Glenbuchat

A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875

Etymology
This parish, we believe, derives its name from the Gaelic--Gleann-a-bhuie, which means "the small glen of the buck;" Gleann signifying a small glen or valley, and the affix a-bhuic, "of the buck." Others suppose the name to be derived from Gleann-buidhe, which signifies "the glen of the yellow stream," but may also be translated as "the fortunate or propitious glen." Tradition, however, points out the remains of a chapel or place of worship which is said to have belonged to the Cabrach, and that Glenbucket formed a part of that parish; we are therefore, inclined to believe that it derived its name from the "mountain of the Buck," which stands at no great distance from the top of Glenbucket.

Boundaries
The parish is bounded on the north by the mountains of Inveravon and Cabrach in Banffshire, and those of the Cabrach in Aberdeenshire; on the east it is bounded by that portion of Glenkindie which forms a detached portion of Strathdon parish - on the south it is bounded by the river Don and part of Tarland; and on the west by the mountains of Newe and Auchernach in Strathdon.

Extent
Glenbucket extends from the river Don to the Banffshire bounding mountains on the north, and in a direct line the distance is about 7 miles. The extreme breadth from east to west, measured along the northern range of mountains, is about 4½ miles, while the breadth of the parish along the Don is less than one mile. The whole area is computed to be about 11,084 acres.

Topography
On the northern bounding mountains, the source of the Doveran has an elevation of 1,847 feet above sea level, and the hills rise into the Sgroilleach (2,432 feet), and Dhun, and Cairn Mhor which has an elevation of 2,680 feet above sea level, and is the highest mountain on the Banffshire boundary. The lowermost point of the parish, on the Don, is 774 feet above sea level; the bridge over the Bucket Water, on the Strathdon road is 799 feet; the church stands on the right bank of the Bucket on the eastern slopes of Ben-newe, and is 1,070 feet above sea 1evel. The school of Tomnaglass is 1,073 feet; the old ruin near Badeneoin, or Badenyon, is 1,200 feet, and the limestone quarry of Corrimore is 1,270 feet, which is about the highest cultivated land in the parish.

The valley of Glenbucket is extremely irregular in outline, the lower-hill slopes are rounded and steep in many places, and are only partly cultivated. The higher mountains east and west of the glen present extensive tracts of mossy heaths and rocky hill slopes, which are for the most part incapable of cultivation, and they afford but scant sustenance either for cattle or sheep. The higher Alpine tract of mountains running westward from the Buck of Cabrach, by the sources of the Doveran, the Blackwater, and by the heads of the Bucket, and the burn of Kyma in Glenlivat, on the Banffshire frontiers, are of the wildest description, exhibiting only the most barren aspect of tractless mountain mosses, and whitish weather-beaten crags standing up in strong contrast with the dark brown colour of the heath and peat moss.

[A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875]