It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated National Scenic Area of Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. The narrow glen shows a dramatically grim grandeur, shut in on both sides by wild and precipitous mountains. Towards Invercoe the landscape acquires a softer beauty. The name Glen Coe is often said to mean 'Glen of Weeping', perhaps with some reference to the infamous Massacre of Glencoe which took place there in 1692.