With clouds low in the sky we thought it best to start our day at Glencoe. Here is a U-shaped glacial valley with dramatic vistas. We made for a short hike, about an hour and a half, to a bridge overlooking a river.
Our next stop was the Glencoe visitor center where there is an exhibit of a turff house, the kind of home that would have been used by the inhabitants of the valley for many generations. This is a recreation based on archeological and literary research. There is also a small museum with exhibits about the valley and a short video narrating the story of the Glencoe massacre in the 17th century. The MacDonalds who had opposed the new king in favor of the Jacobite cause had missed his opportunity to swear allegiance to the king. The king declared they should be wiped out. So, according to the video, in the winter of 1692 the MacDonalds had welcomed the Earl of Argyle’s contingent to their homes and gave them hospitality for 12 days, after which, in the evening of the 13th day, the Earl’s men slaughtered the MacDonalds driving many into the mountains where they later died from exposure to the cold.
Next, we headed for Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles. There is a gondola that takes you to the top, where surprisingly there are ski lifts. We got to the top, but none of the lifts were open. So took a hike up to the top of another hill for the views of the valley below. The wind was wicked and made it cold and difficult on the rocky path, but we persevered.
