Glen Coe: Where the Elves Might Be(?)
Sometimes the world can surprise you when least expected.
Our road trip from Edinburgh to Glen Coe, which normally takes less than 3-hour ‘in a normal driving’, took us five hours. A car full of photography-enthusiasts in a country like Scotland; it was quite predictable.
If you like fantasy novels, you’ll appreciate my thought process. I secretly believe that there are elves live in the woods but they are just too special so we can’t see them. They move really fast and without making any noise, you know? Like Legolas of Lord of the Rings. If, and I do believe, there are elves out there, Glen Coe would be the place they hang out. Iceland and New Zealand are two other strong possibilities. It looks like a place where you can only see from movies, or in your head while reading books. Indeed Glen Coe has been featured in numerous films over the years, such as Braveheart, Highlander, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Rob Roy, Skyfall, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It’s amazing to think the movie-like locations exist in real life, and it’s even more dramatic in real life. We went on a narrow 14-mile road where a scene of Skyfall was filmed. We couldn’t spot the exact location, but we had the time of our lives for several hours on the 14-mile stretch. You can imagine how much time we spent standing behind of our cameras for two days in locations like this. Unfortunately my tripod that’s been with me for last 12 years was stolen (lost, stolen, same difference) right before the trip of a lifetime, but I did my best with my teeny tiny GorillaPod
Glen Coe is where the highest peak in the British Isles, Ben Navis stands. The whole area is surrounded by various sizes of peaks, creating a sensational view in every angle. Because of its scenic qualities and geographic uniqueness, Glen Coe attracts walkers and climbers. There are numerous noticeable good routes, including Bidean nam Bian, which the famous Three Sisters is belonged. For rock climbers, Buachaille Etive Mòr, or the Beuckle, is popular.
Geologically speaking, Glen Coe is the remains of an ancient supervolcano that erupted about 420 million ago. The U-shaped glen is formed by an ice age glacier, 10,000 years ago. I enjoy visiting places like this (and the same reason why I’m in love with glaciers and deserts) because it reminds us how the old the Earth is, and how inconsequential our problems are. The scenic landscape is also a big advantage. We are part of the big cycle. Compared to the grand scheme of the universal history, there’s nothing more important than making each moment worthwhile.
This is what happened in Glen Coe; see it yourself.
I traveled with three photography-enthusiasts: Laurence of Finding the Universe, and Dante and Kirsten. Check out their pages for more photos from beautiful Glen Coe!
