Glen Orchy, Valley in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
Glen Orchy is a valley in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, that follows the River Orchy between the village of Bridge of Orchy and the village of Dalmally. The valley has steep sides and a broad floor where the river winds through stretches of conifer forest.
By the end of the 18th century, several communities lived in the valley, but most residents left over the following decades as farming and economic conditions in the Scottish Highlands changed. Today only one permanent settlement remains in the glen.
The valley is closely tied to the Gaelic poet Duncan Ban MacIntyre, who grew up in this area in the 18th century and wrote about its landscape in his verses. His poems, still read today, are written in Scottish Gaelic and are among the most celebrated works in that language.
The B8074 road runs through the valley and gives access to the river and forest at several points along the way. Weather in the area can change quickly, so it helps to go prepared with waterproof clothing regardless of the season.
Three towns on different continents share the name Glenorchy, each founded by people who left this valley and settled elsewhere. This makes the glen one of the few rural Scottish places to have left its name on multiple continents at once.
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