Growing up in Glasgow and then moving to Lochalsh in the Scottish Highlands, I am now very used to all the beautiful places you see on the A82. I remember my first time driving up from Glasgow, a year or so after I bought my first car, and just being in complete awe at the beauty of the landscape of the Highlands all around me.
During a visit to the Glencoe area in February, we decided to take the time of find out more about this part of the Scottish Highlands at the National Trust for Scotland Visitor Centre at Glencoe. I have stopped here in the past, but never actually taken the time to learn more and explore this part of the Highlands.
For me, one of the most interesting parts of the National Trust Visitor Centre at Glencoe was visiting the Turf House. This house, completed in 2021, shows how people lived in Glencoe during the time of the Glencoe Massacre in 1692. I love these kind of rebuild historical sites, showcasing just what life would have looked like for so many in this part of the world in the past. If you're a history buff like me, be sure to make time to learn about about this site.
Another part of the Glencoe Visitor Centre that really opened my eyes to all the things you can experience in this part of the world was the exhibition all about mountaineering and why Glencoe National Nature Reserve was taken under the conservation of the National Trust for Scotland. I am not much a mountaineer myself, but living in the Scottish Highlands has given me a kind of appreciation for the hills and mountains in Scotland that I might not have otherwise had.
If you get a chance to have some food in the cafe at the visitor centre, you'll also be able to enjoy another really lovely sight. The cafe itself isn't anything too exciting-it's really just a canteen style cafe. However, the really lovely part is sitting by their big windows, overlooking the magnificent Glencoe landscape, and watching the birds on their bird feeders. I might be starting to sound like an old lady here, but there is nothing more soothing for the soul than the oppurtunity to watch loads of tiny beautiful birds all around you.
If you're passing through Glencoe and want to learn more about this magnificent part of the Scottish Highlands, I would highly reccommend stopping for a visit at the National Trust Glencoe Visitor Centre. It's a fantastic centre with great facilities, as well as having some really interesting exhibitions all about what life has looked like in this place over the centuries. You do have to pay for use of parking at the centre (I think it cost £4 for the day) but I'd highly reccomend paying that money for the experience and facilities on offer. It was really worth it for me to discover more about this place.
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