The Glen Of Lost Souls

The breathtaking beauty of Glencoe hides a legacy of betrayal and bloodshed - and the landscape is as haunted by history as it is by ghosts

- by DANIELLA THEIS

GLENCOE is known for its beauty: the rolling hills, vast glen, rugged landscapes and popular hikes. Yet its landscape has a certain eeriness - a darkness that lingers like the clouds hanging low among the towering peaks.

Several tales of ghostly goings-on have been recorded, and some say Glencoe is haunted by ghosts that return every February 13. Those well-versed in Scots history might recognise this date: it marks the Glencoe Massacre over 300 years ago.

For two weeks from late January 1692, the MacDonalds hosted 120 men from the Earl of Argyll's regiment, with some from the Campbell clan. Though geographic neighbours, the Campbells and MacDonalds were great rivals and clashes were frequent, often over cattle thefts and other disputes. Still, providing “free quarter” - food and shelter - was Highland custom, so the MacDonalds took them in.

On February 13, gruesome events unfolded.

Early that morning, the Argyll regiment's men, led by Robert Campbell of Glenlyon - married to a niece of Maclain, the MacDonalds' clan chief - turned on their hosts. First, they murdered Maclain, then many more. Around 30 men, women and children were slain. The death toll is debated, as is if anyone – and how many – escaped into the hills. Any who did would have faced harsh Highland winter conditions, with little hope of surviving the cold or starvation.

Though well documented, the event is sometimes misinterpreted as a simple clan feud, but the truth involves deeper betrayal linked to Scotland's political turmoil at the time.

In 1688, King James VII of Scotland (James II of England) was replaced by Protestant William III, formerly William of Orange. Some, including the MacDonalds, remained loyal to James.