Loch Ness and the Scottish Highlands

Background

Loch Ness lies along the Great Glen fault, its northern end about 10 kilometres south-west of Inverness and its southern end at Fort Augustus. It is the largest lake in Scotland, and in the whole UK, by volume: 7.5 cubic kilometres of water, about 37 kilometres long, up to 2.7 kilometres wide, with an area of 56 square kilometres, an average depth of 132 metres and a maximum depth of 229.8 metres. Because the surrounding soil is rich in peat, visibility in the water is extremely low. The ruins of Urquhart Castle stand on the west shore, 2 kilometres east of Drumnadrochit. Glaciers eroded the weak zone of the fault to form the Great Glen and the basins of Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness. At its northern end the loch flows through the Bona Narrows into Loch Dochfour, then by the River Ness through Inverness to the Moray Firth. The lochs are linked by the Caledonian Canal, which connects Inverness on the east coast with the west coast; the canal is 60 miles long, only about one third of it man-made and the rest loch water, and was built in the early 19th century by the Scottish engineer Thomas Telford. Lochside settlements include Lochend at the northern end, Abriachan, Drumnadrochit and Invermoriston on the west shore, Dores and Foyers on the east shore, and Fort Augustus at the southern end. The loch's only island, Cherry Island, is an Iron Age artificial island, originally about 160 by 168 feet, which shrank when the canal works raised the water level; a castle stood on it in the 15th century. Lochend in the north and Fort Augustus in the south each have a lighthouse. Glen Coe lies in the north of Argyll, near the Lochaber boundary, and is now in the Highland council area. It is a glacial U-shaped valley about 12.5 kilometres long, with a floor less than 700 metres wide; the Three Sisters on the south side are shoulders of the Bidean nam Bian massif, and the Aonach Eagach ridge lies to the north. The glen originates in volcanic activity about 420 million years ago and is regarded as one of the best examples of a subsidence caldera. It takes its name from the River Coe, whose meaning is unknown and may predate Gaelic; one suggestion links it to the personal name Comhan, but neither view is settled. Glen Coe is regarded as the home of Scottish mountaineering and is popular with walkers and climbers. It became a national nature reserve in 2017 and lies within the Ben Nevis and Glen Coe National Scenic Area; most of the land is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland, whose visitor centre presents the glen's nature and history.

Local customs

• At Loch Ness, take a cruise on the loch
• visit the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition at Drumnadrochit to learn about the loch's natural history and legends
• take in the view from the ruins of Urquhart Castle
• and drive or ride along the A82 on the west shore. In Glen Coe, drive the A82 through the glen, walk to the Three Sisters viewpoint and learn about nature and history at the National Trust for Scotland visitor centre
• walk and climb within your ability, with route difficulty as shown by official sources and local notices.

Travel tips

• Highland weather changes fast, so bring windproof and waterproof clothing. Opening arrangements for loch cruises and the castle are as officially announced
• when driving the A82, mind single-track passing rules and pedestrians
• in winter some roads and facilities may close, as officially announced.
• Inverness is the gateway to Loch Ness, with trains and long-distance buses, and the A82 runs along the west shore through Drumnadrochit to Fort Augustus
• the A82 also runs north–south through Glen Coe, with long-distance buses from the Glasgow and Inverness directions, with services as officially announced. You can visit all year, with spring to autumn the main season for walking and cruises
• winter days are short, windy and often snowy, so take care walking in the glen
• Highland midges are common in summer, so bring insect protection.