Beyond the small village of Glencoe at the western end of the glen, the glen itself (a property of the National Trust for Scotland since the 1930s) is virtually uninhabited, and provides outstanding climbing and walking. Enlightening ranger-led guided walks leave from the visitor centre a mile south of the village., which also has an exhibition with a balanced account of the massacre alongside some entertaining material on rock and hill-climbing down the years. A cabin area provides information on the local weather and wildlife, and a café sells good cakes.
Walks around Glen Coe
A good introduction to the splendours of Glen Coe is the half-day hike over the Devil’s Staircase, which follows part of the old military road that once ran between Fort William and Stirling. The trail, part of the West Highland Way, starts at the village of Kinlochleven and is marked by thistle signs, which lead uphill to the 1804ft pass and down the other side into Glen Coe.
Set right in the heart of the glen, the half-day Allt Coire Gabhail hike starts at the car park opposite the distinctive Three Sisters massif on the main A82. This explores the so-called “Lost Valley” where the Clan MacDonald fled and hid their cattle when attacked. Once in the valley, there are superb views of the upper slopes of Bidean nan Bian, Gearr Aonach and Beinn Fhada, which improve as you continue on to its head, another twenty- to thirty-minute walk.
