The Great Glen - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 192

the SYHA hostel on t he road to Clachaig Inn . Campfires and
pets permitted. £19 /pitch
Scorry Breac A short walk from the centre of Glencoe
Village, on the north side of the river T 01855 811354,

W scorrybreac.co.uk. Secluded and friendly, Scorry Breac
guesthouse has five affordable en- suite rooms. The best
have views over the mountains. £60

EATING AND DRINKING
Ì Clachaig Inn 2.5 miles south of Glencoe Village on
the minor road off the A82 T 01855 811252, W clachaig
.com. The liveliest, best-known hotel in the area is a great
place to reward your exertions with cask-conditioned ales

and heaped platefuls of food (venison casserole £10.95);
it's an easy stroll away from the campsite and hostel listed
here. Mon-Thurs & Sun 8am-11pm, Fri 8am-midnight,
Sat 8am-11.30pm.

Kinlochleven
At the easternmost end of Loch Leven, the settlement of KINLOCHLEVEN is,
thanks to its location on the West Highland Way, steadily reviving its fortunes.
For many years it was a tourism backwater best known as the site of a huge,
unsightly aluminium smelter built in 1904. The tale of the area's industrial past
is told in The Aluminium Story (same hours as tourist information centre; free),
a small series of displays in the same corrugated-metal building as the post office
and tourist information centre. As well as being close to Glen Coe, Kinlochleven
stands at the foot of the Mamore hills, popular with Munro-baggers; Fort William
is a day's walk away.

3

The Ice Factor
Leven Rd • Mon, Wed & Fri-Sun 9am-7pm, Tues & Thurs 9am-10pm • 2hr 30min ice-climbing course £48 • T 01855 831100,
W ice-factor.co.uk
Kinlochleven's disused aluminium smelter is now the home of an innovative indoor
mountaineering centre called The Ice Factor . The facility includes the world's largest
artificial ice-climbing wall (13.5m) as well as a range of more traditional climbing
walls plus equipment rental, and a steam room and sauna. There's a bar upstairs and
food is available.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION KINLOCHLEVEN

By bus The hourly #44 bus from Fort William runs to the
centre of Kinlochleven (50min), passing Glencoe (15min)
en route.
Tourist information In The Aluminium Story building on
Linnhe Rd, in the centre of the village (Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri

9am-12.30pm & 1.30-5.30pm, Wed & Sat 9am-1pm;
T 01855 831021). Staff at the combined post o ce, museum
and information point can give tips on local attractions.
Look out for the useful leaflet, published by Kinlochleven
Community Trust, which details local walking routes.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Blackwater Hostel Beside the river on Lab Rd
T 01855 831253, W blackwaterhostel.co.uk. A deci-
dedly upmarket hostel, with en-suite dorms and Hobbit-
sized two-bed “micro l odges” available for ren t. You can
als o camp here. Dorms £16.50 ; micro lodge £35 ; camping
£7 /person
Edencoille Guest House Garbhein Rd T 01855
831358, W kinlochlevenbedandbreakfast.co.uk. There's
fine hospitality at this Edwardian-built house where, with
notice, they can organize pac ked lunches, evening meals
and guided walking trips. £72
Lochleven Seafood Café A few miles west of
Kinlochleven on the B836 (north side of the

loch) T 01855 821048, W lochlevenseafoodcafe.co
.uk. The best place to eat near Kinlochleven, this is a
relaxed restaurant with an attractive outdoor terrace.
Specializes in local shellfish such as whole brown crab
cooked in sea water (£12.75). Daily noon-3pm &
6-9pm.
MacDonald Hotel Fort William Rd T 01855 831539,
W macdonaldhotel.co.uk. This central hotel has ten
reasonable en-suite bedrooms, but is best visited for its
Bothy Bar , where you can join fellow walkers for fish
and chips (£8.90) and other pub meals. Bar: Mon-Wed
12.30-11.30pm, Thu rs-Sat 12.30pm-12.30am, Sun
12.30-11.15pm. £84