The Ultimate Glencoe Itinerary: 13 Things to Do in Glencoe Scotland
Glencoe is one of the most popular areas to visit in the highlands of Scotland, for good reasons! The lush green mountains, stunning waterfalls, scenic drives, and fun hikes make it one of the most beautiful places in Scotland. Trust me, you will fall in love with the area!
We knew we wanted to add Glencoe to our itinerary when we saw photos of the area. The photos looked too stunning to miss the chance to visit and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! We spent our days hiking and driving through the highlands and were in awe of the breathtaking views.
If you want to visit Glencoe, you are in the right place! This guide has everything you need to know about the best things to do in Glencoe to create the ultimate itinerary.
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Tips for Visiting Glencoe Scotland
Glencoe is one of the most beautiful places in the Scotland highlands and should be on every bucket list! It is home to stunning waterfalls, castles, and mountains, including the tallest mountain Ben Nevis.
If you want to hike when you visit Scotland, Glencoe is one of the best places. We hiked many trails, all offering incredible views even in moody weather. Trust me, you will want to spend at least a few days exploring this incredible section of the highlands!
Important Things to Know
Spend at least 2-3 days exploring Glencoe. If you want to hike in Glencoe, especially Ben Nevis, you will want to spend 2-3 days. If you plan to hike one trail and enjoy a few scenic drives, you can get away with visiting for 1-2 days. We spent about 2.5 days in Glencoe, which was the perfect amount of time. We did not get to hike Ben Nevis because the weather did not cooperate, but we enjoyed scenic drives and hiked a few shorter trails!
Pack warm layers and a rain jacket. The Scotland highlands have about 265 days of rain, making it crucial to pack a rain jacket. Although it rains a lot year-round, the wettest seasons tend to be autumn and winter. April, May, and June tend to be the driest months. We visited in May because it is usually dry and has fewer crowds, and it only rained one day during our time in Glencoe. If you want to hike in the highlands, you should have supportive shoes with good traction, like hiking boots, layers for the time of year you are hiking, and a backpack with water, snacks, and layers. And last but not least, make sure to pack the Ten Essentials.
Arrive at the popular trailheads early. The trailheads near Glencoe have small parking lots and fill up quickly no matter what day of the week you visit. I recommend arriving at the popular trailheads early in the morning to secure a spot. We arrived at a trailhead around 10 AM and could not find parking, so we had to spend quite a bit of time circling the parking lot before deciding to drive down the road and walk to the trailhead.
Prepare to drive on the left side of the road. Unlike most of Europe, the United Kingdom drives on the left side, which is the opposite of what we usually drive. The driver is also on the right side of the car. You get used to this quickly, but it is good to keep that in mind if you plan to rent a car.
Pack food and water while you are exploring. Most things to do in Glencoe are remote and have few restaurants and stores nearby. I recommend packing food and water you will need while exploring and hiking for the day.
Always remember to leave no trace. It’s crucial to pack out what you pack in and leave no trash. Some spots have trash bins, so you can easily throw your trash away. If they don’t have trash bins, you can throw your trash away at a nearby gas station or convenience store.
How to Get to Glencoe
The closest airports to Glencoe are Glasgow and Edinburgh. Glasgow is a two-hour drive from Glencoe, while Edinburgh is a three-hour drive. Although Glasgow is closer, I recommend flying into Edinburgh and spending your first day in the city.
We flew into Edinburgh and spent our first day in Scotland exploring the city. I highly recommend it since Edinburgh is a stunning city with incredible architecture. It is a great way to start your trip in Scotland and get settled in before heading to Glencoe.
I also recommend renting a car to explore Glencoe. A few tour companies offer bus services to explore Glencoe, but renting a car is easier and gives you flexibility.
Where to Stay in Glencoe
Glencoe has a small downtown with a few accommodations, making it a great place to stay during your trip. It is close to the best things to do in Glencoe and many of its hiking trails.
Fort William is one of the largest towns near Glencoe, making it a great place to stay if you want to stay in the hustle and bustle. It has many accommodations, restaurants, and shops in its cute downtown. Fort William is about a half-hour drive from Glencoe, so you need to allocate time for traffic and the drive if you stay here.
We stayed a bit further away in Oban because we found a cute house rental. This coastal town was so cute and had many restaurants and accommodations. It was a bit of a drive to get to Glencoe and its attractions, so I recommend staying closer to Glencoe.
Hotels Near Glencoe:
Campgrounds Near Glencoe:
Glencoe Itinerary Map
Glencoe Itinerary: Best Things to Do in Glencoe Scotland
Glencoe has many beautiful waterfalls, hikes, and scenic overlooks, and this itinerary has my favorites! I fell in love with Glencoe and the highlands when I visited Scotland, so I know you will love your time exploring the area. Get your cameras and hiking boots ready for a fun adventure!
