Glen Nevis on The West Highland Way Lochaber Walk<<>> Glen Nevis (Ionad Nibheis) on The West Highland Way, in the Lochaber region. On the outskirts of Fortwilliam enables you to Walk Highlands History Today. It has a long history of people’s presence going back to prehistoric times and was once a stronghold of the Clan Cameron. It maybe the site of long past clan battles but today is a beautiful and serene escape.
You will find a valley sculpted by glaciers of old and leaving a glen of stunning scenery by Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. The gorge with its river and waterfall is of geological importance and home to many varied plants and animal life. Wild flowers are particularly abundant in the glen through spring and early summer. Golden eagles are often sighted high above the Steall ruin. The magnificent views and the unspoiled beauty make a days visit an unforgettable time.
To maximise your enjoyment call in at the Visitor Centre for leaflets and maps. On your visit remember the Nevis Code because as well as being a beautiful and wild area that people enjoy fro recreation. The glen is also a living and working environment. So follow the code: Take litter and food scraps away with you. Keep your dog under close control and clean up after it. Do not light fires. Leave all gates as you find them. Follow any requests or instructions from land managers. Do not disturb wildlife or cause intentional damage to the landscape or historic places. When wild camping, leave no trace. Drive slowly and considerately, especially on the single-track road. Park responsibly; do not use passing places, access gates or soft verges.
One of the finest glens in Lochaber and the Highlands. It winds for about 7 miles into the heart of rugged mountains; bounded by the massive slopes of Ben Nevis on the northern side and the steep Mamore range on the south. In the glen is the old burial ground of the Camerons and here slabs of slate mark many of the last resting places. In the second year of the Jacobite Rebellion, 1746, Glen Nevis House was used as headquarters by clan chieftains who were ordered, by Bonnie Prince Charlie, to help in the siege of Fort William. After the battle of Culloden in 1746, when the King's soldiers defeated the supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Duke of Cumberland and his men, marched south from Inverness through Fort William, burning and looting as they went. Among the houses plundered during this march of terror was the old house of the glen. A few hundred yards from Glen Nevis House was the ancestral stronghold of the Cameron clan on a knoll called Dun Dige. This was a wooden fortification and although the structure and enclosing walls are no longer visible, the surrounding moat and a tall conifer clearly mark the spot. If you want to walk to the summit of Ben Nevis there is a path from the Glen Nevis Youth Hostel the track uses the bridge over the River Nevis. <<>> A car park marks the end of the road and opposite the car park, on the other side of the river is a large outcrop of rock. Hidden in this is Samuel's Cave. This is the cave to which Mrs Cameron of Glen Nevis House took refuge when her house was looted after Culloden and several legends are associated with it. The footpath from the car park meanders between the mountains and passes through a narrow gorge with water tumbling and thundering over huge boulders. The gorge opens out into a lush green valley, leading to An Steall a 500-foot waterfall.
Glen Nevis in Lochaber is a wonderful spot and well worth the trouble to visit
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