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Meeting of Three Waters

Coordinates: 56°39′48″N 4°58′51″W / 56.66322°N 4.98086°W / 56.66322; -4.98086
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Meeting of Three Waters is a distinct junction of three rivers in Glen Coe. The rivers join each other with almost right angles between each other due to the geology and faultines that the rivers follow.

It is situated between the mouth of Coire Gabhail and the cottage of Allt-na-ruigh in Glen Coe, where the (rivers) Allt Coire Gabhail and Allt Doire-bheith join the River Coe. (It is clearly marked on official UK Ordnance Survey (OS) maps at grid reference NN17404 56361 and other maps using this official base data[1].)

The position has been recorded by Ordnance Survey as far back as the 1800s, as shown in the 1870 Survey on the National Library of Scotland's map collection.[2]

Confusion with waterfall upstream

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While the Meeting of Three Waters is clearly marked on OS maps (as noted above), the name is now commonly - but wrongly - attributed to the obvious waterfall of the Allt Lairig Eilde next to the A82 road through the glen. This fall is actually Glencoe Waterfall.[3] This confusion and error is widespread and is now repeated across a large volume of online sources. Examples (NB. of incorrect, common usage).[4][5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Lost Valley, Glen Coe Walk - walk route map". Walking Britain. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  2. ^ "National Library Of Scotland - Maps". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  3. ^ Stott, Louis (1987). The waterfalls of Scotland: worth gaun a mile to see. Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press. ISBN 0-08-032424-X.
  4. ^ "Taking the plunge and art on show: The week in pictures in Scotland — February 17, 2024".
  5. ^ "The Meeting of Three Waters". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 30 May 2024.

56°39′48″N 4°58′51″W / 56.66322°N 4.98086°W / 56.66322; -4.98086