Great Glen
Encyclopedia
The Great Glen also known as Glen Albyn (Gleann Albainn - the Glen of Scotland) or Glen More is a series of glen
s in Scotland
running 100 kilometres from Inverness
on the Moray Firth
, to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe
.
The Great Glen follows a large geological fault known as the Great Glen Fault
. It bisects the Scottish Highlands
into the Grampian Mountains
to the southeast and the Northwest Highlands
to the northwest.
The Glen is a natural travelling route in the Highlands
of Scotland, which is used by both the Caledonian Canal
and A82 road
, which link the city of Inverness
on the east coast with Fort William
on the West. The Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway
was built in 1896 from the southern end of the glen to the southern end of Loch Ness
, but was never extended to Inverness. The railway finally closed in 1947.
A recent development has been to open a long-distance route for cyclists and walkers. Called the Great Glen Way it links Fort William to Inverness. Clearly marked along the way, connecting a series of footpaths, forestry tracks, canal paths with the occasional stretch of road The Great Glen Way was officially opened on 30 April 2002 by HRH The Duke of York
, Earl of Inverness.
Its strategic importance in controlling the Highland Scottish clan
s, particularly around the time of the Jacobite uprisings
of the 18th century, is recognised by the presence of the towns of Fort William in the south, Fort Augustus
in the middle of the Glen, and Fort George
, just to the north of Inverness.
Much of the Glen is taken up with a series of lochs, with rivers connecting them. The Caledonian Canal
also uses the lochs as part of the route, but the rivers are not navigable.
From northeast to southwest, the natural water features along the Great Glen are:
The watershed
, or water-divide, lies between Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. Loch Linnhe to the south of Fort William is a sea-loch into which both the River Lochy and Caledonian Canal emerge. At the north end, the River Ness empties into the Moray Firth.
Glen
A glen is a valley, typically one that is long, deep, and often glacially U-shaped; or one with a watercourse running through such a valley. Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower than a strath."...
s in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
running 100 kilometres from Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
on the Moray Firth
Moray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
, to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe
Loch Linnhe
Loch Linnhe is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland....
.
Great Glen Fault
The Great Glen Fault is a long strike-slip fault that runs through its namesake the Great Glen in Scotland. However, the fault is actually much longer and over 400 million years old.-Location:...
. It bisects the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
into the Grampian Mountains
Grampian Mountains (Scotland)
The Grampian Mountains or Grampians are one of the three major mountain ranges in Scotland, occupying a considerable portion of the Scottish Highlands in northeast Scotland.-Extent:...
to the southeast and the Northwest Highlands
Northwest Highlands
The Northwest Highlands are the northern third of Scotland that is separated from the Grampian Mountains by the Great Glen . The region comprises , Assynt, Caithness and Sutherland. The Caledonian Canal, which extends from Loch Linnhe in the west, via Loch Ness to the Moray Firth in the north...
to the northwest.
The Glen is a natural travelling route in the Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
of Scotland, which is used by both the Caledonian Canal
Caledonian Canal
The Caledonian Canal is a canal in Scotland that connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach near Fort William. It was constructed in the early nineteenth century by engineer Thomas Telford, and is a sister canal of the Göta Canal in Sweden, also constructed by...
and A82 road
A82 road
The A82 is a trunk road in Scotland. It is the principal route from Lowland Scotland to the western Scottish Highlands, running from Glasgow to Inverness, going by Loch Lomond, Glen Coe and Fort William. It is the second longest primary A-road in Scotland after the A9, which is the other...
, which link the city of Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
on the east coast with Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
on the West. The Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway
Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway
The Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway was a branch-line railway built in Scotland, and served by the Highland Railway, the North British Railway and later the London & North Eastern Railway- Beginnings :...
was built in 1896 from the southern end of the glen to the southern end of Loch Ness
Loch Ness
Loch Ness is a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. Its surface is above sea level. Loch Ness is best known for the alleged sightings of the cryptozoological Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as "Nessie"...
, but was never extended to Inverness. The railway finally closed in 1947.
A recent development has been to open a long-distance route for cyclists and walkers. Called the Great Glen Way it links Fort William to Inverness. Clearly marked along the way, connecting a series of footpaths, forestry tracks, canal paths with the occasional stretch of road The Great Glen Way was officially opened on 30 April 2002 by HRH The Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, Earl of Inverness.
Its strategic importance in controlling the Highland Scottish clan
Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
s, particularly around the time of the Jacobite uprisings
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
of the 18th century, is recognised by the presence of the towns of Fort William in the south, Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus is a settlement in the Scottish Highlands, at the south west end of Loch Ness. The village has a population of around 646 ; its economy is heavily reliant on tourism....
in the middle of the Glen, and Fort George
Fort George, Highland
Fort George , is a large 18th century fortress near Ardersier, to the north-east of Inverness in the Highland council area of Scotland. It was built to pacify the Scottish Highlands in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745, replacing an earlier Fort George built with the same aim after the...
, just to the north of Inverness.
Much of the Glen is taken up with a series of lochs, with rivers connecting them. The Caledonian Canal
Caledonian Canal
The Caledonian Canal is a canal in Scotland that connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach near Fort William. It was constructed in the early nineteenth century by engineer Thomas Telford, and is a sister canal of the Göta Canal in Sweden, also constructed by...
also uses the lochs as part of the route, but the rivers are not navigable.
From northeast to southwest, the natural water features along the Great Glen are:
- River NessRiver NessThe River Ness is a river flowing from Loch Ness in Scotland, north to Inverness and the Moray Firth. On a hill above the river in Inverness stands Inverness Castle. The river is overlooked by the Eden Court Theatre, one of the largest theatres in Scotland. St. Andrews Cathedral also lies along...
- Loch Dochfour
- Loch NessLoch NessLoch Ness is a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. Its surface is above sea level. Loch Ness is best known for the alleged sightings of the cryptozoological Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as "Nessie"...
- River Oich
- Loch OichLoch OichLoch Oich is a freshwater loch in the Highlands of Scotland which forms part of the Caledonian Canal, of which it is the highest point. This narrow loch lies between Loch Ness and Loch Lochy in the Great Glen...
- Loch LochyLoch LochyLoch Lochy is a large freshwater loch in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. With a mean depth of , it is the third deepest loch of Scotland.-Geography:...
- River Lochy
- Loch LinnheLoch LinnheLoch Linnhe is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland....
The watershed
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
, or water-divide, lies between Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. Loch Linnhe to the south of Fort William is a sea-loch into which both the River Lochy and Caledonian Canal emerge. At the north end, the River Ness empties into the Moray Firth.