Small loch in Glen Etive, Scotland

© Oliver Hellowell/Minden Picture

Info. Small loch in Glen Etive, Scotland

A glen is a long, narrow valley and this one in the Scottish Highlands is especially beautiful. Glen Etive translates to 'little fierce one' and is given in honour of Etive, the Gaelic goddess long associated with nearby Loch Etive. According to an Irish myth, Glen Etive was founded by the tragic heroine Deirdre and her lover Naoise after they were forced into exile. In Scottish folklore, Glen Etive is said to be the home of a mythical creature called a Fachan – a giant cyclops with one leg, a single tuft of hair and a lone hand sticking out from its chest. Glen Etive has caught the attention of modern storytellers, too. Several TV shows and movies, including 'Braveheart' and James Bond’s 'Skyfall', have been filmed here.