Glencoe visitors to benefit from £1m investment

The landscapes of Glencoe have both inspired and haunted for generations.

The visitor centre at Glencoe is to be improved to give visitors a deeper understanding of the iconic glen. PIC: NTS.

Now, a £1m investment in the visitor centre will insure those coming to the area will leave with a deeper understanding of the iconic glen.

National Trust for Scotland today announced the investment and said it wanted visitors to learn about the world-famous site in a more immersive way than the centre currently allows.

The centre, which attracts around 200,000 visitors a year, will close between September and December to allow improvements to take shape although the car park, a temporary cafe and toilets will remain.

Simon Skinner, Chief Executive at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “Glencoe is a perfect example of what we do.

“It’s an extraordinarily complex place where we welcome visitors from around the world, all coming for different reasons.

“It’s one of the eight national nature reserves in our care and many are drawn by the landscape and nature. Others come to find out about the history of the place and the Glencoe Massacre which still has the power to evoke powerful emotions.

“Increasingly too, we’re seeing more visitors to Glencoe thanks to its starring role on small and big screens.

“Our investment, which we do for the love of Scotland, will provide visitors with a much-improved experience at one of Scotland’s most significant national and natural treasures.”

The improvements will be made within the existing footprint of visitor centre, where people will be able to move through different themes of the glen.

The themes include Glencoe Through Time, which includes the story of the Glencoe Massacre, and Inspirational Glencoe. Here, visitors will learn how the landscape has inspired writers, composers and artists over time.

Tales of Glencoe will look at the myths and legends of the area while Origins of Glencoe will take visitors back 700 million years when the glen was formed.

National Trust for Scotland is set to invest £60 million in the country’s built and natural heritage over the next five years.