Glen Etive

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Glen Etive (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Eite) is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. The River Etive rises on the peaks surrounding Rannoch Moor, with several tributary streams coming together at the Kings House Hotel, an old inn on the A82 road at the head of Glen Coe. The Kings house also offers free camping in the grounds behind it. From the Kings House, the Etive flows for about 18 km, reaching the sea at the sea loch of Loch Etive. This river and its tributaries are hugely popular with whitewater kayakers and at high water levels it is a testpiece of the area and a classic run.

At the north end of Glen Etive lie the two mountains known as the shepherds of Etive: Buachaille Etive Mòr and Buachaille Etive Beag. Other peaks accessible from the Glen include Ben Starav, located near the head of Loch Etive, and Beinn Fhionnlaidh on the northern side of the glen.

A narrow road from the Kings House Hotel runs down the glen, serving several houses and farms. This road ends at the head of the loch, though rough tracks continue along both shores.

In the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, Deirdre and her love Naoise founded Glen Etive after fleeing Ulster.