Glen Coe 1.33

Glen Coe is a glen of volcanic origins, in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the north of Argyll, close to the border with Lochaber. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated National Scenic Area of Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. The narrow glen shows a grim grandeur. The glen, approaching from the east on the main A82 road, is surrounded by wild and precipitous mountains. Further west at Invercoe, the landscape has a softer beauty before the main entrance to the glen. The main settlement is the nearby village of Glencoe located at the foot of the glen, near the site of the 1692 Massacre of Glencoe.The Glen is named after the River Coe which runs through it. The name of the river may predate the Gaelic language as its meaning is not known although it is possible that the name stems from an individual personal name, Comhan (genitive Comhain). Another theory gives 'glen of the dogs'.GeographyThe glen is U-shaped, formed by an ice age glacier, about 12.5km long with the floor of the glen being less than 700 m (0.4 miles) wide, narrowing sharply at the Pass of Glen Coe.