A week in Glencoe, Scotland
Back in May 2022 I spent a week in Fort William. Scotland is one of my favourite countries in the world, so when my friend Kate suggested we take a trip there together to celebrate the completion of her PhD, I could not say yes fast enough.
We decided to visit the Fort Willaim/Glencoe area, as Kate hadn’t been there before, and I hadn’t been since I was a child. We stayed at the Ben Nevis Holiday park, which was conveniently located for exploring a wide range of places in the area.
We managed to fill a lot of amazing walks into our week, and were blessed with great weather. I think we only had one morning of rain the whole time. Getting to spend a whole week exploring, and hiking, without having to keep all the walks child friendly, was such a treat, and meant we got to see and do so much. A large percentage of our walks were found on the invaluable Walk Highlands website, which should be everyones go to when planning Scotland adventures, and some places we just discovered whilst out exploring, and studying the OS maps.
I’ll keep the words to a minimum, and let the photos do the talking, and show you as best as I could manage, our incredible week in Scotland.
Glencoe
There is so much to see and do in and around Glencoe, but just driving along the road through the valley, is enough to stop you in your tracks. Here are a few shots from the roadside, and from a walk around the Lochan Trails, and exploring The National Trust centre.
Ben Nevis Holiday Park
The holiday park we stayed in was located near to the centre of Fort William, and had easy access to amenities, but it also had the most incredible views, which made you forget you were so close to a town.
Cuil Bay
We saw this beach on the map, and drove there on a whim. The whim paid off.
The Lost Valley
One of the biggest hikes we did, and one we found via Walk Highlands. There was one moment where you had to pull yourself up using a rope that had been installed to keep people safe, and another moment where it took us a while to find out how to cross the river, only to discover we had to jump between some giant rocks to cross it, but despite those slightly heart rate raising moments, it was an incredible walk, and it was so good to get into the mountains.
Mallaig
After a long day out walking we drove to Mallaig and ate our dinner here whilst enjoying the view over to Skye.
Glenfinnan
I had no real expectations for Glenfinnan, not having read Harry Potter or seen the movies, but even without any knowledge of that, it was one of my favourite places we visited. We did a great circular walk, which took us right up to the viaduct and up into the hills, to enjoy the incredible views of the loch. We had arrived a while before the train and there was barely anyone around, and even on a random weekday in May I couldn’t believe just how many people arrived just for that one moment when the train goes by. However, this place is well worth spending a lot more time in, and exploring beyond the viaduct.
Peanmeanach
An epic 4 mile walk to a deserted beach that used to be a village, how can you resist? We were warned the route would be boggy, and we may have taken that warning too lightly, as it was no exageration, but that aside it was a stunning walk, with amazing views throughout, cumilating in walking across a vast open marshland to the most incredible beach with tiny abandoned buildings dotted along the shore. Such an interesting and beautiful place to visit. The only thing that could have made this walk better, was if we’d been met by boat to get a ride back, but despite the long walk back out, it was well worth the visit.
Camusdarach
We drove round to this beach after our walk at Peanmeanach, after a recommendation from a friend. It didn’t disappoint.
Castle Stalker
A perfect pit stop whilst out driving; an epic view and a cafe, how could we resist?
Grey Mares Waterfall
A lovely walk to an impressive waterfall. Kate was brave enough to navigate the ropes and walk out to see it up close!
Loch Linnhe
We drove past this loch most days, but it is well worth parking up to explore it further.
Inchree Falls
A short walk, but a very impressive waterfall.
Steal Falls
We couldn’t decide whether or not to do this walk, as what we’d seen online didn’t make it seem that interesting, but a few people had recommended it so we went for it, and never before has the internet undersold a walk like they have this one. Simply stunning.
And that concludes an amazing week in Scotland. Now time to start planning the next trip!
