Glen Coe
Gleann Comhann
A vast valley carved by glaciers, with the Three Sisters peaks and the Buachaille Etive Mòr standing guard by the road. It is often called Scotland’s most beautiful glen.
Glencoe is a glacial U-shaped valley about 16 km long, through which the A82 road runs. It is the essential route from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Fort William and the Isle of Skye. At the eastern mouth of the valley, the Buachaille Etive Mòr forms a perfect pyramid and is one of the most photographed peaks in Scotland. Midway along the glen, the “Three Sisters” are three huge mountain shoulders jutting out from the ridge, and roadside viewpoints offer panoramic shots. On the valley floor are a small loch and the white Lagangarbh hut. The 1692 Glencoe massacre, in which the MacDonald clan was slaughtered by the Campbells, gives the valley a tragic character. Parts of the James Bond film Skyfall and several Harry Potter films were shot nearby. The National Trust for Scotland’s Glencoe Visitor Centre (open about 09:30 to 17:00) has exhibitions, a café and trail maps. You can walk the Lost Valley trail (about 4 km round trip, 2 to 3 hours) or the Glencoe Lochan lakeside loop. The valley is open free of charge all day. If you are driving, stop at several viewpoints along the way.
Opening hours
Open all day; visitor center approx. 09:30–17:00 (shorter in winter)
Nearby sights
- Kinlochleven & Grey Mare's Tail
- Glen Etive
- Clachaig Inn
- Buachaille Etive Mòr
- Glen Nevis & Steall Falls
- Ben Nevis
- Glencoe Mountain Resort
- Nevis Range Mountain Gondola