Three Sisters Viewpoint
One of the most beautiful viewpoints near Glencoe, in my opinion, is the Three Sisters Viewpoint because the views of the mountains and surrounding highlands are breathtaking! And the best part? You can enjoy the views right from the parking lot. The Three Sisters Viewpoint shares a parking lot with a few hikes in the area, so it fills up quickly.
I recommend arriving early, enjoying the viewpoint, and then going on a hike. The easiest hike near the Three Sisters Viewpoint is a 2.2-mile path below the parking lot. You do not need to hike the trail to enjoy the views, but I recommend, at least, going on a short walk along it to take in the breathtaking views.
Coire Gabhail (The Lost Valley)
If you want to hike a longer trail near the Three Sisters Viewpoint, you are in luck! The Lost Valley hike is a stunning trail, offering up-close and personal views of the Three Sisters and the Hidden Valley, making it a great hike to add to your Glencoe itinerary.
The 4-mile round trip hike begins at the Three Sisters Viewpoint parking lot and travels towards the base of the surrounding mountains. The trail heads into the trees before crossing a bridge over a beautiful gorge and ascends steeply for the next half mile. Most of the elevation gain on this trail is in the first mile, but the views are worth the effort!
You will come to a fork in the trail where you can take either route to get to the viewpoint. We took both, but I recommend staying to the left and avoiding additional elevation gain. This section of the trail has a steep drop-off towards the river below and may not be for those who do not like heights.
Once you arrive at the top of the Hidden Valley Viewpoint, you get breathtaking views overlooking the valley and surrounding mountains. You can stop here or continue into the Valley. We continued to the bottom of the valley to enjoy some beautiful views from the base of the mountains.
If you want to hike a strenuous trail, you can continue past Hidden Valley towards Stob Coire. It is a strenuous 7.1-mile round trip loop gaining over 4,000 feet of elevation, but a hiker we met along our hike said it was stunning and worth the effort!
Once you hike The Lost Valley Trail, you will see why it is one of the best things to do in Glencoe!
The Meeting of Three Waters
The Meeting of Three Waters is a beautiful and easy-to-get-to waterfall just past the Three Sisters Viewpoint. The waterfall consists of three water sources merging to create the waterfall at the base of the mountains. And yes, it is as beautiful as it sounds!
The waterfall did not have much water when we visited, but it was still beautiful! We loved adding the quick stop to our Glencoe itinerary.
The parking area for The Meeting of Three Waters is just past the waterfall on both sides of the road. The area can only fit a few cars and fills up quickly. We saw many people drive past the waterfall, but it is one of the best things to do in Glencoe, so make sure to stop there!
The Devil's Staircase
The Devil’s Staircase is one of the most beautiful sections along the 96-mile West Highland Way backpacking route. If you do not want to hike the entire route, you are in luck! You can enjoy the stunning views from the Devil’s Staircase by hiking a steep trail near the Wee White House.
Although you can only hike to the ridge near the Devil’s Staircase, I recommend going a bit further to the summit of Stob Mhic Mhartuin. The 3.2-mile round trip hike travels up to the Devil’s Staircase before turning left to continue to Stob Mhic Mhartuin. The views along the entire trail are breathtaking, and you will quickly see why it is one of the best things to do in Glencoe!
Wee White House
I am sure you have seen a photo of the Wee White House at some point when reading about Scotland. It is one of the most photographed areas near Glencoe because of its picturesque surrounding landscape.
The Wee White House, also known as the Lagangarbh Hut, is owned by the National Trust for Scotland. The Scottish Mountaineering Club has occupied it since the 1940s.
But the great news is you can still visit the Wee White House and capture the iconic photo of it. The viewpoint of the hut is off A82, so you can easily see it from the road. We enjoyed walking around and capturing the iconic hut with its stunning mountain backdrop, so I know you will love it, too!
Glen Etive
If you want to enjoy a scenic drive in the highlands or are a James Bond fan, I recommend adding Glen Etive to your itinerary. The 12-mile single-track road offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains. You can enjoy driving it or stopping at its many scenic viewpoints. And if you are a James Bond fan, you can visit the iconic scene from Skyfall when James Bond and M stand with the Aston Martin DB5.
Glencoe Mountain Resort
Glencoe Mountain Resort is open year-round, offering fun activities in every season! It is on A82 along the beautiful scenic drive and a great addition to any Glencoe itinerary if you want to add a fun activity other than hiking.
