Ben Wyvis

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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Ben Wyvis (Gael. beinn-uabhais, 'stupendous mountain'), a mountain in Kiltearn and Fodderty parishes, Ross-shire, culminating 8 miles NW of Dingwall- Rising from a very wide base, with broad shoulders, to a spreading lumpish outline, it presents a profile, in some points of view, like that of a haystack; it has an altitude of 3429 feet above sea-level; and it commands a very extensive and most gorgeous view- The ascent of it is very tedious and fatiguing, and is much impeded by tracts of spongy moor, but can be facilitated over most of the distance by the use of Highland ponies. Its predominant rock is slaty gneiss, much intersected with veins of hornblende and granite; its top is covered with a soft green sward; and its upper parts, even in the height of the warmest summers, are almost constantly sheeted or flecked with snow.—Ord. Sur., sh. 93,1881.

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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