Today’s walk was up to the Melville Monument which stands above Comrie, on the eastern fringes of where the Stewarts of Balquhidder were located.

I have pinched a map from the original website! The obelisk was built in 1812, by friends of Viscount Melville (aka Henry Dundas) 1744-1811. The obelisk still stands firm despite being struck by lightning in 1899. The reason it stands above Comrie is because Dundas owned the Dunira estate which runs to the west of Comrie towards Lochearnhead. Henry Dundas is a controversial figure in the here and now. There is a prominent memorial to Dundas in the middle of Edinburgh and some folk are either arguing for its removal or for a plaque to have a more accurate representation of his public service (including the unpalatable truth about his alleged role in prolonging slavery). The wording of the plaque is a matter of great debate, and has become a bit of a cause Celebre in Scotland. I have included a weblink for those who are interested in reading more and would advise a google search of Professor Geoff Palmer who has campaigned long and hard for Scots to wake up to their own role in the slave trade. https://www.opendemocracy.net/…/henry-dundas-empire…/

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Shu Shee

Shuna Mayes lives in Dunblane, Scotland well within hiking, biking or kayaking distance of every locale where a Stewart of Balquhidder once lived. She enjoys getting outside with her camera and capturing sights that we would never have access to without her generosity and enthusiasm. Shuna has traced her ancestry to an 18th century soldier named James Stewart, who is genetically linked to our clan, but remains frustratingly elusive in his exact relationship.
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Shu Shee

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Shuna Mayes lives in Dunblane, Scotland well within hiking, biking or kayaking distance of every locale where a Stewart of Balquhidder once lived. She enjoys getting outside with her camera and capturing sights that we would never have access to without her generosity and enthusiasm. Shuna has traced her ancestry to an 18th century soldier named James Stewart, who is genetically linked to our clan, but remains frustratingly elusive in his exact relationship.

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Old photos from around Balquhidder, Perthshire, Scotland, scanned from postcards and other sources from the archives of the Callander Heritage Society.

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ruins of a 19th century Scottish farm house

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Benvane, Trossachs

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