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Knockan Crag - an Interpretive Case Study

This case study examines the interpretation and related visitor provision at Knockan Crag, a site of great significance to the study of geology.

Knockan Crag is a small escarpment in Wester Ross. Scottish Natural Heritage already provided some basic interpretation at the site, but wished to develop a more extensive interpretive experience. They commissioned John Finlay Associates to develop the site. Their work included landscaping, path construction, the building of a visitor centre and the installation of a geological trail to the site’s key feature: the Moine Thrust. The total budget was £600,000.

The audience were identified as general visitors (including children) who have little knowledge of or interest in geology, but who would appreciate a fun and stimulating day out.

There are three main goals for the development:

• To interpret the geology of Knockan Crag
• To break down the barrier that ‘the public perceives geology as boring’
• To encourage visitors to walk the sometimes strenuous path to the Moine Thrust

In exploring the case study, we suggest you consider these key questions:

1. How does each piece of interpretation provoke its audience, relate to their experience and reveal something they can’t work out for themselves?
2. How do the materials used in the interpretation enhance Knockan Crag’s sense of place?
3. How do the interpretation, the arts installations, the way-marking, the architecture and the landscape design work together to provide a coherent visitor experience?

You can also download a PDF version of the interpretive plan for Knockan Crag here.

1.	This close-up detail comes from an introductory installation at the car park. This installation models the geology of Knockan Crag and asks a key question: what happened here and why is it so important? Simple signage and a wheelchair friendly path leads from the car park to the visitor centre.	click to enlarge
2.	The un-staffed visitor centre lies a short distance from the car park and is designed to both blend in with the landscape and to provoke visitors to get out of their cars. It contains a number of introductory and concluding displays set in an internal space that accommodates wheelchairs, pushchairs and buggies. The large overhang protects the displays from driving rain and the glazed central roof illuminates them with natural light. From the car park it looks an interesting place worth investigating…	click to enlarge
3.	A series of letter-cut rocks are embedded in the path surface just before the entrance to the visitor centre. Each carries a single, arresting word relating to Knockan Crag’s story. Here the horizontal cut also reflects the dynamic nature of geology. This installation is meant to stimulate curiosity and to develop a feel for the site.	click to enlarge
4.	This initial panel is the first thing visitors see on entering the centre. It introduces the main story and the two characters through which it is told. The text also encourages visitors to walk to Knockan Crag to see it for themselves. Note the use of first person narrative to personalise the story and bring it to life.	click to enlarge
5.	This second display uses a Marvel comics / Tin Tin style cartoon to tell the geological story of Earth. Here, Peach and Horne discover a time machine to travel back in time. The drawings and dialogue combine in a fun way to communicate what might otherwise be a dull, technical story.	click to enlarge
6.	This close-up of the cartoon shows some dialogue between Peach and Horne. Simple characterisation has been developed, with Peach an impulsive, rotund fellow interested in food and Horne the careful and meticulous thinker. Again, this is intended to be fun and to relate better to the audience.	click to enlarge
7.	These ceramic tiles are mounted inside the visitor centre. The quote relates to the astonishing geological time-scales the Victorians were starting to understand. It stimulates visitors to think "…no beginning or end to what?", and in a small way builds further suspense about the significance of Knockan Crag.	click to enlarge
8.	Visitors leave the centre to follow a way-marked trail. The way-marks were designed to match the subject matter and location. They were carefully placed to give visitors confidence they were following the right route.	click to enlarge
9.	This series of carved slabs is mounted along the path about 250m from the visitor centre. They represent Scotland’s 500 million year journey across the face of the Earth. As visitors walk past their movement becomes a metaphor for this journey, with each few steps representing 100 million years of geological history.	click to enlarge
10.	This interpretive label encourages visitors to see the layers of different age rock. A simple text hierarchy is used, with the key message given in the first paragraph of bold type, followed by more detail in the second.	click to enlarge

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