This is a photograph from a portfolio of 42 photographs sold to accompany the text to Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands. This image accompanied a page of text where Queen Victoria on 7 October 1859 describes her experience on top of Ben Macdui, the second highest mountain in Britain, as having a ‘sublime and solemn effect’ with the ‘grandest, wildest scenery imaginable!’

This picturesque view of a bridge spanning the River Bruar has a link to Robert Burns. In The Humble Petition of Bruar Water, written in September 1787, Burns writes from the point of view of the river and implores the 4th Duke of Atholl to plant more trees and ‘shade my banks wi’ tow’ring trees, and bonie spreading bushes.’ According to the poem, the river would then attract more wildlife, lovers and, with a nod to his own profession, bards who would ‘Rave to my darkly dashing stream, Hoarse-swelling on the breeze.’