Glencoe

Glencoe
Argyllshire
National Trust for Scotland
The Pass of Glencoe
Grid reference:	NN113576
Information
Website:	Glencoe and Dalness

Glencoe or Glen Coe is a glen in Argyllshire and one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in the Highlands, itself a land of natural wonders. 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 in Carnoch.

Glencoe, a lonely glen has a bloody mark in history for the Glencoe massacre of 13 February 1692, but it is a beautiful glen and a fine centre for exploration in this part of the Highlands.

The name Glen Coe is often said to mean "Glen of Weeping", perhaps with some reference to the infamous massacre, but "Gleann Comhann" means no such thing and is named instead after the River Coe which runs through it, and bore this name long before 1692. The name of the river is believed to predate the Gaelic language and its meaning is not known. One possibility is that it was named after a tribe once living in the area; however this remains speculation. It is also possible that the name stems from an individual personal name, Comhan (gen. Chomhain).

Geography

Coire nan Lochan, a corrie of Bidean nam Bian on the southern side of Glencoe

The glen is U-shaped, formed by an ice age glacier, about 10 miles long with the floor of the glen being less than a quarter of a mile wide, narrowing sharply at the Pass of Glen Coe about halfway along.

The entrance to the glen from above is on Rannoch Moor to the east, below the mountain of Meall a' Bhuiridh; Glen Etive runs to the south from nearby. The entrance to Glen Coe is marked by Buachaille Etive Mor, "the great herdsman of Etive" at the 'junction' with Glen Etive. Glen Coe then runs roughly west for about 7 miles before turning north-west towards Loch Leven.

The south side of the glen is marked by a succession of distinct peaks: Buachaille Etive Mòr is followed to the west by Buachaille Etive Beag, then by the Three Sisters, shoulders of the Bidean nam Bian massif which itself marks the western end of the glen. By contrast the north side of the glen is a stark wall of mountain, the Aonach Eagach ridge. The Ridge is crossed at the eastern end by the Devil's Staircase, an old military road opposite Buachaille Etive Mòr. The western end terminates with the conical Pap of Glencoe (Sgùrr na Cìche), above Glencoe Village, at the point where the glen opens out to Loch Leven.

The River Coe itself — Ossian's "dark Cona" — rises at the north-eastern base of Buachaille Etive Beag and flows west along the glen, with dramatic waterfalls at the Pass of Glen Coe. It then runs through the small Loch Achtriochtan before it turns northwest. It then passes through Glencoe Village, shortly before flowing into the sea loch of Loch Leven, an arm of Loch Linnhe, at Invercoe. Loch Achtriochtan is Loch Trychardan ("three friends" or "relatives") in Timothy Pont's map of the area. In the glen to the east of Buachaille Etive Beag, the River Coupall runs north to the head of the glen, but it swings east round the Buachaille Etive Mòr to join the River Etive running south.

Geologically speaking, Glen Coe is the remains of an ancient supervolcano that erupted in some past age. It is considered to be one of the best examples of Cauldron subsidence. The eruption happened about 420 million years ago during the Silurian period, and the volcano has long since become extinct. The landscape was further shaped by the processes of glaciation during the last ice age, 10,000 years ago.

Ownership

View from the summit of the Devil's Staircase, towards Buachaille Etive Mòr

Glen Coe was originally part of the lands of Clan Donald, though since the ending of the clan structure they progressively sold their estates.

Most of the Glen is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland whose visitor centre has displays about both the natural and historical significance of the glen. The land was purchased by mountaineer and philanthropist Percy Unna, who then gave it to the trust on condition that it maintained the wild nature of the land. The building of a visitor centre caused some controversy, as some felt this to be a contravention of Unna's "rules". The original centre was later closed, and a new one built further down the glen.

The last area of Glen Coe to be owned by the MacDonalds was the area around Invercoe. In 1894 Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal purchased this area and built a stately mansion, Mount Royal. In 2002 Alistair MacDonald of Glencoe made a successful eleventh-hour bid, and purchased the remaining lands of Lord Strathcona from his descendants. Alistair borrowed from just six donors, and immediately set up the Glencoe Heritage Trust, a non-profit-making charitable trust, to secure the heritage of Glen Coe.

