Dun More- Lord Melville's Monument and the Deil's Cauldron

1 March 2017

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Dun More (Lord Melville's Monument), 257m/843', Tump, Map 51, 52, NN 766234

 

On the days with less daylight, I'm visiting some Tumps, but only those with a bit of interest. On previous visits to Glen Lednock, I'd spotted a tall monument on a hill just north of Comrie and wondered what it was. So today I went to find out. There was a small parking area immediately below the monument and from there it was a steep but short climb through the forest on a reasonable path. The monument is certainly a fine structure. It is to the memory of  Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville, the same chap who looks down on the citizens of Edinburgh from the middle of St Andrew Square. It always amazes me how various rogues and less pleasant types manage to get noticeable monuments erected to themselves (the Duke of Sutherland comes to mind as a prime example). Melville apparently was not too keen on abolishing slavery.......

 

 

The inscription reads:

Erected AD 1812
To the Memory of Henry Dundas
Viscount Melville, Baron Dunira
by
His personal friends in the county of Perth
in grateful recollection of his public services
and of his private virtues
Died 29th May 1811 Aged 69

The view over Comrie is fine.....

 

 

that up Strathearn not quite so, being a bit obscured by trees......

 

 

The highest point of the hill looks as though it is just inside the fence that surrounds the monument; there was a small hole in the wall supporting the fence but as it would have involved wriggling through and as my head was well above the highest point, I didn't bother.

 

After my monument visit, I left the hill by a wide track heading north-west and headed up to a spur on the next hill along, which was free of trees and therefore a much better viewpoint. This hill and the next two along the ridge are also classed as Tumps but as I am not desperately bagging Tumps I didn't bother going on. There was a good view back to the monument with the Marilyn Torlum beyond (and the Lomond Hills in Fife on the left hand horizon).....

 

 

Ben Chonzie was prominent from this part of the walk.....

 

 

 

To the west was Mor Bheinn with a still snow covered Ben Vorlich beyond......

 

 

I took Ben back to the car and then headed down some steep wooden steps to have a look at the Deil's Cauldron, a series of waterfalls in a narrow and steep sided gorge. Quite impressive.....

 

 

 

I then shifted the car nearer to Comrie and walked back along the river path, this time with Ben, to have a look at a smaller waterfall, the Wee Cauldron.....

 

 

So, all in all, a very pleasant day out.