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Glencoe is a village and popular tourist destination in the Scottish Highlands famous for its spectacular scenery and the troubled history of fierce rivalry between the MacDonald and Campbell Clans.
Today the troubles are just history and the area around Glencoe is now more renowned for Walking, Rock Climbing, Mountain Biking, Fishing, Canoeing, Sailing, Skiing, Bird Watching and Adventure Sports.
North of Fort William is Ben Nevis the tallest mountain in Scotland.
Popular tourist destinations with accommodation for Glencoe and Ben Nevis:
At the heart of Glencoe is a steep-sided valley surrounded by mountains that climb steadily to the south east from the village of Glencoe on the shores of Loch Leven. It eventually emerges onto the plateau of Rannoch Moor at an altitude of over 1000 feet.
Rannoch Moor covers some 50 square miles and is a rough triangular plateau that sits at an altitude of a little over 1000ft,
dotted with lochs, lochans, peat bogs, streams and an abundance of heather.
It is surrounded by mountains that rise to over 3000ft to the south-east and the west and to over 2000ft in the north.
The south-east side is crossed by a single railway line and the south-west is traversed by the A82.
Rannoch Moor is crossed from south to north by the West Highland Way which passes by Loch Leven on its way north.
The north side of the glen is hemmed in by the jagged edge of the Aonach Eagach Ridge while the south side incorporates the mountain of Bidean nam Bian whose summit is hidden behind three huge mountain buttresses that tower over the glen.
Between two of these buttresses lies the hidden valley of Allt Coire Gabhail, for many years used by the MacDonalds as a secret hideaway.
The village of Glencoe is on the A82 which makes it easily accessible by Car only a couple of hours travel from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The nearest Railway Stations are at Fort William some sixteen miles to the north and at the Bridge of Orchy some 24 miles to the south east.
Near to the village is the
Glencoe Visitor Centre
which opened in 2002 and is a great source of online information about Glencoe and the surrounding area.
Useful Links for Glencoe
See Also:
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