If you visit in the winter, you can ski and snowboard on the mountain, and if you visit in the summer, Glencoe Mountain Resort offers mountain biking, tubing, and scenic chairlift rides. The views from the slopes are stunning, and you can enjoy them on any of the activities. It is the perfect place to visit no matter when you travel to Glencoe!
Glencoe Mountain Resort also has a cafe open seven days a week. It is a great spot to grab some food while enjoying a scenic drive along A82 or between hikes.
Glencoe Scenic Drive
If you want to add a breathtaking scenic drive to your Glencoe itinerary, I recommend driving A82 from Glencoe going south. Once you reach the A85 intersection, take a right to continue the loop back towards Glencoe.
All the above-mentioned Glencoe attractions are along A82, plus many more scenic viewpoints. A few of my favorite views are from the Three Sisters Viewpoint, Glencoe Viewpoint, and Loch Tulla Viewpoint, although I recommend stopping at each overlook because they are all worth it!
Although the drive along A85 is not as scenic, it still offers beautiful views and a few attractions. It is nice to drive the entire loop and explore lesser-visited areas.
Since we were staying in Oban, we drove the loop before going to our accommodation. The drive was stunning, even on a moody day, so I know you will enjoy it!
Kilchurn Castle
Kilchurn Castle was one of our favorite things to do along the scenic drive on A85. Although it is not a functioning castle and has been in ruins for many years, it is stunning. Kilchurn Castle sits on a small peninsula on Loch Awe, offering beautiful water and mountain views.
You have two ways to view Kilchurn Castle. The first is from the Kilchurn Castle Viewpoint along A819. Although the views from the viewpoint are pretty, the best are from the 1.1-mile round-trip hike off A85. The trail offers an up-close and personal experience with Kilchurn Castle.
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is an iconic mountain because it is the tallest mountain in Scotland, standing over 4,400 feet. It can be seen from Glencoe and along Glen Nevis Road.
If you want to hike to Ben Nevis, you are in for a strenuous and fun day hike! Hiking to the top is one of the best things to do in Glencoe, but it will make you work for the views. The 10-mile round-trip hike gains over 4,400 feet of elevation and typically takes hikers all day to complete.
The weather unfortunately did not cooperate with us, so we did not hike to Ben Nevis during our trip. But we drove on Glen Nevis Road to enjoy views of it even though it was in the clouds.
Steall Waterfall
Steall Waterfall is the last attraction on the Glen Nevis drive past Ben Nevis and should be on every Glencoe itinerary! It is the second tallest waterfall in Scotland, standing at 393 feet, and is a fun hike for those up for an adventure.
The 2.3-mile round-trip trail begins in a small parking lot at the end of Glen Nevis Road and wanders along a path towards Steall Waterfall. The trail has a few viewpoints of the waterfall, with the best being at the end of the trail across the river.
Once you get to the last viewpoint, you will see a wired bridge to the right. If you want to add a bit of fun to your hike, you can walk over the bridge to get an up-close and personal experience with Steall Waterfall. The wire bridge can be tricky, but it is a fun addition to the hike!
Castle Stalker
Castle Stalker is a small castle on Loch Linnhe that you will see while driving along A828. The only way to explore the castle is on one of the few tours offered each year. The tour provides a boat ride to the castle, where a member of the family who currently owns it gives you a tour. The tour dates did not align with our Glencoe itinerary, but we met someone who went on it, and they said it was fun!
If you want to view Castle Stalker from afar, you can visit the Castle Stalker View Cafe. You can look around their gift shop, grab food or a coffee, and enjoy a view of Castle Stalker.
Glenfinnan Viaduct
Although Glenfinnan Viaduct is not near most of the attractions on this list, it still should be on every Glencoe itinerary. It is the iconic Harry Potter train, so I am sure you have seen photos of the area!
If you want to get the iconic steam train shot, I recommend checking out the schedule for The Jacobrite. Usually, the train passes by this area around 10:45 AM and 1:15 PM going westbound, and 2:50 PM and 5:40 PM going eastbound, but these times could change.
If you want to go to the iconic view of the Glenfinnan Viaduct, you can hike 1.3 miles round trip to the main viewpoints. The westbound viewpoint is to the left, while the eastbound viewpoint is to the right, and the trail has signage to help you find each. You can also hike the entire 2.4-mile round-trip loop to a few other viewpoints.
When we visited, we did not realize that the steam train was out of service and only had one ride instead of two. We spent so much time waiting in the area for the iconic shot only to realize we were not going to get it, haha. But it was still a beautiful area!
If you want to find the best things to do in Glencoe, you are in the right place. This guide has everything you need to know to create the best Glencoe itinerary!
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!
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