Top 9 Places to See in Glencoe, Scottish Highlands

How does an unforgettable drive through the stunning Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands sound?

As one of the classic Highland journeys, Glencoe has just about everything a person could want including iconic filming locations, important historical events, and jaw-dropping landscapes. I promise that driving along the A82 will be a journey that you’ll always remember.

If you’d like to see our road trip around Glencoe along with some amazing drone footage then make sure to watch our YouTube video by clicking here. You can also watch our full West Scotland Series by clicking here.

All You Need to Know About Glencoe

Glen Coe is a stunning valley located in the Scottish Highlands with the A82 road running through it. Glencoe, written as one word, is actually the village which is the main settlement in Glen Coe. 

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. 

Glencoe is designated as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In addition, it’s also classed as a Category IV protected area by the IUCN.

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.

In 1883 a memorial – the Iona Cross – was erected in memory of the clansmen who lost their lives in the massacre. 

The mixture of the glen’s historical events, breathtaking scenery and relatively easy access to walking and hiking routes makes Glencoe a very popular tourist destination.

9 Places to See and Things to Do in Glencoe

Below are 9 beautiful places you should try to see when driving through Glencoe along the A82. These places are easily doable in one day. However, if you have more time, I highly recommend spending a few more days in the area and completing a couple of hiking trails.

If you don’t have your own vehicle then make sure to hire a car to enjoy the freedom of driving around Glencoe.

1. Take a Walk at Glencoe Lochan Woodland

About Glencoe Lochan

The best place to start your road trip through Glencoe is at Glencoe Lochan. The woodland is located just to the north of Glencoe village.

Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona, bought the Glencoe Estate in 1895 after Archibald Burns McDonald put the land up for sale. After his purchase, he moved back to Scotland from Canada with his Canadian wife, Isabella. Shortly after the relocation, Isabella started to suffer from homesickness, so Smith decided to plant trees from the Pacific Northwest of Canada to ease his wife’s depression. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help Isabella’s homesickness and as a result of that they moved back to Canada. After their departure, the land was transformed into a park, offering a few different walking trails to its visitors.

How to get to Glencoe Lochan?

By Car: From the A82, drive along the Gleann Comhann road and over the River Coe Bridge. Just after the bridge there will be a sign towards Glencoe Lochan on your left (SatNav: PH49 4HT). Follow this road until you get to the car park. 

You can park here free of charge.

By Public Transport: You can visit Glencoe Lochan by public transport. There are bus stops located along the A82 at the edge of Glencoe Village. Buses provide services to destinations such as Fort William, Glasgow and the Isle of Skye. From the bus stop, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to walk to Glencoe Lochan. 

Glencoe Lochan Woodland Trails

There are 3 different walking trails you can choose from as follows:

1. Lochan Trail – 1.6 km (1 mile) easy trail around the lake. It can be completed within half an hour.
2. Mountain Trail – 1.6 km (1 mile) strenuous trail which can be completed in about 45 minutes. 
3. Woodland Trail – 1.6 km (1 mile) strenuous trail through North American conifers. It can be completed in about 45 minutes.

For the best experience, I recommend combining all three paths and doing a slightly bigger circular loop. Please refer to the map above for the walking trail (Blue Route). 

2. Explore An Torr and the History of Signal Rock

About An Torr and the Signal Rock

Located only a short drive from Glencoe Lochan, the next stop on your Glencoe road trip should be An Torr. It is a mixed woodland owned by the National Trust for Scotland.

An Torr’s most popular feature is Signal Rock. It’s a stone outcrop whose original name translates to ‘Knoll of the Sun’. The rock is believed to have been used by the druids as a site for worshipping the sun. Although it was probably a fantastic location for watching the rising and setting of the sun, today it’s a bit overgrown with very minimal views. 

However, Signal Rock is perhaps more famous because of its link to the Glencoe Massacre. According to legend, Signal Rock is the location from where the signal was given at 5AM on 13 February 1692 to begin the massacre. Experts, on the other hand, claim that there’s no evidence to support this legend.

How to get to An Torr?

By Car: Coming from Glencoe Lochan, drive back to the A82 through Glencoe village and then carry on along the A82 to the east. Take the road on your left which will be signposted to An Torr & Signal Rock (SatNav: PH49 4LA). You can then park for free in the car park. 

An Torr Circular Walk

There is a fantastic and easy circular route you can take to explore An Torr and Signal Rock. The trail we decided to do leaves An Torr for a short while and leads you to Hagrid’s Hut which you can read more about below. Please refer to the map above for our chosen walking trail (Red Route).

