What's in a name?
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(Most place names mentioned here may
be found on OS map 'Explorer series' 365)
How well do you know the local countryside around Callander? Perhaps you are visiting the area and are still getting to know the lie of the land, or perhaps you have stayed here all your life and know it inside out. But do you?
If someone were to ask you where Loch Venachar or the Crags were, it wouldn't prove too difficult for you to give them directions. However, if they were to enquire about the Ford of the Deer, Knoll of the Treasure, Chapel Rock, The Rough Water or Rock of the Joint Hunting, would you know where to send them?
Most local folk will never have heard of them, yet they all lie within the parish boundaries of Callander hidden away in the Gaelic place names on maps.Nobody bothers to pay attention to them these days unless some kind soul at SNH or the National Park has kindly translated them on a notice hoard within viewing distance of a car windscreen. This is a real shame. These names breathe life into the landscape and show us how detached we have all become from the countryside in which we live.
The meanings for most of the major features around Callander are well documented in various books and pamphlets; however, little is ever mentioned of smaller parts of the landscape and I hope the following list will give a brief glimpse of what lies around us.
Achadh an Easbuig: Field of the Bishop This lies west of Farmston and is now partly covered by forestry plantings.
A' Chrannach: Situated on the eastside of the Kettle river above the Bracklinn Falls. It simply means `wooded: However, given its shape, it may also be A' Chrannag (The Pulpit).
Anie: Ford of the Deer.
Alt na Criche: Burn of the Boundary - self-explanatory, this burn lies just south of Drumardoch Farm.
Allt Na Sliseag: Burn of the Sliver - A very descriptive name for the thin burn which flows north east under the cycle track just west of Kilmahog.
Ballochallan: Farm or Settlement of the Noise or Clamour. Ballachraggan: Farm or Settlement of the rocks.
Ballameanoch: Place Abounding in Deer - the woods above the Trean Farm and still true to this day.
Bod nam Bodach: The nearest large boulder to `The Cottage Boulder' on Ben Ledi has an unusual shaped `appendage' on one side! Bodach is an old man. The view from the opposite side is one of an old woman's face - Aodann Cailleach.
Cheeper's Lochan (Lochan Tiobairt): This artificial lochan on the Menteith Hills is fed by a natural spring called Tiobairt na Reil (Well of the Fresh Water). Tiobairt is pronounced `cheepersht' in Gaelic - hence the English name.
Claish: A Furrow or Ditch. Coilantogle (Cuil an t-Seagail): - Niche of the Rye.
Coile a' Bhroin: Wood of Mourning - On the north side of Loch Venachar.
Coire a'Chamalaid: Coire of the Twisted Watercourse. Out of this coire drains the Anie burn which takes a right-angled turn a few hundred metres from its source.
Corrieachrombie: Corrie of the Twisted Birch.
Creag a Chaibeal: Chapel Rock - Now known more commonly as the `Anie Rock'. It takes its name from St Bride's chapel situated just across the A84.
Creag Na Comh-Sheilg: Rock of the Joint Hunting - The buttress of rock which juts out at the bend of Loch Lubnaig. Neighbouring chiefs would traditionally meet in this area where they would hunt together for some time before each retiring into their own ground to continue the hunt.
Creag na h-Iolaire: The Eagle's Rock - The large Crag at the top of the Stank Glen on Ben Ledi.
Drumardoch: Ridge of the Dwelling.
Feithe na Cailleach: The Old Woman's/Witch's Sinew - `Feithe' (a sinew or vein) is often used to denote a water channel that has cut into peat. This feature appears on a boggy sump of Allt Na Cailleach, the burn which tumbles down the side of Ben A'an into Loch Katrine.
Eas an Fhitheach: (The Raven's Falls) A tributary of the Eas Dearg. (see below).
Eas Dearg: Red Falls - The cascades down the Leny Glen above Leny House. Eas Gobhainn: The Smith's Falls. Easan Grumach: - Gloomy Little Falls - On the burn which flows into Loch Drunky under the A831, Duke's Pass Road.
Garbh Uisge: Rough Water.
Lochan Balloch: A spelling mistake - it should read as Lochan Falach - i.e. hidden little loch. An apt name for this lochan on Ben Gullipen, hidden from view until you are almost standing on its shoreline.
Loch Rusky (Loch an Rusgaidh): Loch of the Peeling - Mmmhh! This has been translated as Lochan Reoidhte (Cold Little Loch) - which I'm sure it is - but the recorded local Gaelic pronunciation (as given above) is too far removed for this to be the case.
Meall na Saighdear: Round Hill of the Soldier - This is sited above the Pass of Leny and is probably associated with Major Caufield's military road which skirts round its base. Bealach na Biodaig - Pass of the Dirk is the low pass which lies below this top to the east.
Maol an t-Sagairt: Promontory of the Priest - Lies just below Ardnandave on Loch Lubnaig.
Sgairneach a Chait: The Cat's Scree - A jumble of boulders and rocks below Ardnandave obviously once home to wild cats.
Tom a Bhranndaidh: The Brandy Knoll & Tom an Eorna: The Barley Knoll These obviously green little knolls are sited above Braeleny Farm.
Tom an Fhacail: Knoll of the Solemn Vow - An intriguingly named feature above the small artificial lochan that used to power Leny House's hydro electric. The nearby Achadh an Easbuig (see above) may provide a due to its origins.
Tom na h-Ulaidh: Knoll of the Treasure - An interestingly named feature on the shore line of Loch Lubnaig just before the second car park heading North.
Trean: A Field.
This article reproduced courtesy of Calum Menzies, its author.
It originally appeared in issue 175 of ‘The Ben Ledi View’ in June 2004
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