The road to Glasgow
Travel Talk:
The National Trust for Scotland cares for Glencoe National Nature Reserve, a 14,000 acre estate with 60 kilometres of footpaths for you to explore, marvel at the panoramic mountain views and spot internationally-renowned wildlife. Glencoe is a natural wonder, the remnants of a ‘caldera’ or super-volcano, formed many millions of years ago and later shaped by glaciers during numerous Ice Ages. Its history is a poignant one, most famed for the ‘Massacre’ of 1692 and more recently as a playground for pioneering mountaineers and climbers.
Today’s Itinerary
Breakfast
Breakfast will be in the kitchen. Put on the kettle!
Today we drive through Glencoe to Glasgow
Nature at its best, such a beautiful road to drive through the Glen. Travel time to Glasgow is about 4.5 hours without stops and we need to be there before 4:00pm to return the car. So we need to get an early start and keep an eye on the time with our stops.
Glencoe Valley
The valley is named after the River Coe which runs through the Glen. It was once a supervolcano which erupted approximately 420 million years ago. The glen is also the place where the phenomenon of a subsidence caldera was first described. The 12.5 km long and 700 m wide U-shaped glen was further formed by glaciation during the last ice ages.
Massacre of Glencoe
Dad’s ancestor, John MacDonald, came from this area.
Glencoe is also where the Massacre of Glencoe took place on 13 February 1692, following the Jacobite uprising of 1689. Approximately 38 men, women and children from Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were killed that day by government forces to bring Highland clans into line behind King William. This was a horrible crime, made even more so because it was done whilst the redcoat soldiers were enjoying the benefits of the famous Highland hospitality.
The Red Wedding in Game of Thrones has origins in the Glencoe Massacre of 1692, which was a bit of a reversal where it was the guests who massacred their hosts. Captain Robert Campbell, a supporter of the new King of England and Scotland, William III, traveled to Glencoe with his men, seeking the hospitality of the MacDonald clan.
In 1883 a memorial – the Iona Cross – was erected in memory of the clansmen who lost their lives in the massacre.
3 Sisters Viewpoint
The “Three Sisters” also known as Bidean nam Bian Mountain in the Scottish Highlands resides in the Valley Glen off A82 going towards the town of Glencoe northwest of Glasgow and Stirling.
James Bond Skyfall Road
Remember this Skyfall Scotland scene? On the way to Bond’s childhood home!
To find the road in look for the signs to Glen Etive, it’s just before the Glencoe Ski area heading into Glencoe. Go over the next bridge, and it’s only after the sign on your left!
Lunch
Lunch will be somewhere on the road.
Bridge of Orchy
Bridge of Orchy is a tiny settlement that has developed around the point where the old military road to Fort William crossed the River Orchy. This was first built in 1751 by Major Caulfield.
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a lake in southern Scotland. It’s part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. The surrounding highlands area is home to red deer and oak woodlands.
Glasgow
Glasgow is a port city on the River Clyde in Scotland’s western Lowlands. It’s famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, a rich legacy of the city’s 18th–20th-century prosperity due to trade and shipbuilding. Today it’s a national cultural hub, home to institutions including the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and National Theatre of Scotland, as well as acclaimed museums and a thriving music scene.
We will return the car today by 4:00 to the Oswald Street location.
Enterprise Car Rental
40 Oswald St, Glasgow G1 4PL, United Kingdom
Dinner
Dinner will be in Glasgow.
voco Grand Central
Glasgow Central Station, a city landmark since the 19th-century heyday of the railways. The subway is close by, so West End bars, gigs at The SSE Hydro and trade events at the Scottish Exhibition Centre are mere minutes away. And you can hop on the shuttle to Glasgow Airport just a couple of streets over. A short walk takes you to monuments of famous Scots in George Square, or fashion boutiques on The Style Mile.
High ceilings, chandeliers and wood panelling embody the elegance that makes our hotel special. Our magnificent, marble-clad Champagne Central bar is open all day for sharing menus and afternoon tea served with glasses of fizz or artisan cocktails, while The Restaurant offers a hearty Scottish breakfast.