In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Fyne like this:
Fyne, a mountain rivulet and a large sea-loch in Argyllshire. The rivulet, rising on the south-western skirts of Benloy, a little NW of the meeting-point with Dumbarton and Perth shires, runs 6½ miles south-south-westward, along a wild Highland glen, called from it Glenfyne, and falls into the head of the sea-loch 7 furlongs NE of Cairndow.—Ord. ...
Sur., shs. 46, 45, 37, 1876. The sea-loch first strikes 27 miles south-westward; then makes a sudden expansion, and sends off to the N the considerable bay of Loch Gili, leading into the Criman Canal; and then strikes 13½ miles south-by-eastward, till, opposite Ardlamont Point, it merges in the Sound of Bute, the Kyles of Bute on the left, and Kilbrennan Sound, all passing into the Firth of Clyde. Its breadth is 12/3. furlong near Cairndow, 15/8. mile at Inverary Ferry, 1 mile near Strachur, 2 miles at Lachlan Bay, 1½ mile at Otter Ferry, 4½ miles at Kilfinan Bay, 21/8. miles at Barmore Island, and 5 miles at Ardlamont Point. Its screens, from head to foot, show great variety of both shore and height, and present many scenes of singular force and beauty; but as a whole they offer little of the grandeur and romance that characterise the screens of many others of the great Highland sea-lochs. Around the head, and downwards past Inverary, they have striking forms and lofty altitudes, attaining 2955 feet in Ben-an-Lochain and 2557 in Ben Bheula; round Inverary, too, they have great masses of wood, and some strongly picturesque features of hill and glen and park. In most of the reaches thence they have much verdure, some wood, and numerous hills, but rarely exhibit stronger features of landscape than simply the beautiful; towards the entrance, however, they combine, into great variety and magnificence, with the islands of Bute and Arran. The waters have been notable from time immemorial for both the prime quality and the great abundance of their herrings. One of the twenty-five fishery districts of Scotland has its headquarters at Inverary; and two others have their headquarters at respectively Rothesay and Cambeltown.—Ord. Sur., shs. 37, 29, 1876-73. See pp. 124-132 of Dorothy Wordsworth's Tour in Scotland (ed. by Princ. Shairp, 1874).
Fyne through time
Fyne is now part of Argyll and Bute district. Click here for graphs and data of how Argyll and Bute has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Fyne itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Fyne in Argyll and Bute | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/26839
Date accessed: 24th April 2024
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