OS1/1/53/65A

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[Note attached to previous page, p.65]

[Page] 65a

THE CAIRNGORM CLUB AND SOCKAUGH HILL.

To the EDITOR of the DAILY FREE PRESS.

Sir, - As the forthcoming visit of the members
of this Club to the so-called Sockaugh Hill is
being talked of in this quarter, I read with great
interest "R.A.'s" graphic account in Tuesday's
"Free Press" of the ascent to the top of the hill
by the dauntless three who nobly acted as
pioneers for the forthcoming expedition.
But why I have taken pen in hand at present is
to enter my protest against the name "Sockaugh"
being applied to the hill. I who have lived under
its shadow for more years than I care to mention
never heard it called the Sockaugh Hill before.
I do not wonder at the expression, "We ken nae-
thing about yer Sococh," as Presindye is the
name that it is known by far and wide. Some-
times it is called the Cushnie Hill, as the Glen of
Cushnie lies on the north side of the hill. The
name "Sockaugh" seems to have got into the
Ordnance Survey map, but it is quite a mistake.
The Sococh Burns, Little Sococh and Muckle
Sococh, lie north-west from Presindye, in a great
hollow among the Towie Hills. They join at
what is called the forkings, the combined stream
running north-westward into the Don. It is a
good fishing stream. The hills around the Sococh
Burns have names, such as Deer's Dikes, Scame
Clova, Cushnie, and Melgum meet at a point on
the western side of Presindye. Humphery's Well,
a strong mountain spring, is near this spot, and
close beside the hill road that leads from Cromar
to the lower end of Towie. There is also a
very romantic bit of scenery on the Cushnie side
of the hill called the Kashel Burn. A spring at
its top under the shade of a steep bank is famed
for the coldness of its water.
The ascent of Presindye from the Cromar side
may be made with comparative ease by two
different routes. Starting, say, from Tarland,
there is a road, by way of West-town and Ranna-
gowr, which lands the climber on the east side of
the hill. The other is by way of Easter Davoch
and Bog, which leads to the west side. The
latter part is hill road, but vehicles could drive
almost to the base of the hill. With a clear day
the view from the top is both varied and extensive,
and will well repay the lover of nature who
scales its ample height. Hoping the Cairngormers
will get a light wind and clear sky for their trip
to Presindye, - I am, etc, R.D. (Robert Donaldson)
Tarland 18th April, 1895.

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