The Moor
& The Loch

John Colquhoun was both a product and passionate interpreter of Colquhoun Country, a man whose life was shaped by its landscapes and whose writings captured their enduring spirit.

Raised at Rossdhu and baptised in Luss Parish Church, he served with the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards before discovering his true calling as a writer. His celebrated book The Moor and the Loch (1840) became far more than a sporting guide; it was a vivid and affectionate portrait of the hills, waters and wildlife he loved.

Throughout its pages he recalls adventures shared with his brother, celebrating the freedom and companionship found amongst the moors and lochs. In the book's preface he even encouraged the 'midnight opium-eater' to embrace the virtues of 'temperance and health' through a life spent outdoors.

Adventure, endurance and self-reliance defined his character. He preferred challenge to comfort, delighting in pursuits that tested both skill and determination while deepening his connection to the natural world.

Through his writing on dogs, rivers and moorland, John Colquhoun revealed a restless enthusiasm for the outdoors and left behind one of the most evocative portraits of the landscapes and traditions of Colquhoun Country — a legacy celebrating family, adventure and the enduring pull of the wild.