Loch Ness & Glencoe

Loch Ness: Beyond the Monster

Loch Ness is far more than its famous inhabitant. At 230 metres deep, it contains more fresh water than all the lakes of England and Wales combined. The ruined Urquhart Castle on the western shore is one of the most dramatically positioned castles in Scotland, with views down the loch that are genuinely breathtaking. The Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit presents the history of the monster sightings with forensic rigour and considerable entertainment — a genuine must for groups.

The Great Glen Way long-distance walking route follows the full length of the loch from Inverness to Fort William, and sections of this route make excellent half-day walking additions to a coach tour itinerary. The River Moriston gorge near Invermoriston, halfway down the loch, is one of the most beautiful and least-visited natural spots in the Highlands.

Glencoe: Scotland's Most Dramatic Valley

Approaching Glencoe from the east, the road crosses the desolate Rannoch Moor — one of the largest areas of true wilderness in Europe — before entering the valley between the towering Three Sisters of Glencoe and the great mass of Bidean nam Bian. The NTS Glencoe Visitor Centre provides excellent interpretation of both the geology and the 1692 massacre. The Signal Rock at the foot of the valley, traditionally identified as the signal point for the massacre, is a sombre but important historical site.