Tour
The Great Glens of Scotland
The
Great Glen -- a chain of narrow lochs marking a giant geological
fracture of the land -- cuts across a wild and lovely landscape
of peaks, lakes and rivers overlooked by Britain's highest
mountain, the giant Ben Nevis. Ruined forts and glens emptied
by the 19th-century Clearances testify to the violence that
marked the slow end of the traditional Highland way of life.
Achnacarry
Achnacarry
House has been seat of Camerons of Lochiel since 1660.
Present building dates from 1802, has Gothic decoration,
crenellated parapet and corner turrets. Clan Cameron Museum,
housed in reconstructed 17th-century croft house, commemorates
role of Camerons in the armed forces.
Ardgour
Lighthouse
marks entrance to Loch Linnhe's tide race. Superb walks
in surrounding woods and mountains. Behind Corran village
is steep mountain with waterfall known as MacLean's Towel.
Balmacara
Access
to 6400 acre National Trust estate with woodland walks,
lochs and streams. National Trust for Scotland information
centre. Lochalsh Woodland Garden was established in 1887
for Lochalsh House. Converted Coach House is visitor centre.
Banavie
Locality
near south end of Caledonian Canal, by set of eight locks
forming Neptune's Staircase.
Locks, built 1822, climb 64ft in 1 mile. Walk of 1 1/2
miles up canal bank leads to Torcastle Farm and ruins
of Tor Castle, overlooking River Lochy.
Bealach
Ratagain
Also
known as Main Ratagain Pass. Steep road zigzagging up
to 1,116tt was for centuries major strategic route through
Western Highlands. View from the top over little Loch
Shiel, Shiel Bridge and Loch Duich.
Ben
Nevis
Britain's
highest peak rises 4,406ft above sea level. Massive, round-shouldered
hulk with steep cliffs on its north face. Rough 5 mile
long footpath leads to mountain's summit from Achintree
House near Fort William. Initial strenuous climb levels
out at 2,500ft; summit offers views stretching for more
than 100 miles from Great Glen to Atlantic islands.
Caisteal
Grugaig
Iron
Age Pictish fort, or broch, overlooking bay at junction
of Loch Duich and Loch Alsh. Fort has walls 9ft thick
and 13ft high, and a huge triangular block above the doorway.
Wall chambers, part of staircase and part of gallery also
remain standing.
Caledonian
Canal
Series
of 28 locks and cuts stretching along 22 miles of the
Great Glen. Links 43 miles of lochs to create route between
east and west coasts, through spectacular scenery of mountains
and glens. Built mainly in early 19th century by Thomas
Telford.
Corrimony
Hamlet
on an ancient site, with a chambered cairn, or passage
grave, of about 2000 BC. Mound 60ft across contains 23ft
long passage into central chamber with fine corbelled
roof.
Duirinish
Lodge
Woodland
garden with heathers, azaleas and rhododendrons over-looks
Skye and Raasay.
Dun
Grugaig
Remains
of Iron Age fort stand on cliff top, above precipitous
side of gorge. Protecting wall is 14ft thick, 8ft high,
and curves from cliff edge to cliff edge. Wall has internal
chambers and entrance passage.
Eilean
Donan Castle
MacRae
stronghold dates from 13th century. Ruined by naval bombardment
in 1719, rebuilt earlier this century. Causeway, three-arched
bridge and gateway with portcullis lead through walls
up to 14ft thick. Restored chambers, billeting room and
banquet hall with furnishings.
Falls
of Glomach
Tumbling
down 750ft cleft, falls make single leap of 350ft. Among
highest falls in Britain. Also known as The Hidden Falls
because of inaccessibility. Best approached along 5 mile
track from car park at Dorusduain. Round trip takes five
hours.
Fort
Augustus
Village
spanning six locks bringing Caledonian Canal into Loch
Ness. Great Glen Heritage Exhibition covers local history.
Fort built after 1715 Jacobite uprising named after Duke
of Cumberland, Prince William Augustus. Site of fort now
occupied by 19th-century St Benedict's Abbey, now a school.
Inchnacardoch Forest Trail begins 2 miles from village
centre.
