{{short description|Name for valley commonly used in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man}} {{About|the geographical feature}} {{dmy|date=August 2016}} [[File:Glendun - geograph.org.uk - 465779.jpg|thumb|Glendun, one of the Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland]] A '''glen''' is a valley, typically one that is long and bounded by gently sloped concave sides, unlike a ravine, which is deep and bounded by steep slopes. Glens are appreciated by tourists for their tranquility and scenery.
== Etymology == [[File:Raven's Craig Glen.JPG|thumb |Raven's Craig Glen located in Dalry, North Ayrshire, Scotland]] The word is Goidelic in origin: ''gleann'' in Irish and Scottish Gaelic, ''glion'' in Manx. The designation "glen" also occurs often in place names. In Manx, ''glan'' is also to be found meaning glen. It is cognate with Welsh ''glyn''.{{cn|date=August 2016}} Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower than a strath".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Whittow |first=John |title=Dictionary of Physical Geography |publisher=Penguin |year=1984 |isbn=0-14-051094-X |location=London}}.</ref>
Examples in Northern England, such as Glenridding, Westmorland, or Glendue, near Haltwhistle, Northumberland, are thought to derive from the aforementioned Cumbric cognate, or another Brythonic equivalent. This likely underlies some examples in Southern Scotland.<ref name="bliton" />{{pn|date=February 2024}}
As the name of a river, it is thought to derive from the Irish word ''glan'' meaning clean, or the Welsh word ''gleindid'' meaning purity. An example is the Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland where nine glens radiate out from the Antrim plateau to the sea along the coast between Ballycastle and Larne.{{cn|date=August 2016}}
== Places == thumb|left|Robert's Glen in Macon, Georgia circa 1877 [[File:Glenorchy at the Head of Lake Wakatipu.jpg|thumb|Glenorchy, in Otago, New Zealand]] The designation "glen" also occurs often in place names such as Great Glen and Glenrothes in Scotland; Glendalough, Glenswilly, Glen of Aherlow, Glen of Imaal and the Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thebottleimp.org.uk/2013/11/gaelic-place-names-gleann-and-srath/|title=Gaelic PlaceNames: Gleann And Srath|website=thebottleimp|date=November 2013 }}</ref> Glenn Norman in Canada; Glendale, Glen Ellen and Klamath Glen in California, Glenview and Homer Glen in Illinois, and Glenrock in Wyoming; Glenview, Glen Waverley, Glen Eira, Glengowrie, Glen Huntly and Glen Forrest in Australia; and Glenorchy, Glendowie, Glen Eden, Glenledi, Glenomaru, Glen Massey, Glen Murray, Glenleith, Glendhu Bay, Glenbrook, and Glen Innes in New Zealand.{{cn|date=August 2016}}
In the Finger Lakes region of New York State, the southern ends of Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake in particular are etched with glens, although in this region the term "glen" refers most frequently to a narrow gorge, as opposed to a wider valley or strath. The steep hills surrounding these lakes are filled with loose shale from glacial moraines. This material has eroded over the past 10,000 years to produce rocky glens (e.g., Watkins Glen, Fillmore Glen State Park and Treman State Parks) and waterfalls (e.g., Taughannock Falls) as rainwater has flowed down toward the lakes below.{{cn|date=August 2016}}
=== Scotland === Many place-names in Scotland with "glen" derive from the Gaelic ''gleann'' ("deep valley"), with some being from the cognates in the Brittonic languages Cumbric and Pictish or from the Gaelic loanword ''glen'' in Scots. * Glenalmond, Perthshire * Glen Affric, Inverness-shire * Glenbarton, Dumfriesshire - from Gaelic '' *gleann-Breatann'', or else Brittonic ''glyn-Brython'' ("Briton valley").<ref name="bliton">{{cite web |last1=James |first1=Alan G. |title=A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence |url=https://spns.