From the car park, follow the trail that leads you to a bridge that crosses the River Coe. This section of the walk is probably the most picturesque spot. You’ll have a dreamy view of Sgorr nam Fiannaidh to your left and  Bidean nam Bian to your right. You can also walk down to the river if you wish and have a picnic if the weather is nice.

From the bridge, the trail will make you climb a bit higher before it splits. I recommend taking the left fork at this point and following the signs towards Signal Rock. You’ll walk through a coniferous plantation to Signal Rock and you’ll have some great views of Meall Mor in front of you. 

Signal Rock will be clearly signposted. It’s now a bit overgrown which unfortunately covers the views, so probably not the best sunset/sunrise spot any longer. From here, you have to walk back to the first cross roads and take the left if you’d like to visit Hagrid’s Hut. (Please see detailed route below.) If you’re not interested, you can then walk back a bit further to the next fork and take the left to do a circular walk within An Torr. Both paths will eventually lead you back to the car park.

3. Take a Visit to Hagrid’s Hut

About Hagrid’s Hut

Located to the north of An Torr just above the Old Glencoe Road is the famous filming location of Hagrid’s Hut from the Harry Potter movies.

The Scottish Highlands is definitely full of Harry Potter filming locations, so no surprise that the filming crew used Glencoe for a number of shots too. Glencoe in particular was featured in scenes from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. 

The most recognizable scene from this area is definitely the location that was used for Hagrid’s Hut in the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie. The filming took place between May and June back in 2003. They built the hut with the pumpkin patch, gate house, bridge and sundial stone circle. I’m sure if you’ve seen the movie you’ll remember the scene where Hermione punches Draco at the sundial stone circle. Or the pumpkin patch where Buckbeak was kept just before he was rescued. Yes, they were all filmed at this stunning location.

Obviously the set was taken down, but if you use your imagination you can definitely feel like you’re part of the movie.

How to get to Hagrid’s Hut

Please refer to the map above for directions to Hagrid’s Hut (Red Route).

After visiting Signal Rock in An Torr, head back to the first fork and take the left. Follow this path all the way to Old Glencoe Road. This means that you’ll have to leave An Torr for a short while. Cross the road and carry on along the footpath on the other side of the road. 

Whilst Hagrid’s Hut will be just above where this footpath starts, you’ll have to walk a bit further alongside the road first. The path will eventually curve upwards on your left. Follow this path until you reach the viewpoint. You might see some potential paths leading further up, but you don’t want to get too much higher. The scene should be pretty much level with the few trees on your right. 

Luckily we had the whole place to ourselves, so we enjoyed the views here and had some snacks before we carried on. I think even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan, it’s worth the little detour for the magnificent views.

If you’re ready to leave, head back towards the Old Glencoe Road and carry on along the path for a bit longer. On the other side of the road, you should see a gate signposted as An Torr. Cross the road and follow the path through An Torr all the way to the car park.

4. Admire the View from Loch Achtriochtan

From An Torr, your next stop should be Loch Achtriochtan. It’s only a very short drive from An Torr, so if you wish you can even use the footpath that runs alongside the A82 to get there. If you decide to walk, then your first stop will be Coe River Waterfall, before you have to cross the main road to reach Loch Achtriochtan. 

If you decide to drive then you can park just off the A82 on your right (SatNav: PH49 4HX). The loch is owned by the National Trust for Scotland. In the 18th century the nearby inhabitants had to leave the area because the small pool of fresh water flooded. The area couldn’t be more picturesque with the small Achnambeithach Cottage, the Three Sisters to the south and Sgorr nam Fiannaidh and Stob Coire Leith to the north of the loch. 

Once you’ve taken enough photos of the landscape I suggest crossing the A82 and walking to Coe River Waterfall.

5. Check Out the Picturesque Coe River Waterfall

From this car park cross the A82 and head down Old Glencoe Road for about 300m until you come to the spectacular Coe River Waterfall. 

I guess it’s as good a time as any to talk a little bit more about the River Coe, the river that Glen Coe was named after. The 6km long river rises from its source at the base of Buachaille Etive Beag. It then runs through Loch Achtriochtan before it turns north west. Along its way through the U-shaped glen, the river provides us with some dramatic waterfalls such as Coe River Waterfall or the Meeting of Three Waters. At the end, River Coe drains into Loch Leven in Glencoe village.

Again, the scenery is just amazing at Coe River Waterfall, with the combination of the waterfall and the Three Sisters in the background.

You can spend as long or as little time here as you wish before you walk back to your car the same way you came. 

6. Admire the View of the Three Sisters

A bit further up the road your next stop should definitely be the Three Sisters car park (SatNav: PH50 4SE). From here you get incredible views of the three ridges – Aonach Dubh, Beinn Fhada and Gearr Aonach – that have come to be known as the Three Sisters. They are all part of the Bidean nam Bian mountain which is the highest mountain in Argyll county. 

