Glen Coe

Glen Coe is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the southern part of the Lochaber area of Highland Council Area, and is considered part of the traditional 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.

Geography

The glen is a U-shaped valley formed by an ice age glacier, about 16 km (10 miles) long with the valley floor less than 700 m (0.4 miles) wide, narrowing sharply at the Pass of Glencoe about half way along the glen.

Related Topics:
Ice age - Glacier - Km - M

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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 shepherd of Etive" at the 'junction' with Glen Etive. Glen Coe then runs roughly west for about 12 km (7.5 miles) before turning north-west towards Loch Leven.

Related Topics:
Rannoch Moor - Meall a Bhuiridh - Glen Etive - Buachaille Etive Mor - Km - Loch Leven

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The south side of the glen is marked by a succession of distinct peaks: Buachaille Etive Mor 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 "Aggy Ridge" is crossed at the eastern end by the Devil's Staircase, an old military road opposite Buachaille Etive Mor. The western end terminates with the conical Pap of Glencoe, above Glencoe village, at the point where the glen opens out to Loch Leven.

Related Topics:
Buachaille Etive Beag - Bidean nam Bian - Aonach Eagach - Devil's Staircase - Pap of Glencoe - Glencoe village

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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 Glencoe. It then runs through the small Loch Achtriochtan before it turns north west. It then passes through Glencoe village shortly before flowing into the sea loch of Loch Leven (a salt-water arm of Loch Linnhe) at Invercoe. In the valley 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 Mor to join the River Etive running south.

Related Topics:
Ossian - Loch Achtriochtan - Glencoe village - Sea loch - Loch Leven - Loch Linnhe - River Etive

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