Destination · 04 · 56.67°N · 4.97°W
Glencoe
Towering peaks, hidden valleys, dark history.
Glencoe
Scotland's most dramatic glen
Few places stir the imagination like Glencoe. Carved by ancient volcanoes and glaciers, its steep-sided peaks — the Three Sisters and the Aonach Eagach ridge — close in around a glen steeped in Highland history.
From the gentle approach to the hidden Lost Valley to the airy ridge scrambles above, Glencoe packs a lifetime of adventure into a few spectacular miles.
Hand-picked · Top 3
Routes in Glencoe
ExpertGlencoe
Aonach Eagach Ridge
Mainland Britain's narrowest ridge — a sustained, exposed scramble high above Glencoe with no escape.
- Distance
- 9.5 km
- Ascent
- 1100 m
- Time
- 8 h
ChallengingGlencoe
Buachaille Etive Mòr — Stob Dearg
Climb the great pyramid that guards the entrance to Glencoe, one of the most photographed mountains in Scotland.
- Distance
- 9 km
- Ascent
- 1000 m
- Time
- 6 h
ModerateGlencoe
The Lost Valley (Coire Gabhail)
A hidden hanging valley once used by the MacDonalds to conceal cattle, reached through a dramatic gorge.
- Distance
- 4.5 km
- Ascent
- 340 m
- Time
- 3 h
Best time to visit
Late spring to early autumn for the walking; the glen is at its most atmospheric when low cloud drifts between the peaks.
Getting there
Glencoe sits on the A82 between Glasgow and Fort William, around two hours from Glasgow. The visitor centre is a useful starting point.
Field notes · From the trail
A glimpse of Glencoe
Three Sisters
Cloud between the peaks
Lost Valley
Into the gorge
Aonach Eagach
Ridge in the sky
River Coe
River and stone
Ready to explore Glencoe?
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