The northern parts of Perthskire are divided between Breadalbane and Atholl, huge tracts both, and largely mountainside. Breadalbane is the more westerly, stretching from the edge of Argyll, at Strathfillan, Mamlorn and Moor of Rannoch right across the country to Glen Almond, Aberfeldy and Strathtay--braid Alban indeed, the very geographical centre of Scotland. It measures almost a thousand square miles, 33 by 31 miles, according to the gazetteer, and is basically the basin of the upper Tay, including the great Loch of that name and all the catchment area. Aberfeldy is sometimes claimed as its capital; certainly it is the largest town and only burgh. But Kuhn, at the other end of Loch Tay, has the better claim, as the original centre, where the Campbell lords had their main seat, at Finlarig Castle. Strangely, although the name is ancient and the area an entity from early times, there were no great Celtic earls or mormaers here. It was not until 1681 that the 11th Campbell of Glenorchy, having by then got rid of the MacGregors who anciently lorded it hereabouts, got himself created Earl of Breadalbane, and by peculiar means. His successors became almost the greatest landowners in Scotland, being able, at one time, to ride from the Atlantic shores to the North Sea on their own land--or so it is said. These territories include some of the most renowned scenery in the Central Highlands, from Glen Ogle to the Tarmachans, from Glen Dochart to Glen Lyon.

Finally there is great Atholl, another 500 square miles, celebrated in song and story, even for a special drink compounded of whisky, eggs and honey, called Atholl Brose, its duke the proud possessor of the only private army still left in these islands, The Atholl Highlanders. Everybody knows Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Killiecrankie and Blair Atholl, amongst the most popular tourist areas of the land. Not so well known, however, are the great stretches of Strathardle, of Tilt and Tarf and Edendon, of Errochty and Fincastle, of Craiganour and Talla Bheith, mainly far from roads. Atholl was always a semi-royal territory. Indeed it is claimed that there were once Kings of Atholl. But less misty is the fame of Madadh, grandson of King Duncan, Earl of Atholl, whose own grandson Henry, dying in 1210, left only a legitimate daughter--though his illegitimate son, Conon, was the forebear of the Robertsons of Clan Donnachaidh who, next to the earls, were the greatest landholders in Atholl. The Crown bestowed the earldom on one of the sons of Robert III, the second of the Stewart kings, and for long the Stewarts lorded it here. Then, in the early 17th century, the 2nd Murray Earl of Tullibardine married the Stewart heiress, and got Atholl--and have held it ever since, becoming marquises thereof in 1676 and dukes in 1703. Their castle at Blair is a treasure-house, one of the most magnificent in Scotland, with no fewer than 32 rooms, filled with objects of value and interest, open to the public.

The last of Atholl is the lumpish mountain, the Sow thereof, facing the Boar of Badenoch at the Pass of Drumochter, and thereafter we are in Inverness-shire. Perthshire therefore is more like half a dozen counties than one, and even so, great semi-subdivisions such as Strathallan, Strathbraan, Strathardle, Rannoch, Glen Shee, Stormont and Mamlorn, have scarcely been mentioned.