Fort
William
Small
town at foot of Ben Nevis provides base for climbers planning
to scale Britain's highest mountain. Fort built in 17th
century, demolished in 1850s. West Highland Museum focuses
on regional history, including 1745 uprising. Scottish
crafts and Ben Nevis Exhibition. Three miles east, Nevis
Range Gondola takes visitors 1 1/2 miles up mountain.
Glen
Affric
Landseer's
paintings made glen's woods, crags and tumbling waters
famous. Glen links lochs Affric and Beinn a' Mheadhoin
(Benevean) and forms part of long-distance path to Kintail.
Several one to three-hour walks marked from Dog Falls
and car park between lochs Affric and Beinn a' Mheadhoin.
Glencoe
Stone
cross marks site where 38 Jacobite MacDonalds were murdered
by their guests, pro-English Campbells, in 1692. Surrounding
mountains provide walks and rock climbs. Visitor centre
with story of massacre and local ecology. Glencoe and
North Loin Folk Museum displays clan and Jacobite relics.
Glenelg
Small
harbour at foot of Glen More, backed by hills of Glenshiel
Forest. North lie remains of Ber-nera Barracks, 18th-century
English military headquarters. To south are Iron Age Pictish
forts Dun Telve and Dun Troddan, best-preserved on Scottish
main-land; double walls once 40-50ft high, now only 25-30ft;
spiralling galleries and chambers remain.
Glenfinnan
Fishing
village at head of Loch Shiel. Pillar, 65ft high, erected
in 1815 to commemorate Bonnie Prince Charlie's 1745 arrival
to raise Highland army. Spiral stair-case inside pillar
leads to parapet with views over Loch Shiel. Visitor centre
contains displays on the prince's campaign from Glenfinnan
to Derby.
Glen
Garry
In
lee of high moorland hills, picnic area at east end of
Loch Garry is start of 2 mile long walk through Glengarry
Forest to impressive Falls of Garry. Forest comprises
mostly conifers.
Glen
Moriston
Cave
where Bonnie Prince Charlie hid in 1746 after defeat lies
1 mile west of An Reithe, and can be reached by lengthy
walk from the west end of heavily wooded glen. Roadside
cairn commemorates Roderick Mackenzie, one of the prince's
bodyguards, killed when mistaken for him.
Glen
Nevis
One
of Scotland's loveliest valleys with varied terrain of
rivers, crags and steep wooded gullies. At eastern end,
flanked by steep tracks, is 1,250ft 'water slide', Allt
Coire Eoghain, tumbling from flanks of Ben Nevis.
Glen
Shiel
Road
runs through valley with mountains rising over 3,000ft
on both sides; Five Sisters of Kintail to east and The
Saddle to west.
Kyle
of Lochalsh
Busy
little port that expanded when railhead was built in 1897.
From hilltop nearby superb views westwards over Skye.
Loch
Morar
The
deepest lake in Britain, reaching 1,017ft at its eastern
end, this glacier-carved loch is 12 miles long. Like Loch
Ness, it is said to have a monster -- Morag. Morar, hillside
village on narrow neck of land above loch, looks across
sea towards Rhum and Eigg.
Loch
Oich
Nearby
slopes bear ruin of Invergarry Castle, former Macdonnell
stronghold -- destroyed by Duke of Cumberland because
Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed there before and after his
defeat at Culloden. One mile south is Well of Seven Heads,
monument erected in 1812 by Alastair Macdonnell to recall
revenge taken on seven murderers of his clan in 1660s.
Plockton
White
houses line the shore of an inlet in Loch Canon, with
gardens and palm trees encouraged by warmth of Gulf Stream.
Sheltered anchorage for yachts.
South
Ballachulish
Loch-side
village with superb views up Loch Leven. Monument to James
Stewart who was wrongfully hanged there in 1752 for murdering
a Campbell.
Spean
Bridge
Hamlet
with 1819 bridge over fast-flowing River Spean. Commando
Memorial, with Scott Sutherland sculpture nearby, was
erected in 1952 to commemorate the commandos trained in
surrounding area during World War II.
Strontian
Village
at mouth of River Strontian is base for salmon and sea-trout
fishing. Walks include 7 mile Ariundle Nature Trail, passing
old mine workings and derelict village of Scotstown. The
village gave its name to the mineral strontianite, from
which the element strontium comes.
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