Lost Valley (Coire Gabhail) Walk

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The Lost Valley (Coire Gabhail) Walk may look easy on paper, but trust us when we say that this adventure is not for the faint of heart. While the steep elevation gain packed into a short distance may be physically demanding, the surrounding scenery is incredible—and mysterious. Coire Gabhail is the hidden, secret valley where the Macdonalds from Glen Coe kept stolen cattle. An amphitheatre of green-laden hills and peaks flank the valley. It’s fun to explore the flat section of the valley, where you’ll encounter rocks bigger than homes. It’s pretty epic, to say the least!

Route Description for Lost Valley (Coire Gabhail) Walk

Lost Valley (Coire Gabhail) Walk in the Highlands fuses incredible scenery with a story of how the Macdonalds of Glen Coe used to hide stolen cattle in the hidden valley! However, you’ll have to take steep inclines while meandering a more technical path that requires some scrambling to reach the valley. This walk is definitely for experienced walkers only!

En route to the hidden valley, you’ll cross River Croe via a bridge, and on the other side, you’ll encounter the rocky, technical path mentioned above. Please exercise extreme caution along this section as some people have fallen off the gorge, resulting in fatalities.

Shortly after, you’ll have to take on an easy scramble up the rocky slope towards the path that leads through birch woods. After passing the gorge between Beinn Fhada and Gear Aonach (pause to catch your breath and revel in the scenery bordered by rock walls), taking on another scramble section, you’ll start to descend into the Lost Valley. Spend some time exploring the area before turning around and heading back the way you came, as this is an out-and-back route.

Getting to the Lost Valley (Coire Gabhail) Walk Trailhead

To get to the start of the Lost Valley (Coire Gabhail) Walk, head halfway up Glen Coe and park in the big car park. You can also park in the smaller car park a hundred metres down. It can get busy, so we advise arriving early!