More than four hundred twenty years ago, there was an active super volcano that existed in the area. A fierce eruption occurred back in the Silurian period which created most of the cauldron-like formation. After the end of the last ice age, a giant glacier had formed in the region and as it receded, it carved out the coe.

Glen Coe, Scotland, UK by Christian Kadluba

The area is less than seven hundred meters wide in many spots and more than sixteen kilometers long. The narrowest point of the coe is known as the Pass of Glen Coe and can be found roughly in the center.

In order to get top Glen Coe, you will need to enter the area at the base of the Meall a’ Bhuiridh mountain, not too far from Rannoch Moor. For nearly 12 kilometers the coe runs almost due west from the moor before making a turn to the northwesterly direction. At the other end of Glen Coe is where you will find Loch Leven and the famous village of Glencoe.

Throughout the length of Glen Coe, you will see the ancient River Coe which was formed as the glacier melted away. At the Pass of Glen Coe, one can see waterfalls as the water makes its way out to the sea.

The resulting properties of Glen Coe are simply amazing. Each year, countless visitors make their way to the area to see the many attractions that the coe has to offer. The site is very popular for those who just like to walk in beautiful surroundings and is known as an adventure for those who love the idea of climbing a rock face.

For those who come to Glen Coe for walking, the best place to start is at the Devil’s Staircase which was cut into the boulders. The staircase is more than 352 meter high and can be a challenge for most people.

Rock climbers who make their way to the area tend to go straight for the 1,018 meter tall Buachaille Etive Mòr. Over the years, climbing the face of the mountain has grown in popularity as a result of countless races and scrambles that have been held in the area over the years.

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There is somewhere between 100 and 150 of these naturally occurring pyramids which are built through thousands of years of glacial erosion. Atop of them one can find mammoth sized rocks which are the reason that the pillars first started to form. As the years went on, more of the land was worn away below the rocks resulting in some of the pillars towering more than 130 feet above the ground.

Ritten Earth Pillars, Italy by Internet Consulting

Eventually, as the pillar is work down below the point where it can continue to support the weight of the rock, it simply collapses. While these naturally occurring pillars of earth can be caused by a number of weathering processes, the ones just outside of Ritten, Italy were as a result of the glacier that had once covered the valley Ritten sits in today. 10,000 years ago, as this glacier melts with the ending of the last ice age, the pillars began forming and their formation continued long after the last remnants of the glacier melted away.

Today, the Ritten Earth Pillars are a well known and popular attraction throughout Europe. There are also a number of similar sites that can be found throughout the Alps. There is something mysterious about these pillars of clay. Some of the pillars have boulders on top of them that weigh several tons which only adds the enchantment of visiting this natural wonder. Over the centuries Ritten earth pillars have attracted the attention of countless tourists from all over the world. There are many legends that surround the creation of these and many other pillar sites throughout Europe.

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