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The Scottish Glens Carved by glacial erosion during the last Ice Age and steeped in history, Scotland’s breathtaking and stunning glens are unique and inspiring places which have remained unchanged for thousands of years. No adventure into the Scottish glens would be complete without a visit to the Great Glen, a giant geological fracture which cuts across the Highlands from Inverness, on the Moray Firth to Fort William, at the head of Loch Linnhe. The Great Glen Way is a popular route along an ancient fault line that should take you around four to seven days, passing a series of long, interconnected lochs which nestle in the shadow of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, at 4,409. One of the most dramatic glens in Scotland is the iconic Glen Coe, a glen of volcanic origins, in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the southern part of the Lochaber committee area of Highland Council, and was formerly part of the county of Argyll. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated National Scenic Area of Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. The narrow glen shows a grim grandeur. The glen, approaching from the east on the main A82 road, is surrounded by wild and precipitous mountains. Further west at Invercoe, the landscape has a softer beauty before the main entrance to the glen. The main settlement is the nearby village of Glencoe located at the foot of the valley. The name Glen Coe is often said to mean "Glen of Weeping", perhaps with some reference to the infamous Massacre of Glencoe which took place there in 1692. However, "Gleann Comhann" does not translate as "Glen of Weeping". In fact the Glen is named after the River Coe which runs through it, and bore this name long before the 1692 incident. The name of the river is believed to predate the Gaelic language and its meaning is not known. Glen Affric is a magical place and widely considered to be the most beautiful glen in Scotland thanks to the spectacular lochs, magnificent mountainous scenery and the largest area of ancient Caledonian pine forest in Scotland. The Angus Glens are made up of five glens which run in the same general direction, giving the impression of the fingers of a hand stretching through the breathtaking countryside of Angus and finishing at the outer edge of the Cairngorms National Park. The Scottish glens are a beautiful part of Scotland's magical and mysterious landscape, each with a great diversity of wildlife and stunning flora and fauna. |
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