When I told my neighbour that my brother and I were driving to Fort William from Glasgow to climb Ben Nevis, she told me that a spectacular drive laid ahead for us, with Glencoe being the big highlight.
Sure enough, my neighbour wasn’t wrong. The vista opened out to deep valleys, steep peaks and endless lush greenery at every corner and crevice. If paradise were a single place on earth, this was it for me.
We wanted nothing more than to pull up the car and go running for the hills. But we couldn’t release our inner Julie Andrews just yet, we had Ben to climb and we were already running late.
We told ourselves that we’d try and visit afterwards, but this was only to make ourselves feel better. Realistically we knew the chances were slim because we had a pretty tight itinerary, with separate trips on the cards to the Isle of Kerrera and the Isle of Mull. At best, we’d be able to stop to take a few photos.
Glencoe: a back-up plan
I’ve always been fond of the proverbial saying ‘every cloud has a sliver lining’, and this proved especially true on the day we were supposed to be catching the ferry to the Isle of Mull so we could enjoy a wildlife boat trip that I had booked with an excursion company a couple of weeks prior.
However, through all the planning, which had gone smoothly so far, we realised we had forgotten one important thing. In order to get to the Isle of Mull, we should have booked a place on the ferry with our hire-car. We looked at the ferry departures the night before and all the tickets were sold out. This meant we couldn’t reach the island so the tour we had booked was essentially a write off.
We were pretty bummed about the situation. The tour was our biggest expenditure of the trip, and the treat we’d given ourselves for climbing Ben Nevis, but not one to wallow on our mistakes for too long we searched for a plan B.
What would we do with our spare day? You guessed it. We jumped in the car and headed towards Glencoe, the slice of paradise we had only the pleasure of driving through a couple of day earlier and wanted desperately to explore.
Low-down of the walk
Start/Finish: Glencoe Car Park
How to get there: Along the A82 the car park is on the right of the road, when you come in from Glencoe. For such a stunning attraction the car park is rather small and we had to wait around for a few minutes until some left so we could swiftly manoeuvre into the newly available space.
Distance: 3.5 miles (or longer depending how far you head into the lost valley before returning back the way you came)
Time to complete: 2 – 2.5 hrs (though might be longer if you tend to stop a lot for photos)
Terrain: The trail surface on this hike varies quite a bit, but it’s mostly over gravel with rocks sticking out, or over large rocks which have steps cut into them.
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
The Lost Valley walking route in Glencoe
The Three Sisters are a beautiful set of three side-by-side peaks in the Glencoe Valley. The Lost Valley walk allows you to explore between two of them (Beinn Fhada and Gear Aonachand) to appreciate their magnificence.
It’s one of the few moderate walks in Glencoe as most of the others are to the summits of the peaks. If we’d had more time, it would’ve been great to ascend one of summits.
We had opted to visit Castle Stalker in the morning and didn’t arrive in Glencoe until the afternoon. Anyway, my thighs were still fairly beat up after trudging up Scotland’s highest peak.
Start of the trail
The walk begins from the parking lot for the viewpoint of the famous Glencoe Three Sisters. The path leads off to the left where you’ll descend down a metal staircase and across a bridge over the river Coe.
The ascent out of the gorge is on a rocky staircase. A rope has been secured along the wall to help you on the way up before emerging out through a wooden gate. This is probably the trickiest part of the walk, and although it continues uphill it’s smooth and easy going from here.
The path up to the Lost Valley never fell short of looking like a children’s storybook. In this section, it’s not about the dramatic panoramas, but rather the smaller details. The nature is so delicate with tiny white and yellow flowers springing up on the path and between the rocks.
It’s the kind of wholesome scenery that takes you back to being a child again. A time when there’s so much wonder in nature.
We continued past a few sections of easy scrambling. Making sure to keep a steady foot as we meandered between boulders, pretty flowers, and steams.
The River Coe
We stopped at a scenic spot by a waterfall to relax. We dipped our feet in the water and refilled up our water bottles in the River Coe. The weather was hot but the temperature was thankfully offset by the river breeze and shade from the trees.
The most thrilling part came when we had to carefully navigate ourselves across five or six stepping stones to reach the other side of the River Coe.
I tried to jump from stone-to-stone as gently as possible but my feet still got partially wet. The water rose higher than some of the stepping stones. For this reason you might decide it better to just take off your footwear and wade alongside them.
Actually, it’s a good idea to pack some waterproof handle sandals. I’ve got some amazing ones by Teva, but I’d left them at home. Doh!
Be careful!
If the water is more than knee-deep, crossing should not be attempted.
Up to the valley
Once you reach the other side, follow the cobbled stairs upwards to reach the valley where you can enjoy the fantastic views of high peaks around you.
Wander to the end of the valley and have a little rest. If the whether is nice, it’s also a great place to stop for a picnic before returning back the way you came.
Final thoughts…
While Glencoe was initially a back up plan, it turned out to be one of our favourite places in Scotland. In the end, we didn’t mind that our trip to the Isle of Mull was cancelled. It gives us another reason to return to this region anyway. I would also LOVE to return back to Glencoe.
There’s still so much to see and many more walking path to explore. I’ve only just scratched the surface. Glencoe really is one of the prettiest places across the whole of the UK and I’d recommend the Lost Valley Walk to anyone. It’s not hard, but still satisfying enough to feel like you deserve a rest and a hearty dinner afterwards!
Where to stay
Glencoe Village is the heart of the Glencoe area. It provides easy access to the region’s hiking trails and stunning landscapes. For a bit of culture step inside Glencoe Folk Museum. For more hikes in the area, I also recommend the Pap of Glencoe!
If you’re after luxury, look no further than Glencoe House. This luxurious boutique hotel is tucked away in a quiet spot nearby the centre of town. An impressive hotel set in a historic mansion against a back drop of mountains and Loch Leven. The only problem is, you’ll never want to leave.
Would you like to visit Glencoe in Scotland?
If you’re planning a trip to Scotland and want to see beyond the capital city, take a look at these blogs and guides below for inspiration.
- Climbing Ben Nevis – the tallest mountain in the UK
- Street art in Glasgow
- Leakey’s Bookshop in Inverness – a church full of books!
- 10 fabulous things to do in Edinburgh
- Enchanting views from the Isle of Kerrera
2 responses
What a cool hike. If you have the chance anytime, there is another great one on the Nortwest, Sandwood Bay. It is amazing to sleep there.
Is in your bucket list?
Regards
great write up, thanks!