Glencoe is a very scenic destination in Scotland. With endless mountains and viewpoints, it is no wonder it makes most people’s Scotland itinerary. Below are some of the top things to do in Glencoe, as well as some helpful tips for your journey.
A. Glenfinnan Viaduct
Are you a Harry Potter fan? The Glenfinnan Viaduct was used to film the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter. It actually is a railway viaduct that the Jacobite Steam Train crosses over daily.
There is a visitor’s center, car park, and a small walk to see the viaduct. If you time it right, you can watch the Jacobite Steam Train pass by the Viaduct.
Note: if this is something you want to do in Glencoe, pay attention to the Jacobite timetable! You will either want to arrive far in advance of the scheduled Jacobite arrival time to get parking, or arrive after when people are leaving. Learn from our mistake – we arrived at 10:30 am, around the time the train was expected. This led us to a full parking lot, and we had to turn around. The parking attendant recommended coming back at 11:30 am.
B. Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the UK’s highest mountain. You can choose to do the challenging 10-mile hike or take the Nevis Range Gondola for incredible views.
C. Fort William
Fort William is not a fort, as the name would suggest, but is a small town. It is a good place to stop for some shopping or a meal.
D. Jacobite Steam Train
The Jacobite Steam Train takes you from Fort William to Mallaig and back in a total of 6 hours. Be sure to book far in advance as the seats for the season can be sold out by May.
E. Three Sisters of Glencoe
Three Sisters is another great hiking area in Glencoe.
The car park here is very small for how popular this spot is. If you really want to hike here, make sure to get there early!
F. Glen Etive
The Glen Etive road provides 12 miles of mountainous landscape that was used as a filming location in the James Bond film Skyfall. It is a great thing to do in Glencoe that follows the River Etive and dead ends at Loch Etive where you will find a car park.
We noticed on our visit that you can camp here. It is a beautiful spot if you are interested in camping. Keep in mind there are no facilities.