Ben Cruachan – Dalmally, Scotland - Atlas Obscura
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Ben Cruachan

Dalmally, Scotland

This mountain is one of the largest in Scotland but is better known for its hollow insides.  

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Ben Cruachan - The Hollow Mountain puffin11uk (Creative Commons)
Ben Cruachan - The Hollow Mountain puffin11uk (Creative Commons)
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The castle viewed from the loch
Kilchurn Castle
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Ben Cruachan is the highest mountain in Argyll and sits atop the picturesque shores of Loch Awe. Passerbys are completely unaware that inside the mountain is a massive, fully functional renewable power station.

This hydro-powered station opened in 1965. It was the first reversible pumped storage hydro system of such magnitude in the entire world. The project took around six years to complete. The guided tours around the facility take visitors one kilometer deep inside the mountain. There they can learn about the construction process, and how the gigantic turbines utilize water from the nearby dam to generate electricity. The power station has another claim to fame as well, it was used as a setting for the James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough. 

Know Before You Go

Book guided tours in advance as spaces are limited. Admission charges for the mountain tour and opening times can be found on their website. Admission to the visitor center is free. There is a green tourism offer whereby if you arrive via public transport or bike you get a discount. Although the visitor center is wheelchair accessible, unfortunately, the tour inside the mountain is not.

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ssm67alba
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Published
October 4, 2019
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Nearby
Saint Conan's Kirk
3.59 miles
Kilchurn Castle
4.14 miles
Ardchattan Priory
6.87 miles
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Near This Place
Saint Conan's Kirk.
Dalmally, Scotland

Saint Conan's Kirk

This eclectic sanctuary is a hodgepodge of various architectural styles, all crammed into one building.
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