The massacre

In 1688, King James VII was driven from his thrones and in his place came William and Mary, which provoked a brief rebellion in favour of King James amongst some of the Highland clans. When it had been put down, all the Highland chiefs were called to swear allegiance to King William and Queen Mary by 1 January 1692. The Chief of the MacIains, a sept of the Clan MacDonald, was in some wise delayed in his journey, having travelled to Fort William in time but then sent on to Inveraray where the sheriff sat, and this delay became the excuse for the Clan Campbell to make a deadly visitation upon the MacDonalds, who had long been their enemies.

In late January or early February 1692 the first and second companies of the Earl of Argyll's Regiment of Foot, which consisted of approximately 120 men under the command of Captain Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, were billeted on the MacDonalds in Glencoe, who were of the MacIain sept, and the MacDonalds received them in the hospitable tradition of the Highlands. Captain Campbell was related by marriage to MacIain and so it was natural that he should be billeted at the Chief's own house, though quietly Campbell may be expected to have harboured resentment for the MacIains had cruelly raided his lands not long since. On 12 February 1692, Captain Drummond arrived. He had played a part in ensuring that MacIain was late in giving his oath. Though the ranking officer, he did not take command but bore instructions for Robert Campbell, from his superior officer, Major Duncanson. He spent the evening playing cards with his hosts and upon retiring, wished them goodnight and accepted an invitation to dine with MacIain, the chief, the following day.

In the dawn light the killing began. Duncanson's orders were for a general massacre of men, women and children. Alasdair MacIain was murdered by Lt Lindsay and Ensign Lundie while trying to rise from his bed but his sons escaped, as initially did his wife. In all, 38 men were murdered either in their homes or as they tried to flee the glen. Another 40 women and children died of exposure after their homes were burned. The first clansman to be killed was Duncan Rankin, shot down as he fled across the River Coe near the chief's house. Elsewhere, various members of the two companies found ways of warning their hosts: two lieutenants, Lt Francis Farquhar and Lt Gilbert Kennedy even broke their swords rather than carry out their orders. They were arrested and imprisoned, but were exonerated, released and later gave evidence for the prosecution against their superior officers.

The memorial

Two other detachments waited near the glen to converge, but both failed to reach position on time, whether due to snow or conscience.

A monument to the massacre stands in the glen

Westwards along the glen towards Bidean nam Bian

Tourism, walkers and climbers

Camping on the old Glencoe road in 1931

Glen Coe is a very popular tourist destination: partly because of its scenic qualities and historical associations, partly because it is on the main road north (the A82), and also because of its attraction for walkers and climbers. It is famous for the quality, and variety of its winter climbing, most of its routes being comparatively easy of access from the main road.

Many walkers come to Glen Coe on the West Highland Way following the old military "Wade road" over Rannoch Moor which crosses the River Etive at the Kings House Hotel. From there it is a little over a mile to the head of the glen, then another mile or so into the glen the Way ascends the Devil's Staircase, a steep, boulder-strewn "cut" (1,155 feet high) which is part of the old military road and drove road north across the hills to Kinlochleven.

For hillwalkers there are several good routes on the Bidean nam Bian (3,773 feet) massif which forms a complex Y-shaped hill with several lesser tops, including Stob Coire Sgreamhach (3,517 feet) which also has Munro status. One attractive way in to these tops ascends from the Pass of Glen Coe up along the Lost Valley to the ridge. Both Buachaille Etive Beag (3,143 feet) and Buachaille Etive Mòr (3,353 feet) also offer opportunities to hillwalkers.

Rock climbers concentrate on the Buachaille Etive Mòr, often called simply "The Beuckle", and on the various routes on the Three Sisters (shoulders of Bidean nam Bian). For adventurous experienced walkers, the finest mainland scramble in the United Kingdom is the Aonach Eagach. This extended scramble boasts two the Highlands' trickiest Munro hills, Sgorr nam Fiannaidh (3,268 feet) and Meall Dearg (3,120 feet). The Aonach Eagach ridge terminates at the Pap of Glencoe (2,431 feet).

The Glencoe ski centre, also known as the White Corries, is actually on the hill of Meall a' Bhuiridh (3,635 feet) which lies on the east side of Glen Etive, outside Glen Coe proper. This centre is popular with locals but is used mostly by visitors. It forms part of the "Black Mount" estate, which is based on Loch Tulla which is to the southeast.

