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TheGreat Glen (Scottish Gaelic:An Gleann Mòr[anˈklaun̪ˠˈmoːɾ]), also known asGlen Albyn (from the GaelicGleann Albainn "Glen of Scotland"[ˈklaun̪ˠˈaɫ̪apən]) orGlen More (from the GaelicGleann Mòr "Big/Great Glen"), is aglen inScotland running for 62 miles (100 km) fromInverness on the edge of theMoray Firth, in an approximately straight line toFort William at the head ofLoch Linnhe. It follows ageological fault known as theGreat Glen Fault, and bisects theScottish Highlands into theGrampian Mountains to the southeast and theNorthwest Highlands to the northwest.
The glen is a natural travelling route in theHighlands of Scotland, which is used by both theCaledonian Canal and theA82 road, which link the city of Inverness on the northeast coast with Fort William on the west coast. TheInvergarry and Fort Augustus Railway was built in 1896 from the southern end of the glen to the southern end ofLoch Ness, but was never extended to Inverness. The railway closed in 1947. In 2002, theGreat Glen Way was opened. A long-distance route for cyclists, canoeists, and walkers, it consists of a series of footpaths, forestry tracks, canal paths and occasional stretches of road linking Fort William to Inverness.[1][2][3]
The glen's strategic importance in controlling the HighlandScottish clans, particularly around the time of theJacobite risings of the 18th century, is recognised by the presence of the towns ofFort William in the south,Fort Augustus in the middle of the glen, andFort George, just to the northeast of Inverness.
Much of the glen is taken up with a series oflochs, with rivers connecting them. The Caledonian Canal also uses the lochs as part of the route, but the rivers are not navigable. From northeast to southwest, the natural water features along the Great Glen are:
Thewatershed lies between Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. Loch Linnhe to the south of Fort William is asea loch into which both the River Lochy and Caledonian Canal emerge. At the north end, the River Ness empties into theBeauly Firth at the point where it meets the Moray Firth.
Although earthquakes in the vicinity of the Great Glen Fault tend to be minor, seismic activity is a consideration in the design of infrastructure. For example, theKessock Bridge includes seismic buffers.[4]
The Kessock Bridge, opened in 1982 and taking the A9(T) road north from Inverness, crosses the line of the Great Glen fault under the Moray / Beauly Firth. In consequence it has been built withseismic buffers, and these were planned during the design stage of the bridge.
57°18′N4°27′W / 57.30°N 4.45°W /57.30; -4.45
