Shortly before Christmas my mum and I decided to head North in search of snow. If you want snow in Scotland without going too far I recommend heading to Glencoe; to me it feels like a gateway to the Highlands. Once there we definitely found plenty of snow (and even a little snowman!) but we also managed a short walk away from the main road.
Just off the road through Glencoe on the right hand side (when heading North) is a car park with a plaque for An Torr. On this it shows a few trails through the woodlands in the middle of the Glen. Due to sunset coming on soon we decided to take the short walk to Signal Rock. Although it was freezing near the mountains, in the woodland it was much more sheltered. This short walk ambled over a wooden bridge with posts and signs leading the way to the rock.
On the wander up my mum told me the story of how the rock got its name. Signal Rock marks the site the order was given by the Campbell clan to massacre the MacDonalds that lived in Glencoe. The facts of this are disputed but it does give you something to think about on the wander through the mountains and woods.
Once at Signal Rock you can walk round it and up to the top where you can see mountains all around. Due to the trees having lost there leaves for Winter this view was a lot clearer than it may be in the warmer months.
I think this is a great short walk for the middle of winter when you want to stretch your legs but not get frostbite. You can even make a snowman on your way!
Further Reading:
Some other details on Signal Rock and walks in the area can be found
here.
