When the word Devil’s Staircase comes up, a breathtaking trek through the Scottish Highlands probably isn’t the initial image that springs to mind. However, the eerie title bestowed upon this route is no accident, as numerous people have perished on this exact path over the years.
Situated in Glencoe, the Devil’s Staircase is a precipitous mountain trail heading toward Kinlochleven, occasionally dubbed the Highway to Hell. While travellers would typically navigate the valley floor to reach their destination, folks as far back as the 14th century would brave these towering peaks to cut down their travel time before the advent of modern transportation.
Originally utilised as a drove road, the Devil’s Staircase belonged to a broader UK-wide network where people trekked vast distances alongside their animals. By taking these upland routes, herders avoided the challenge of swimming alongside their sheep or cows, allowing for much simpler access to the central markets of Scotland.
By the 18th century, English forces had transformed this drovers’ path into a strategic military road. This allowed their troops to closely monitor any lingering Jacobite insurgents following their defeat at the 1746 Battle of Culloden near Inverness.
How did the Devil’s Staircase get its name?
Back in 1907, labourers were manually constructing the massive 900-meter Blackwater Reservoir to supply Kinlochleven with hydroelectric power. The men resided in makeshift camps, having to endure all sorts of extreme Scottish weather. Once their shifts ended, the men would take said path to reach the Kingshouse Hotel pub, seeking to relax with a pint (or ten).
The return trek proved to be the most gruelling challenge for these workers, particularly during freezing winter evenings, and a tragic number of them perished on the journey back. Those who made it through the night would declare that “the Devil had claimed his own,” a haunting phrase that ensured the name Devil’s Staircase endured to the present day.
Compounding the sheer steepness of the route, many of these workers were already enduring abysmal living conditions and succumbing to disease and malnourishment. Pushing their already weakened bodies through immense physical strain in punishing temperatures drastically reduced their chances of surviving the demanding hike, especially after quite a few drinks at the pub.
Visiting the Devil’s Staircase
Modern visitors can rest easy knowing they won’t be sacrificing their lives to the devil, as the majority of today’s hikes take place in the daylight under vastly safer circumstances. Travellers have the option to leave their vehicles on the A82 at Altnafeadh and catch a taxi back from Kinlochleven, or they can hike up Stob Mhic Mhartuin to take in the stunning scenery before hiking back to their starting point on foot.
For further details regarding the trail, you can visit Discover Glencoe.
