Scottish Tour Guide's Blog

Lower Falls, Glen Nevis, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on Glen Nevis near Fort William in the Scottish Highlands.

To some extent this might be called a ‘hidden gem’ as the glen (valley) is accessed via a small road in a southerly direction form the centre of Fort William. Fortunately, the vast majority of tour buses and related traffic by-passes the road and hence it is possible to enjoy a quiet and peaceful drive down to the Lower Falls and beyond. The return trip takes about 1 hour and en-route it is possible that an encounter with a herd of photogenic Highland Cattle  may occur.

The glen and nearby mountain (ben) are named after the River Nevis which in turn may be derived from the Gaelic neimh (pronounced ‘nev’) which translates as ‘poison’ or ‘evil’.

Glen Nevis  is noted for a number of features including:

• Last stage of the West Highland Way, a hiking trail which takes about 8-9 days to cover the distance from Glasgow to Fort William.
• A favorite area for camping and caravanning.
• Close to Ben Nevis , Britain’s highest mountain which attracts many climbers.
• Near to the Nevis Range of mountains and the Aonoch Mor  Chair Lift.
• Has been as a backdrop for a number of films including Braveheart, Harry Potter and Rob Roy.
• Scenic Lower Falls ( per images above and below) and Steall Falls.

Lower Falls, Glen Nevis, Scotland

Whenever possible I try to fit in a visit to Glen Nevis during my tours of the Western Highlands.

Dumbarton and Ben Lomond from Dumbarton Castle, Scotland

This evening, my focus is on the often overlooked town of Dumbarton, a place of great historic significance. The name derives from dun breatainn or ‘fort of the Britons’ from the time when the place was capital of the ancient British kingdom of Strathclyde which covered S.W.Scotland and parts of northern England during the 7th-9th centuries AD. At that time the language spoken was a form of Welsh.

The successor to the ancient fort of the Britons sits atop a volcanic outcrop on the bank of the River Clyde. It has a long tradition of military usage from the Wars of Independence, to Mary Queen of Scots, the Jacobite uprisings and defence against possible French attack. The castle was last occupied by the military in World War II when it was bombed by German aircraft.

The castle is open to the public and offers superb views  over the Clyde and to the Trossachs to those who are prepared to undertake the steep climb to the top.

The town of Dumbarton came to prominence in the 19th century with industries such as glassmaking, shipbuilding and whisky manufacture. Today, there still remain whisky bottling plants and bonded warehouses, with latter distinguished by the black fungus which covers the warehouse buildings..

Surprisingly, Dumbarton is by-passed by the hordes of visitors in coach and car which year go past Dumbarton en-route to/from Loch Lomond and points further north. However, the more discerning visitor will be rewarded by a visit to the Castle and its attendant views and direct connection with a long period  of history.

When time permits I include a visit to Dumbarton Castle in my private tours.

Below is a view of the Clyde from a former gun battery.

River Clyde from Dumbarton Castle, Scotland

Deer on Rannoch Moor in Winter

This evening, I am focusing on the somewhat bleak and rugged Rannoch Moor which lies south of the Great Glen fault below Glencoe. Key features:

• Comprises a plateau at 1200 ft surrounded by mountains rising to between 2500ft and 3500 ft.
• Underlain by granite and features a number of small, irregular lakes which were formed by severe glacial erosion. These lakes are separated by collections of glacial debris.
• The Moor was where the last major ice sheet to cover Scotland began to form about 25,000 years ago and also where it was finally extinguished about 10,000 years ago.
• The ice moved along the valleys which radiate out from Rannoch Moor to the north-east (Speyside), east (Tayside), south (Firth of Clyde) and west (Loch Linnhe).
• Each year hundreds of thousands of visitors traverse this Moor travelling to/from Glencoe  many of whom may not appreciate the geological significance of the site.

As will be evident from the images provided here, the winter does present excellent opportunities for landscape photography when the right combination of weather conditions are present.

Photographing Rannoch Moor in Winter

Winter Landscape, Rannoch Moor, Scotland

Winter Scene, Rannoch Moor, Scotland

Winter Scene, Rannoch Moor, Scotland

Mountain View from Ranoch Moor, Scotland