Great Glen
A natural route bisecting the Scottish Highlands.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
The Great Glen (Scottish Gaelic: An Gleann Mòr), also called Glen Albyn or Glen More, is a 62-mile (100 km) valley in Scotland that stretches in an almost straight line from Inverness, on the edge of the Moray Firth, to Fort William, at the head of Loch Linnhe. It runs along the Great Glen Fault, a geological fault that splits the Scottish Highlands into the Grampian Mountains to the southeast and the Northwest Highlands to the northwest.
This glen has long served as a natural travel route through the Highlands. Today, the Caledonian Canal and the A82 road both use it to connect Inverness on the northeast coast with Fort William on the west coast. The Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway, built in 1896, ran from the glen’s southern end to the southern tip of Loch Ness but never reached Inverness; it closed in 1947. In 2002, the Great Glen Way opened—a long-distance route for cyclists, canoeists, and walkers that links Fort William to Inverness via footpaths, forestry tracks, canal paths, and some road sections.
The glen’s strategic importance in controlling Highland clans, especially during the 18th-century Jacobite risings, is marked by three forts: Fort William in the south, Fort Augustus in the middle, and Fort George just northeast of Inverness.
Much of the glen is filled by a chain of lochs connected by rivers. The Caledonian Canal uses these lochs as part of its route, though the rivers themselves are not navigable. From northeast to southwest, the natural water features are: the River Ness, Loch Dochfour, Loch Ness, the River Oich, Loch Oich, Loch Lochy, the River Lochy, and Loch Linnhe. The watershed lies between Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. Loch Linnhe, south of Fort William, is a sea loch where the River Lochy and Caledonian Canal both empty. At the northern end, the River Ness flows into the Beauly Firth where it meets the Moray Firth.
Seismic activity along the Great Glen Fault is generally minor, but it is still a factor in infrastructure design. For instance, the Kessock Bridge includes seismic buffers.
- length
- 62 miles (100 km)
- location
- Scotland
- geological_feature
- Great Glen Fault
- major_route
- Caledonian Canal and A82 road
- notable_lochs
- Loch Ness, Loch Oich, Loch Lochy, Loch Linnhe
Lore & Background
The Great Glen is a natural travelling route in the Highlands of Scotland, used by both the Caledonian Canal and the A82 road, linking Inverness on the northeast coast with Fort William on the west coast. 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; it closed in 1947. In 2002, the Great Glen Way opened as a long-distance route for cyclists, canoeists, and walkers, consisting of footpaths, forestry tracks, canal paths, and occasional road stretches.
Reader's Guide
The Great Glen's strategic importance in controlling the Highland Scottish clans, particularly around the time of the Jacobite risings of the 18th century, is recognized by the presence of the towns of Fort William in the south, Fort Augustus in the middle, and Fort George just northeast of Inverness. Much of the glen is taken up with a series of lochs connected by rivers, with the Caledonian Canal using the lochs as part of its route. The watershed lies between Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. Seismic activity along the Great Glen Fault, though minor, is a consideration in infrastructure design, as seen with the Kessock Bridge's seismic buffers.
Did You Know?
- The Great Glen runs in an approximately straight line for 62 miles (100 km).
- The Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway operated from 1896 to 1947.
- The Great Glen Way opened in 2002 for cyclists, canoeists, and walkers.
- The Kessock Bridge includes seismic buffers due to the Great Glen Fault.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Great Glen?
It is a long, nearly straight valley cutting through the Scottish Highlands, running from Inverness on the Moray Firth coast down to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe. In Scottish Gaelic it is called An Gleann Mòr, and it is also known as Glen Albyn or Glen More.
How long is the Great Glen?
The valley stretches roughly 62 miles (about 100 kilometres) from Inverness to Fort William, making it one of the most strikingly linear natural features in the British Isles.
What geological feature does the Great Glen follow?
The valley traces the line of the Great Glen Fault, a major fracture that effectively splits the Highlands into the Grampian range to the southeast and the Northwest Highlands to the northwest.
What transport routes run through the Great Glen?
Both the Caledonian Canal and the A82 road follow the valley's path, linking Inverness with Fort William. The canal was engineered to take advantage of the chain of lochs the glen already contained.
Which famous lochs sit within the Great Glen?
The valley contains several well-known lochs, including Loch Ness, Loch Oich, Loch Lochy, and Loch Linnhe. These water bodies are what make the Caledonian Canal route possible.
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