The Great Glen - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 179

The Great Glen
The Great Glen, a major geological faultline 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 retreated
only 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. The 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 with some decent places to eat; it's most often used as a springboard to
remoter areas further north. Inevitably, most transport links to the northern Highlands,
including Ullapool, Thurso and the Orkney and Shetland islands, pass through Inverness.
GETTING AROUND THE GREAT GLEN

By car The main A82 road runs the length of the Great
Glen, although relatively high tra c levels mean that it's
not a fast or particularly easy route to drive.
By bus The Great Glen is reasonably well served by
buses, with several daily services between Inverness and
Fort William.
By boat The traditional and most rewarding way to
travel through the Great Glen is by boat: a flotilla of

kayaks, small yachts and pleasure vessels take advantage
of the Caledonian Canal and its old wooden locks during
the summer.
By bike Well-marked routes make it possible to cycle all
the way from Fort William to Inverness.
On foot The 79-mile Great Glen Way links Fort William
with Inverness, and takes five to six days to walk in full
(see box, p.187).

Bloody tales beyond the beauty p.185
The Great Glen Way and cycle path
p.187
Ascent of Ben Nevis p.190
The Commando Trail p.192
Walks around Glen Coe p.193

Valley of Weeping p.194
Nessie p.196
Lots and lots of lochs and locks p.197
The truth about tartan p.203
The dolphins of the Moray Firth p.208