Glen
Glen Croe
The A83 summit pass where exhausted soldiers carved "Rest and be Thankful" in 1753 — one of Scotland's most evocative road names, and a hillside that has been sliding onto that road ever since.
- Corbetts
- 4
- Grahams
- 3
- Highest peak
- Beinn an Lochain (901m)
Glen Croe is a steep, short glen carrying the A83 from the head of Loch Long to the Rest and be Thankful summit pass (244m). The road climbs 200m in less than 5km through a tight valley — spectacular from a car, demanding on foot. At the summit, the original military road is visible as a distinct green line alongside the modern tarmac, running parallel on the eastern hillside. From the viewpoint car park, the full length of the glen drops away below, with Ben Donich (847m) rising sharply on the north side and the Coilessan glen visible to the west.
The A83 here is prone to closure. The geology above the road in the Coilessan section is unstable — saturated schist and debris from the steep slopes above regularly slides onto the carriageway during heavy rainfall. Closures happen several times a decade, some lasting days. When the A83 is shut, the alternative route via the A815 and the old Rest and be Thankful road adds over an hour to journeys between Glasgow and Inveraray. Transport Scotland has investigated both rerouting and permanent debris management — neither cheap nor straightforward.
The road in
Parking1 spot
Rest and be Thankful viewpoint car park
25 cars
Free
Free. Managed car park at the summit pass with toilets and information boards. Start point for Ben Donich. The full glen viewpoint is from here.
Hills from Glen Croe · 4 Corbetts · 3 Grahams
Stob an Eas
732m · 1.5km away
Cruach nam Mult
611m · 2.6km away
Ben Donich
846m · 3.0km away
Stob na Boine Druim-fhinn
658.4m · 4.3km away
Beinn Luibhean
859m · 5.2km away
Cnoc Coinnich
761m · 5.3km away
The Brack
787m · 5.9km away
Beinn an Lochain
901m · 6.0km away
What's in the glen
Rest and be Thankful
The summit pass of Glen Croe (244m), named by Major Caulfeild's soldiers on completing the military road in 1753. The original inscribed stone is no longer in place; the name has been in continuous use since. From the viewpoint, the full 5km length of Glen Croe drops away below and the old military road is visible as a parallel green line on the eastern hillside.
Caulfeild military road
The original 1748–53 military road through Glen Croe is still walkable — a distinct green track running parallel to the A83 on the eastern hillside. Built by Major William Caulfeild's soldiers as part of the post-1745 Highland road programme, it follows a slightly different line from the modern road, avoiding some of the most landslide-prone ground. Sections can be walked as an alternative to the roadside verge.
Ben Donich
Ben Donich (847m) is the Graham directly above the Rest and be Thankful — 4km return with 620m of ascent from the viewpoint car park, making it one of the shortest hill starts from an A-road in Argyll. The summit gives views down both Glen Croe and Glen Kinglas, and west toward Loch Fyne. Rarely crowded.
Croe Water
Our take
Stop at the viewpoint car park. The Rest and be Thankful is one of the most satisfying summit passes in Scotland to stand at — the view down the glen is long and steep, the military road visible on the hillside gives the place historical depth, and Ben Donich makes a good half-day hill from the car park (847m, 4km return, 620m ascent). Check Traffic Scotland before any autumn or winter journey through here — a landslide closure on the A83 has a disproportionate impact on everything west of Loch Long.
History
The military road through Glen Croe was built between 1748 and 1753 under Major William Caulfeild — Inspector of Roads for the Highlands after the death of General Wade in 1748. It is often attributed to Wade, but Wade never worked this route; the Glen Croe road was part of Caulfeild's post-1745 programme, designed to give government troops rapid access to Argyll and the western Highlands after the Jacobite rising. Caulfeild built more military road miles in Scotland than Wade, though Wade gets the credit in the popular rhyme.
The inscription "Rest and be Thankful" was placed at the summit pass by Caulfeild's soldiers on completion of the road — an expression of relief from men who had spent months building it by hand through difficult terrain. The original inscribed stone is no longer in place; the current commemorative stone is a later replacement. The name has remained in continuous use since 1753 and appears on maps, signage and in literature — making it one of the oldest surviving road names in Scotland.
The old military road, now a walking and cycling path, is the green line visible on the hillside above the modern A83. It follows a slightly different line from the current road, avoiding some of the most problematic ground. Walkers can follow sections of it as a parallel route through the glen.
Practical
- Mobile signal
- Good signal along the A83. Limited on the hill routes above.
- Midges
- Moderate(3/5)
- Public transport
- CityLink services (Glasgow–Campbeltown) pass through on the A83.
Map
Hills (green), bothies (brown), parking (blue), wild swimming (light blue).
Scotland outdoor updates
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