Dream drives: A82, Glencoe

| 5 Aug 2024
Classic & Sports Car – Dream drives: A82, Glencoe

The A82 runs all the way from Glasgow to Fort William, but the 30-mile stretch through Glencoe offers some of the most striking scenery in the British Isles.

I first experienced it back in 2011 at the wheel of my 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000, and it left a lasting impression.

From Tyndrum, the road winds north to the Bridge of Orchy, skirting the eastern edge of Loch Tulla before climbing to Rannoch Moor, a vast basin dotted with pools and small islands at the foot of the mountains; an otherworldly landscape draped in mist.

The near arrow-straight road passes the lone Buachaille Etive Mòr, looming high to the west (above), and pierces the heart of the range at Altnafeadh, slaloming deeper into a valley punctuated by tumbling waterfalls and snow-capped peaks.

Progress will likely be hampered by tourists in the high season, but there are plenty of opportunities to pull over and take in the landscape before reaching Glencoe.

The village serves as a good jumping-off point for further exploration of the Highlands and Islands, where Ben Nevis, the Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Isle of Skye await.

Image: Visit Scotland


Local knowledge

  • Where to stay The Loch Lomond Arms: glorious 17th-century coaching inn, Luss
  • Where to eat The Green Welly Stop: Cullen skink at this Tyndrum venue is legendary
  • What to see Oban Distillery: bring a designated driver…
  • Hidden gem After Kinghouse, turn left off the A82 to relive the Skyfall Aston Martin DB5 scene at Glen Etive, Ballachulish 
  • Pitstop MacTavish’s Gulf, Arrochar, is one of the few 24-hour garages as you head north from Luss
     

All information correct at date of original publication


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