Glen Coe, Mountain valley in Highland, Scotland

Glen Coe is a mountain valley roughly twelve kilometers long in the Scottish Highlands, crossed by a river flowing westward that forms several waterfalls along its course. The surrounding slopes show different rock formations that reveal the volcanic origin of the region, and in some places sheer cliffs rise directly beside the valley floor.

In February 1692, royal troops under the command of Robert Campbell killed 38 members of the MacDonald clan here after enjoying their hospitality for several days. This event later became known as a massacre and intensified tensions between different Scottish families and the government in London for decades.

The glen is named after the River Coe, whose name may predate Gaelic and possibly comes from a personal name, Comhan. The writer James Macpherson made Glen Coe the home of his invented hero Fingal, and the name Sgorr nam Fiannaidh, meaning peak of Fingal's warriors, recalls this. The glen is also known as the Valley of Tears after the 1692 massacre.

The National Trust for Scotland visitor centre at the east entrance of the glen provides information on natural conditions, walking routes and the glen's history. The A82 runs through the glen, and many walks start from lay-bys beside it. Ascents such as the Aonach Eagach ridge or the Three Sisters require several hours and experience in rough terrain.

The mountain slopes support rare mosses and liverworts that have adapted to the harsh highland climate and grow in damp rock crevices. Botanists visit the valley to observe these species, which are rarely found in other parts of Britain.