Page 140 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Scotland
P. 140
138 SC O TLAND REGION B Y REGION THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS 139
e Ben Nevis through the lush
landscape of Glen
Lochaber. 3 Fort William. @ Glen
Nevis. n Glen Nevis Visitor Centre, Glen Nevis may be more
Nevis (01397) 705922. Open summer: reward ing than
8:30am–6pm; spring and autumn: making an ascent,
9am–5:30pm; winter: 9am–3pm. 7 which will reveal little
more at the summit
With its summit in cloud for than a ruined observ
about nine days out of ten, and atory and memorials
capable of develop ing blizzard testi fying to the
conditions at any time of the tragic deaths of
year, Britain’s high est mountain walkers and climbers.
is a mishmash of metamorphic North of Ben Nevis,
and volcanic rocks. The sheer the Nevis Range
northeastern face poses a tech Gondola gives
nical chal lenge to experienced access to a ski centre,
rock climbers. By contrast, thou restaurant and other
sands of visitors each year make Ben Nevis as seen from the northwest facilities, all situated
their way to the peak via a at 650 m (2,130 ft).
relatively gentle, but long and Ben Nevis Race. On one of the
stony, western path. Motorbikes, rare fine days, visitors who make Nevis Range Gondola
The Three Sisters, Glencoe, rising majestically in the late autumn sunshine even cars, have ascended via their way to the summit will be Off A82, Torlundy. Tel (01397) 705825.
this path, and runners pound up rewarded with breathtaking Open 10am–5pm daily (weather
q Glencoe mountaineers. Against a backdrop in Britain. A dramatic way to and down it during the annual views. On a cloudy day, a walk permitting). ∑ nevisrange.co.uk
of craggy peaks and the tumbling view it is from the chairlift at
Lochaber. 3 Fort William. @
Glencoe. n NTS Visitor Centre, River Coe, the Glen offers superb the Glencoe Mountain resort. Climbing Ben Nevis
Glencoe (01855) 811307. Open Apr– hill walking. Stout footwear, To the southwest, a minor road Tips for Walkers
Oct: 9:30am–5:30pm daily; Nov–Mar: waterproofs and attention to leads down beautiful Glen Etive The main path up Ben Nevis, called the Old Bridle Path, starts in Glen
10am–4pm Thu–Sun. & - 7 = safety warnings are essential. to the head of Loch Etive. This Nevis. Numerous visitors each year are lulled into a false sense of security Starting Point 1: Visitor Centre.
∑ nts.org.uk Details of routes, ranging from impressive sea loch eventually by mild weather conditions in the Glen, occasionally with fatal results. You Starting Point 2: Achintee.
an easy walk in the vicinity of emerges on the coast at the must wear stout footwear (not trainers) and take a hat, gloves and Starting Point 3: 400 m (440 yds)
Renowned for its awesome Signal Rock (from which the signal Connel Bridge north of Oban. enough layers of clothing to allow for subzero tempera tures at the top, beyond campsite (very limited
scenery and savage history, was given to commence the At the Ballachulish Bridge a even on a summer day. Also take plenty of food and drink and an parking).
Glencoe was compared by massacre) to a stiff 10km (6mile) side road branches to Kinloch Ordnance Survey map and compass, because it is very easy to lose the Length: 16 km (10 miles); 6–8
hours average for round trip.
Dickens to “a burial ground of haul up the Devil’s Staircase can leven. This village, at the head of path in cloudy or snowy conditions, especially when starting the descent. Weather Information:
a race of giants”. The precip itous be had from the Visitor Centre. a long attractive loch, com bines Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. ∑ mwis.org.uk
cliffs of Buachaille Etive Mor and Guided walks are offered in sum two contrasting images of Level: moderate difficulty on a
the knifeedged ridge of Aonach mer by the NTS Ranger Service. dramatic mountains and an To Fort William dry day with broken cloud, but
Eagach present a formidable East of Glencoe lies Rannoch austere aluminium works. prone to rapid weather change;
challenge even to experienced Moor, one of the emptiest areas extremely difficult in snow.
Glencoe Mountain
Kingshouse, Glencoe. Tel (01855)
The Massacre of Glencoe 851226. Open daily. & 7 limited. To northeast face
In 1692, the chief of the Glencoe MacDonalds was five days late in ∑ glencoemountain.co.uk Achintee Loch Meall
House
registering an oath of submission to William III, giving the government
an excuse to root out a nest of Jacobite supporters. For ten days 130
soldiers, captained by Robert Campbell, were hospitably entertained w Fort William G
by the unsuspecting MacDonalds. At dawn on 13 February, in a terrible Lochaber * 10,000. 3 @ n (01397) L
breach of trust, the soldiers fell on their hosts, kill ing some 38 701801. ∑ visitscotland.com Glen E
N
MacDonalds. Many more died in Nevis N
their wintry mountain hideouts. Fort William, one of the major House E
The mas sacre, unsurprisingly, towns on the west coast, is V BEN NEVIS
I
became a political scandal, noted not for its looks but for S 1,345 m
though there were to be J (4,411 ft)
no official reprimands its location at the foot of Ben Nevis Forest River Nevis
for three years. Nevis. The Jacobite Steam Train
runs the magical route from
Detail of The Massacre here to Mallaig (see p141),
of Glencoe by James as do ordinary trains.
Hamilton To Glen Nevis walk
Jacobite Steam Train
3 Fort William. Tel (01524) 732100.
Departs 10:15am & 2:30pm; May, Jun & Key 0 metres 1,000
Oct: Mon–Fri; late Jun–late Sep: daily. Old Bridle Path 0 yards 1,000
∑ westcoastrailways.co.uk Minor road
For hotels and restaurants see pp176–7 and pp187–9 For additional map symbols see back flap
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