Glencoe

Glencoe is the most famous glen in Scotland, a 14,000-acre National Nature Reserve cared for by the National Trust for Scotland where the A82 runs beneath the Three Sisters, Buachaille Etive Mor and eight Munros. It is also the scene of the Massacre of 1692, when 38 MacDonalds were killed by government soldiers they had been hosting, a story told in the eco-built visitor centre a mile south of Glencoe village beside a reconstructed turf and creel house of the kind the clan lived in. Film crews come constantly, from Skyfall to Harry Potter, and walkers set off for the Lost Valley, the Pap of Glencoe and the ridges above. Reviewers rate the viewpoint, the short trails around the centre and the friendly staff, and many mention the resident Highland cows. Tips from regulars: the postcode covers a wide area, so look for the centre on the A82 a mile before the village coming from the south; members park free; and the cafe closes at four.