Did you know? – Beinn Fhada is separated from Gearr Aonach by Coire Gabhail. Coire Gabhail is a glen that’s more commonly known as the Hidden or Lost Valley. This wide flat area was a place where Clan Macdonald hid their livestock from raiders, or hid the ones they stole from others. 

Top Tip – Unfortunately we didn’t have time, but if you have a bit longer, I highly recommend completing some walking trails around the Three Sisters. You can take an easier trail or even climb one of the peaks if you’re an experienced hiker. Please note that you might need to plan your day accordingly if you’re planning on hiking more in the area. 

7. Stop by at Meeting of Three Waters

Your final stop along Glencoe should be at the Meeting of Three Waters which is a waterfall located at the base of the Three Sister’s. This spot is also known as the Pass of Glencoe. 

As you probably guessed from the name, the water at this point is collected from three different sources before running towards Loch Achtriochtan to the west.

There is a small layby you can park in (SatNav: PH50 4SQ) and a viewing area next to the road approximately 20m from the car park. 

Did you know? – This waterfall was actually used as the location for The Bridge of Death and The Gorge of Eternal Peril in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail!

8. Have an Unforgettable Drive Along Glen Etive

Whilst you’ve come to the end of Glencoe, your road trip shouldn’t finish just yet. There’s another spectacular glen waiting for you to explore called Glen Etive.

Although the Glen Etive road isn’t a very long one, it is filled with natural beauty. As you turn onto the road from the A82, two iconic mountains will welcome you called Buachaille Etive Mor and Buachaille Etive Beag. They’re also known as the ‘Herdsmen of Etive’. During the first part of the drive you’ll follow the banks of the River Etive. The river rises within the surrounding Rannoch Moor, meandering through Glen Etive before it flows into Loch Etive. It’s actually a very popular whitewater kayaking spot.

You can stop at Etive Mor Waterfall which is a picturesque waterfall right next to the road. 

Did you know? – Both Glen Etive and Loch Etive were used as a filming location in both Part I and Part II of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Loch Etive was the spot where the well-known trio landed after jumping off the back of the dragon after their successful escape from Gringotts. The area was also used as the location where the three of them camped in Part I of the movie. 

Top Tip – This area is the perfect place to wild camp, especially if you’re planning on completing a few hiking trails either in Glencoe or Glen Etive. 

9. Check Out the Famous Skyfall Location at Glen Etive

The stunning Glen Etive attracted other iconic movies for filming locations such as James Bond: Skyfall.

Ian Fleming had a lodge in this incredible glen and the road was used as a feature location in the 2012 production. Although you might instantly recognise the location where Agent 007 and his beloved M stopped on the way to Bond’s home, we had a little trouble locating the exact spot. Everything is just so beautiful here that it’s easy to get caught admiring the views and completely miss the location. 

Please note that the photo above is not the exact location, as we realised later on. After a little internet search I found the exact coordinates of the location: 56°37′10.31″N 04°55′51.23″W.

Hopefully this will help you to find the location a little easier than us! 

Additional Things to Do Around Glencoe

Fort William is a great base if you’re exploring the west side of the Scottish Highlands. There are definitely no shortage of things you can do in the area. So, make sure to check out some of my other blog posts for more inspiration:

Climbing Ben Nevis via Càrn Mòr Dearg – A challenging, but rewarding ridge hike to the highest point in the UK. Click here to read it.

Glenfinnan Viaduct Trail – Complete the Glenfinnan Viaduct circular trail to see the Jacobite Steam Train, stunning viewpoints, historic memorials and Harry Potter filming locations. Click here to read it. 

You can also browse for more Scotland content or more hiking trails in the UK and around the world in my Hiking Adventures Series.

Final Thoughts on the Road Trip Around Glencoe

I didn’t really know what to expect from our drive along Glencoe, but let me tell you, this place definitely blew my mind.

This drive has become one of my favourite roads to drive on without a doubt. Just a pre-warning, if you’re driving, it will be very hard to keep your eyes on the road because the views are just stunning on either side of the carriageway!

My only regret about my trip to Glencoe is not having more time in the area to complete a few hiking trails in the valley. So, if you’re planning a trip to the west of the Scottish Highlands I recommend adding an extra day or two purely for hiking and wild camping. I’m sure that I’ll return to Glencoe in the future to explore its beautiful mountains and secret valleys.

Have you ever visited Glencoe before? If so, tell me about your experience and how much of the area you managed to explore? Let me know in the comments below.