Lochaber’s Glens

We are offering groups of three Geotours on consecutive days, at reduced daily rates for the tour-guide but with transport provided. The details and activities of the individual tours will be the same as the regular one-day tours.

Start: for all the days we will pick you up in Fort William at our Visitor Centre, 9.30am.

Day 1: Glen Nevis

The U-shaped valley (Glen) that lies beneath the tallest mountain in Britain. Host to Scotland’s second highest waterfall it has clear evidence of recent glaciation. The combination of 800 million years of geological history and ice ages has led to the dramatic scenery of Glen Nevis, which has been captured in many films. Stops on this mainly walking Geotour include:

  • Braveheart carpark, the wishing stone and steeply inclined metamorphic rocks
  • Lower Falls: igneous intrusions (dykes) cutting granite
  • Contact metamorphosed rocks
  • Glacial features such as roche mountonnée
  • Interpret the current state of Nevis gorge: is the geomorphology determined by current or past forces?
  • Steall Falls and Steall Meadows with small and large-scale folding structures

Involves walking on rocky paths. Total walking time is 3 – 4 hours.

Walking Grade Easy/Moderate

Day 2: Glen Coe

Ancient volcanoes and powerful glaciers have led to the world-famous rugged scenery of this sculpted valley (known in Scotland as a Glen). Travelling South through Ballachulish into Glen Coe, via the A 82, you will be stunned by your surroundings. Stops include:

  • Ballachulish slate quarry. Opened in 1692, this quarry supplied most of Scotland with roof tiles. If you look closely you may see some golden crystals. But don’t be fooled, they are pyrite!
  • Standing on the edge of an ancient volcano (caldera)
  • Banana rock!
  • Waterfalls by Queen’s cairn with flow-banded rhyolite, welded ash from the volcano nearby
  • The three sisters of Glen Coe
  • NW – SE trending fault lines showing movement of the volcanic rocks
  • A flinty rock which forms part of a fault intrusion
  • The scenery from blockbuster movies such as SkyFall

Walking Level Moderate

Day 3: Glen Roy

We explore the beautiful but little-visited valley of Glen Roy to discover how ice ages have shaped the Highlands.

Highlights of the trip include:

  • Visit the famous ‘Parallel Roads of Glen Roy’.
  • See the evidence for a deep ice-dammed lake during the last ice age.
  • Learn how the landscape was shaped by ice and water
  • Understand how ice and water created the deep gorge of the River Spean
  • Learn about the origin and frequency of ice ages.
  • Visit the last Clan battlefield and learn about the lawless west.
  • Discover a secret meeting place of Catholics during times of persecution.

Involves several short walks, the longest being approximately 1 hour along an unmade-up road with a small climb at the end. There is also an optional 100 m climb up a steep grass slope to one of the Parallel Roads. We will also stop at Darwin’s Rest cafe and shop to see the exhibition on the parallel roads and have something to eat.

Walking Grade Easy/Moderate

Overall Geotour

Cost: £250 per person

Tour-goers: A ‘grouping’ Geotour with different individuals booking

Minimum number of people: 4

Maximum number of people: 8

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