History Scotland Magazine: Glencoe Visitor Centre

Lower Glencoe and Loch Leven looking west from Sgurr nam Fiannaidh. The infamous Massacre of 13 February 1692 took place in the townships clustered in this lower part of the glen. Many of those escaping from the slaughter died from exposure in the wilds of the upper valley. (Richard Oram)

Glencoe Visitor Centre

On 1 May, the new Glencoe Visitor Centre, the fruit of a 3 Million investment by The National Trust for Scotland, was opened to the public for the first time. The Clachan Project replaces the old visitor centre in a less intrusive wooded location in the Inverigan area of the lower glen. This partnership project is funded by the Trust and several agencies from whom grants continue to be sought, including the European Regional Development Fund.

Glencoe is renowned as an area of dramatic landscapes providing some of the finest climbing and walking country in the Highlands as well as being a location of historical importance. The new centre will now be able to reflect the full multi-faceted story of Glencoe from its beginnings as a volcano, through its shaping by the ice age, to the coming of man and the history of our inhabitation of this spectacular land.

Visitors can walk to Signal Rock, near the centre, reputedly the place from where the signal was given to start the infamous massacre in 1692, and visit another of the main sites of the massacre at Inverigan. Ossian's Cave, a place associated with the legends of the ancient Scottish bard, is high on the face of Aonach Dubh, the great shoulder of Bidean nam Bian. Geologically, the Glencoe hills are significant as an example of a volcano collapsing in on itself during a series of violent eruptions. This is also an area of international botanical importance, particularly for the woodlands and arctic alpine flora.

The new Visitor Centre provides a display on the history of mountaineering in Glencoe, a video programme on the history of the glen (featuring the massacre), and information on walks (some guided by Trust rangers) in the glen.

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Location: A82, 17miles South of Fort William.

Bus: services from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fort William pass the Visitor Centre: tel Citylink, (0990) 505050.

Opening Times: site, all year, daily. Visitor Centre, shop and caf, 1 May to 27 Oct, daily 10-6. Admission Prices: Adult 3.50, concession 2.60, adult group 2.80, child group/school group 1, family 9.50.

Further Information : Visitor Centre, Glencoe, Ballachulish, Highland, PA39 4HX. Tel Ballachulish (01855) 811307 (summer only) or (01855) 811729.