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Alan_James_Brittonic_Language_in_the_Old_North_BLITON_Volume_II_Dictionary_2023_edition.pdf |website=Scottish Place-Name Society |access-date=5 February 2024}}</ref>{{pn|date=February 2024}} * Glencairn, Dumfriesshire * Glen Coe, Argyll * Glencortas, Fife - from Gaelic ''gleann'' + possibly ''coirthe'' ("standing stone") + ''as'' (locational suffix).<ref name="fpnd" /> * Glendevon, Perthshire * Glendevon, Lanarkshire * Glendivan, Dumfriesshire * Glendow, Dumfriesshire - from Middle Irish ''glenn-dubh'' or Brittonic ''glyn-du'' ("dark valley"). * Glen Doll, Perthshire * Glenduckie, Fife - from Gaelic ''gleann'' + possibly ''duaigh'' ("evil") + ''-in'' (suffix).<ref name="fpnd">{{cite web |last1=Taylor |first1=Simon |url=https://fife-placenames.glasgow.ac.uk/ |website=Fife Place Name Data |access-date=5 February 2024 |title=Fife Place-name Data}}</ref> * Glen Etive, Argyll * Glengaber, Dumfriesshire * Glenkens, Kirkcudbrightshire - Brittonic ''glyn'' + ''Ken'' (river name).<ref name="bliton" />{{pn|date=February 2024}} * Glenlochar, Kirkcudbrightshire * Glen Ogle, Perthshire * Glenrothes, Fife - from Scots ''glen'' + Rothes.<ref name="fpnd" /> * Glensax, Peeblesshire * Glensaxon, Dumfriesshire * Glen Shiel, Ross and Cromarty * Glentanner, Selkirkshire * Glentenmont, Dumfriesshire * Glenturk, Wigtownshire * Glenturret, Perthshire * Glen Vale, Fife - from Gaelic ''gleann-a’-bhealaich'' ("glen of the pass").<ref name="fpnd" />
=== England === Some place-names in England contain the element "Glen". Many of these are derived from Brittonic cognates of Gaelic ''gleann'' (Welsh ''glyn''). * Glencoyne, Cumberland - Brittonic ''glyn'' or Middle Irish ''glenn'' + possibly a river name.<ref name="bliton" />{{pn|date=February 2024}} * Glendinning, Cumberland - Brittonic ''glyn'' or Middle Irish ''glen'' + Brittonic ''din'' ("fort") + ''an''/''in'' (suffix).<ref name="bliton" />{{pn|date=February 2024}} * Glendon, Devon - possibly a hybrid of Cornish ''glyn'' and Old English ''dun'' ("hill").<ref name="epnssepn" /> * Glendowlin, Westmorland - Brittonic ''glyn'' or Middle Irish ''glenn'' + earlier Brittonic ''du'' ("black") + ''llyn'' ("pool").<ref name="bliton" />{{pn|date=February 2024}} * Glendue, Northumberland * Glendurgan, Cornwall - from Cornish ''glynn'' ("deep valley") + ''dowrgeun'' ("otters").<ref name="htpn" /> * Glenridding, Westmorland - equivalent to Old Welsh ''glinnredin'' ("bracken valley").<ref name="epnssepn" /> * Glyn Morlas, Shropshire * Glynn Kenyel, Cornwall - from Cornish ''glynn'' ("deep valley") + ''ken'' ("meeting, confluence") + ''yel'' (adjectival suffix).<ref name="htpn">{{cite web |url=https://www.akademikernewek.org.uk/place-names/a-z |website=Henwyn Tyller Place Names |access-date=5 February 2024 |title=Hwilas / Search }}</ref> Note that some place-names in England with "Glen", such as Glen Parva in Leicestershire, are actually more likely to derive from river-names named with Brittonic ''glan'' ("shining").<ref name="epnssepn">{{cite web |title=Survey of English Place-Names |url=http://epns.nottingham.ac.uk/ |website=English Place-Name Society}}</ref>
=== Wales === Some place-names in Wales contain the element ''glyn'' ("valley"). * Emlyn, Pembrokeshire, from ''am-glyn'' ("at the valley")<ref name="pnw">{{cite book |last1=Owen |first1=Hywel Wyn |title=The place-names of Wales |date=1998 |location=Cardiff |isbn=0708314589 |url=https://archive.org/details/placenamesofwale0000owen |access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref> * Glynceiriog, Denbighshire<ref name="pnw" /> * Glyncorrwg, Glamorgan * Glynneath, Glamorgan<ref name="pnw" /> * Glynrhonwy, Caernarfonshire<ref name="pnw" /> * Glyn Tarell, Brecknockshire
=== Isle of Man === * Glen Maye, Glenfaba * Glen Wyllin, Kirk Michael * Silverdale Glen, Malhew * Tholt-y-Will Glen, Lezayre - also known as Sulby Glen
== See also == * {{annotated link|High valley}} * {{annotated link|Strath}} * Dale (landform)
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Rivers, streams and springs}}
Category:Glens Category:Landforms Category:Slope landforms Category:Valleys