The Great Glen and River Spey - The Rough Guide to Scotland - page 389

The Great Glen and River Spey
The Great Glen, a major geological fault line cutting diagonally across the
Highlands from Fort William to Inverness, is the defining geographic feature
of the north of Scotland. A huge rift valley was formed when the
northwestern and southeastern sides of the fault slid in opposite directions
for more than sixty miles, while the present landscape was shaped by
glaciers that only retreated around 8000 BC. The glen is impressive more for
its sheer scale than its beauty, but the imposing barrier of loch and mountain
means that no one can travel into the northern Highlands without passing
through it. With the two major service centres of the Highlands at either end,
it makes an obvious and rewarding route between the west and east coasts.

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Of the Great Glen's four elongated lochs, the most famous is Loch Ness , home to the
mythical monster; lochs Oich , Lochy and Linnhe (the last of these a sea loch) are less
renowned, though no less attractive; all four are linked by the Caledonian Canal . he
southwestern end of the Great Glen is dominated by the town of Fort William , the
self-proclaimed “Outdoor Capital of the UK”. Situated at the heart of the Lochaber area, it
is a utilitarian base, with plenty of places to stay and excellent access to a host of adventure
sports. While the town itself is charmless, the surrounding countryside is a magnificent
blend of rugged mountain terrain and tranquil sea loch. Dominating the scene to the south
is Ben Nevis , Britain's highest peak, best approached from scenic Glen Nevis. he most
famous glen of all, Glen Coe , lies on the main A82 road half-an-hour's drive south of Fort
William, the two separated by the coastal inlet of Loch Leven . Nowadays the whole area is
unashamedly given over to tourism, with Fort William swamped by bus tours throughout
the summer, but take a short drive from town and solitude is easy to find.
At the northeastern end of the Great Glen is the capital of the Highlands, Inverness ,
a sprawling city that hugs the northern end of the River Ness, close to the Beauly Firth;
it's most often used as a springboard to more remote areas further north. Inevitably,
most transport links to the northern Highlands, including Ullapool, hurso and the
Orkney and Shetland islands, pass through Inverness.
Rising high in the heather-clad hills above remote Loch Laggan, forty miles due
south of Inverness, the River spey, Scotland's second longest river, drains northeast
towards the Moray Firth through one of the Highlands' most spellbinding valleys.
Famous for its ancient forests, salmon fishing and ospreys, the area around the upper
section of the river known as Strathspey is just as spectacular as the Great Glen to the
west. Strathspey is dominated by the Cairngorms , Britain's most extensive mountain
massif, unique in supporting subarctic tundra on its high plateau.
A string of villages along the river provide useful bases for setting out into the wilder
country, principal among them Aviemore , a rather ugly straggle of housing and hotel

Bloody tales beyond the beauty p.396
The Great Glen Way and cycle path p.397
The West Highland Way p.400
Ascent of Ben Nevis p.401
Downhill mountain biking on the Nevis
Range p.402
Walks around Glen Coe p.405

Nessie p.407
The dolphins of the Moray Firth p.419
Walks around Aviemore p.424
Cairngorms National Park p.425
The Speyside Way p.430
Touring malt whisky country p.431