Coire Gabhail

Coire Gabhail (Corrie of the Bounty, or The Hollow of Capture) is a high level glen in the Bidean nam Bian mountain massif to the south of Glen Coe, Highland, Scotland. Its narrow entrance 230 metres (750 ft) up the hillside conceals the width of the glen beyond, and it is commonly known as the Hidden Valley or, more recently, Lost Valley. Access from a bridge crossing the River Coe is by a steep path up beside a narrow wooded ravine.

The valley of Coire Gabhail runs southwestwards between the steeply-sided ridges of two of "The Three Sisters"; on its left, Beinn Fhada (Long Hill) is the eastmost sister, and the central sister Gearr Aonach (Short Ridge) on the right of the valley forms its western side. Further to the west of Gearr Aonach, Coire nan Lochan is enclosed by Aonach Dubh (Black Ridge).

The southern end of Coire Gabhail is marked by the peak of Stob Coire Sgreamhach on the ridge which then slopes down westwards to its low point at Bealach Dearg, then continues up above cliffs to the summit of Bidean nam Bian.

This corrie (a hanging valley) was formed, like Glen Coe, by the movement of glaciers. The principal glacier in the glen below was larger and heavier, and carved out a deeper trough than that of Coire Gabhail. When the glaciers melted a hanging valley was left, high above the glen. Debris from the glaciers left moraines in the mouths of the glens and corries, often resulting in a lake forming behind them. In time these waters found their way through the debris and the lake drained leaving a relatively flat-bottomed alluvial plain which now forms the floor of the corrie.

The name Coire Gabhail (Corrie of the Bounty, or The Hollow of Capture) refers to former times when the valley was used by members of Clan Macdonald to hide cattle and other livestock, whether their own or stolen from others. Like other clans in the area, cattle were the mainstay of their economy, both herding and raiding: young men boastfully sang of getting cows from the Mearns. The wide flat glen is well suited for this purpose since from Glen Coe it appears to be a normal v-shaped glen approached only by a steep narrow gorge.

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Wikipedia