SIMON BALDWIN travels from one side of Scotland’s coast to the other by taking a fascinating and stimulating route
The Great Glen. The very name conjures up images of heather-clad slopes and still, dark waters of fresh and seawater lochs. Take a look at any map of the UK and the Glen is one of the most obvious natural landmarks – agiant scar that’s visible from space, seemingly splitting Scotland in two.
For those who love their geology, step back some 400 million years or so when the very land mass of the islands we call home was as shifting sands…the north west of what is now Scotland moving in an opposite, diagonal direction to the land to the south east. The resulting ‘fault’ has since been subjected to millennia of weathering, not least of all the last ice age, creating a coast-to-coast ‘valley’ that’s just waiting to be explored.
The official route of the Great Glen Way takes visitors from Fort William in the south west to Inverness in the north east. As lovers of the coast, we’ll make the most by starting and ending our journey of discovery a little further out - at both ends.
Fort William is at the eastern end of Loch Linnhe - the sea loch at the opening to the Great Glen. And right in the middle of the loch is Lismore, a ten-mile long inner Hebridean isle.
Many will bypass this island beauty in their rush to get to more popular destinations in the area, but it is well worth taking time to visit. The shortest ferry route is but a ten-minute hop from Port Appin and when you arrive, you won’t be disappointed.
Lismore offers visitors an abundance of places to walk, cycle, paddle and picnic, with stunning views across open waters to mountains and breathtaking vistas on all sides.
Back on the mainland, head north east from Port Appin along the south shore of Loch Linnhe to join the A82 at Ballachulish – and then on, hugging the loch shore, until you reach Fort William. You can travel along the northern shore, but this relies on the Corran Ferry – aroute that has been out of action this year through mechanical issues – and results in a longer, more twisty route through to Fort William.
Neath the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest peak, this is the official starting point of the 79-mile-long Great Glen Way. Many walk the route and there are numerous sites, pamphlets, and guide books to help you plan your way. Most will recommend you allow between four to seven days – and there are opportunities aplenty to stop off and explore the communities scattered along the Glen.
If donning your boots, you’re in for mainly low-level walking on wellsignposted roads, tracks and towpaths – the latter thanks to the engineering genius
