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Glencoe
is famous for climbing, its scenery and remoteness and of course
its infamous massacre. Glencoe has some excellent easy walking,
hill walking and for the more experienced, climbing. The village
sits on the eastern shore of Loch Leven at the end of the Glen
itself. The main road passes through the glen and along the side
of the village, (please click on view map).
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There
are two main centres which attract climbers in this area,
the Clachaig Inn just up from the village in Glen Coe itself
and also the Kings House Hotel which is to the east of Glen
Coe at the edge of Rannoch Moor but more significantly
within sight of Buchaille Etive Mor, a magnificent climbing
mountain.
Just
across from the Kings House there is Glencoe Mountain
Resort, an exciting snow area for skiing and boarders. The
resort is now an all year round affair offering activities
when the snow has gone. (see
Local Interests)
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courtesy of
Photograph Scotland.com |
There
is now a new visitor centre in Glencoe near the village. Most of
the centre is free of charge. The centre is run by the National
Trust of Scotland and they were perhaps a little insensitive to
the area when the first manager of the new centre in 2002 was a
Campbell.
The
massacre of Glencoe took place in February 1662. There were 38
people put to the sword and perhaps many more died in the winter
of the upper glens after fleeing the scene. It was not the fact
that there were 38 deaths (awful as that is) but the treachery
which has kept this a story known throughout much of the world
today. It was highland tradition to take in any travellers and
give them shelter and food particularly in the winter. At this
time the MacDonalds, as with all clans had been told that they
must swear allegiance to the King. They were given a deadline
that this must be done and the letter had to be delivered to the
Duke of Argyll (a Campbell) in Inveraray. The delivery was a few
hours late and thus the massacre was planned. Of the many
soldiers (perhaps as many as 130)who were sheltered in the glen
by the MacDonalds for a few days, at least 12 were Campbells. |
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