Glen Etive (2004 Pt 1) - off the WEST HIGHLAND WAY [Advert free Video].

New audio track - 'SAY GOODBYE' - Wishbone Ash (Both versions (1) Andy's studio version and (2) Martin's [MTWA] superb live version). No annoying advertisements!

'Glen Etive days 2004 Part 1'. The West Highland Way passes by Glen Etive and perhaps the most scenic glen in Scotland? The sinuous arm of Loch Etive winds its way far inland between the wilds of Appin and Benderloch on the north and the rocky solitudes of the Blackmount Forest Munros and the trekker-filled West Highland Way to the south. From the mountains above however, the loch actually looks more like a Norwegian fjord rather than a Scottish Loch.

Loch Etive is nearly landlocked, but for a narrow passage at the Falls of Lora not far from Oban that permits its outlet to the Atlantic, resulting in it being a sea loch.This video Includes the ascent of the1044m 'Peak of the Corrie of the Scotsman' Munro, Stob Coir' an Albannaich and its neighbour the smaller 928m "Hill of the Birds' Munro, Meall nan Eun as well as so much more.......all from the storied land of Deirdre of the Sorrows: -

"Fair shines the sun on Etive's blue waves;
Lora's swift flood is the voice of the past;
From Uisneach's castle built on the rock
The song of three brothers sounds on the breeze."

When Deirdre was born Conor was King of Ulster and head of the Red Branch. Her father was Phelim the bard. From the early then famous Gaelic song of 1238, Dan Chloinn Uisbeachain laments in his "The Lament of Deirdrie":
"Beloved is that eastern land
Alba with its lakes.
Oh! that I might not depart from it
Unless I were to go with Naos
Oh! that I might not leave the east
Unless it were to come along with me -Beloved-"

From his 1963 writings, Seton Gordon recalls: "When we reached the shore of Loch Etive the tide was at the full and brown seaweed swayed gently on the small waves. Ahead of us rose Ben Starav, highest hill of the Loch Etive peaks, the sun, near his setting, bathing the upper slopes with pink sunset light. The moon had risen high before we reached Dalness in Glen Etive where Naoise and Deidre had their home when the world was young":

This video includes views from above and across the Glen to the 1078m Ben Starav and the 997m Glas Bheinn Mhor, the more distant 1126m Ben Cruachan and such was the weather, great views of the even more distant 1344m Ben Nevis. The nearer Munro peaks that can be clearly be identified are the 959m Beinn Fhionnaidh, the 994m Sgor na h-Ulaidh and of course (the hill that the shepherds refer to as 'the Bastard'), the 937m Beinn Sgulaird.

"Out of the west comes a soft wind blowing,
Whispering sagas of love and war;
Phelim, Deirdre and faithfull Lavercam -
Saddest of all the runes of the Gael".

The Glencoe peaks of the 1150m Bidean nam Bian and its neighbour the 1072m Stob Coire Sgreamhach as well as the 958m Stob Dubh on the 'wee Buachaille' and the 956m Stob na Broige of the 'Big Herdsman', can all be spotted across the lands of Deirdre. . .

Although it is difficult to disentangle fact from fable in the tale of Deirdre, Cathbad the Druid informed Phelim that his wife would bear him a daughter whose beauty would be unsurpassed and that that her beauty would fill the world with blood as three heroes of great renown would die for her sake.

The story of Deidre and the three sons of Uisneach begins one day when she saw a calf lying dead on the snow, with a raven swooping, ready to feed. She beckoned that should there be a man whose hair was as black as that raven, whose skin was as white as that snow, and whose cheeks were as red as that blood, then she could love him. She was informed that there was such a man - Naoise, one of the three sons of Uisneach, and from that day onwards Deirdre dreamed of Naoise. . .

"Naoise and Ardan and Ainle the heroes"

When Naoise eventually met Deidre her beauty overcame him, and he gave up his soul from that day to her. They sailed to the sea-loch of Loch Etive where Deirdre could hear the call of the wild birds on the hill and of the white birds on the shore. Here, (some say as platonic friends as Deirdre was betrothed to Conchobar, King of Ulster), they had ten years of happiness in this land of Cruithnigh as it was called.

"Far to the westward the Hebrides lie;
Heavenly clouds on the rim of the sea".

The King's messengers beckoned their return to Erin where in a fight with the Druid the three brothers were drowned and decapitated. The brothers were buried standing up and after Deidre had placed Naoise's head on his body she leaped into his grave . . . whereafter she died of a broken heart having been granted her dying wish by the Druids of Ulster, to 'SAY GOODBYE' and lie with her three friends . .

"Naoise and Ardan and Ainle the heroes,
The green land of Lorne their battle ground;
Long shall their story ring down the ages -
The love of Deirdre was drenched with pain."

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• roddymck
• Scotland
• Munros
• Glen
• Etive
• mountains
• hillwalking
• WISHBONE
• ASH
• MTWA

[RideHanna]

Great voice! Nice retro feel to the song.