comes dashing down from the high hills north of Achnacarry, features a deep pool called the "Witch's Cauldron," which flows into Caig Burn. Legend has it that in the distant past Cameron clansmen chased a witch who plague their cattle, in the form of a cat, over the falls here to her death. A very scenic stop, now located roadside.
The BridgeThe bridge next to the Eas Chia-aig waterfalls near Loch Arkaig was the bridge at Glen Orchy in the movie Rob Roy. In the movie Rob Roy jumps over the bridge into waterfalls. The scenes in the film showing Rob Roy going down the falls were filmed on the waterfalls behind the bridge. A path from the bridge and the car park goes up alongside these waterfalls
Glen Caig / Gleann Cia-aigPossibly meaning "Glen of the Dark River. " A valley north of Achnacarry. "Bonnie Prince Charlie" crossed this valley several times.
McCaig's (Folly) Tower ObanThe Coliseum-like structure, built on a hill overlooking Oban bay, was the dream of philanthropic banker John Stuart McCaig. The tower is nearly one hundred years old. The tower was commissioned by John Stuart McCaig (1824 - 1902), a local banker. Built in the style of the Roman Coliseum, the folly acts as a memorial to McCaig himself and his family.
McCaig promoted the project to employ local stone-masons who were without work during the winter months. It was therefore during these months only when construction was undertaken between 1895 and 1902. McCaig had planned a more elaborate structure, containing a museum and art gallery, but his death brought an end to the money and the construction stopped with only the outer walls completed
Statistically, the tower stands approximately 70 metres above sea level, the height of the wall varying from 9 to 14 metres according to the different levels of the ground. The walls are more than 610mm thick with a circumference of approximately 192 metres. It has an entry arch with two windows above it; in the lower tier there are 44 windows whilst there are 50 on top. The tower cost in excess of £5000, a considerable sum of money in Victorian times.
McCaig’s Folly Beer
Testing Notes: A Scottish 80/-(4.2 abv) but hoppier. Colour is mid range reddish brown. The beer has a complex malty flavour derived from the combination of coloured malt and wheat malt but there is also a pleasant fruity note. The bitterness is clean and modern with a grassy hoppy finish. |
