HAVE YOU BEEN TO BEINN EIGHE?
The Visitor Centre at the Beinn Eighe NNR re-opened to the public on Wednesday 23rd March 2005. It will be open from 10am – 5pm every day until the end of October 2005.Beinn Eighe is Britain’s oldest NNR and boasts some of Scotland’s finest mountain, pinewood and lochside scenery. A place where nature comes first but also a place for people. We offer a range of FREE visitor facilities and our trails are open all year round to suit all abilities.
The Visitor Centre was completely refurbished in 2002 and three new trails were created. In 2004, it was awarded two prestigious awards by the UK Association of Heritage Interpreters, one of which was for visitor facilities designed with children in mind. The Visitor Centre was also granted a Silver Award in the Green Tourism Business Scheme, and it is a Scottish Tourist Board 4 star Visitor Attraction.
From these awards we know that professional interpreters like the Visitor Centre. We also know from informal contact with enthusiastic visitors that reaction is very positive, but without formal evaluation it is difficult to be sure that this is representative of what most people really think. So, last year, we commissioned an independent survey to discover if the centre provides not only an enjoyable experience but also if it meets our objectives for revealing to people what makes Beinn Eighe so special. Happily, this evaluation has confirmed that people not only enjoy their visit but also that their understanding is increased. In addition, a number of recommendations were made, both by visitors themselves and by the researchers, and we are currently working on ways of implementing these. One of the recommendations is that we should provide staff-led guided walks so watch this space for news of these in the coming months.
If you have not visited Beinn Eighe recently you will be in for a pleasant surprise. Please call in, and encourage your guests, family or friends to visit. Enjoy a great day out among Beinn Eighe’s peaks and pines.
The Visitor Centre lies 1.5km northwest of Kinlochewe on the A832 Inverness to Gairloch road. For more information and supplies of free promotional leaflets please contact the SNH office at Anancaun, Kinlochewe, Tel: 01445 760254, or visit our website at www.nnr-scotland.org.uk