Balquhidder (the modern spelling) is a village in the Highlands, near
Stirling. Traditionally it belonged to Clan MacLaren, until during the
16th century the neighbouring MacGregors began to encroach on the area
and forced the MacLarens to share it with them. The famed Rob Roy
MacGregor is buried in Balquhidder.
The »quh« in »Balquhidder« is pronounced like »w«, so the place is
Bal-WID-der rather than Bal-KWID-der. (The same applies to other
Scottish names like »Urquhart« or »Colquhoun«.)
Balquhidder Strathspey
Balquhidder, a mountainous area of Perthshire on the shores of Loch Voil, inspired both of
Scotland’s greatest novelists. Sir Walter Scott used Balquhidder as the setting for
Rob Roy
and Robert Louis Stevenson’s hero passed through Balquhidder in the course of his wanderings in
Kidnapped
.
It was here that Rob Roy MacGregor, whom some call the Scottish Robin Hood and others an
unvarnished brigand, was at his most active. Now, he, his wife and sons lie quietly in the churchyard
at Kirkton of Balquhidder,
Baile-cul-tir
, “village of the back-lying country”.
This was once MacLaren land, but with the ancient clan gradually eroding over the centuries, the lovely,
peaceful valley contains only the memories of the vanished MacLarens, while in Loch Voil,
sporting among the char and trout and salmon, dwells, we are assured, the heraldic “beast” of the
MacLarens, the Mermaid with her mirror.
On the north shore of Loch Voil are the Braes of Balquhidder.
Let us go, lassie, go
To the braes o’ Balquhither,
Where the blaeberries grow
‘Mang the bonnie Highland heather;
Where the deer and the rae,
Lightly bounding together,
Sport the lang summer day
On the braes o’ Balquhither.
– Robert Tannahill (1774–1810)
From “Scotland Dances”, by Eugenia (Jeannie) Callander Sharp
(Used by permission.)