Other points of interest include The Study at the Pass of Glen Coe; the cave of Ossian, where tradition says that he was born. The Iona cross was erected in 1883 by a Macdonald in memory of his clansmen who perished in the massacre of 1692. There is car parking at the scenic waterfalls in the Pass of Glen Coe, which was used as the location for "The Bridge of Death" and "The Gorge of Eternal Peril" in filming Monty Python and the Holy Grail, attracting Monty Python pilgrims. Sets for the third Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, were built near to the bottom of Clachaig Gully, north of the Clachaig Inn. There is a folk museum in Glencoe village.

Settlements, tourist accommodation

Other than a few scattered farms, the only settlement in Glen Coe is the village of Glecoe, which stands at the western end of the glen close to Invercoe where the river joins Loch Leven. About a mile and a half to the west, on the southern shore of the loch, is the village of Ballachulish, known in the past for its slate quarries, which have been worked since 1760.

The famous Clachaig Inn, a pub with a nearby camp site much favoured by climbers and hillwalkers, is sited at the bend in the glen about two miles from Glencoe village. A youth hostel is sited about a mile from the village, on the way to the inn, as well as an independent hostel (Glencoe Independent Hostel). The Kings House Hotel, lying about a mile to the east of the head of the glen towards Rannoch Moor, is a relic of the old coaching days when it was customary for tourists to drive from Ballachulish by way of Tyndrum to Loch Lomond. This old inn still welcomes visitors, and thrives on the tales of walkers and skiers, as well as climbers down from the glen's peaks.

For campers, there are three official campsites in and around the Glen. Wild camping is permitted in certain areas of the Glen, in accordance with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and the principles specified by Percy Unna. However, environmental concerns and increasing pollution of the River Coe in the mid-1990s led to a decision to exclude a specific area and prohibit wild camping within that area. The area is to the east of the Clachaig Hotel, from the River Coe to the Aonach Eagach, and east as far as the junction of the Old Military Road and the modern A82. The exclusion has led to improvements being observed in the river and the Clachaig area.

Well known residents of Glencoe include Hamish MacInnes, veteran of Mount Everest expeditions, climbing consultant for such films as the Eiger Sanction and a mountain rescue pioneer.

Mythology

Ossian's Cave (upper right)

Glencoe is supposed to have been the birthplace of Ossian according to John Cameron (1822–1898), a local bard who was also Bard to the Ossianic Society. "In the middle of the vale runs 'the roaring stream of Cona', the mountain of Malmor rises on the south side, and the celebrated Dun-Fionn - 'the hill of Fingal' on the north. Several of the names referring either to the heroes of the Fingalian race, or to their general occupation, hunting, are numerous in the district. Sgur-mam-Fiann, 'the mountain of the Fingalians'; Coe, the name of the river is supposed to be the Cona of Ossian; Grianan Dearduil, 'the sunny place of Darthula'; Acha-nan-con, 'the field of the dogs'; Caolas-nan-con, 'the ferry of the dogs', and the neighbouring country bear similar traces.

Morven is the peculiar name of Fingal's domain; an island in Loch Etive is supposed to be named from Usnoth, the father of Nathos; and Etive itself is named from the deer of its mountains."

A slight difficulty of these theories is that Ossian was an invention of Irish myth and the poems from which all the imagery is drawn are a Georgian fantasy, written in English by James MacPherson, who pretended to have translated them from ancient manuscripts he discovered and which unaccountably he never managed to produce.

Pictures

• 
  Pass of Glencoe, looking westwards
• 
  Pass of Glencoe looking westwards towards Loch Achtriochtan
• 
  Ridges of Gearr Aenoch and Aonach Dubh on the south side of the Pass
• 
  Gearr Aonach
• 
  Ridge of Beinn Fhada on the south side of the Pass, looking eastwards
• 
  Am Bodach on the north side of the Pass
• 
  A'Chailleach on the north side of the Pass

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Glencoe)

• Glencoe Scotland Tourism
• Glen Coe walks
• National Trust for Scotland's Glencoe Site
• Scotclimb.org.uk - Glencoe
• Scottish Youth Hostels - Glencoe
• Glencoe: Fire, Ice and Blood - Documentary
• Aerial photo of Glen Coe