Glencoe Visitor Centre – the Glen's Story and Afternoon Tea
A few hours.
The route
The National Trust for Scotland's visitor centre at Glencoe tells the story of the glen, from the volcanoes and glaciers that made its mountains to the massacre of the MacDonalds in 1692.
A few minutes along the road towards Ballachulish, the Isles of Glencoe Hotel serves afternoon tea in its bar by Loch Leven. It's an easy afternoon for anyone who'd rather hear the glen's story than climb it.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Woodlands Glencoe, 2 miles away. Sleeps 2.
Book Afternoon tea at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel
Book afternoon tea at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel by email at least 24 hours ahead, for about 2pm after the visitor centre: it's served in the bar every day from noon to 4pm, from £21.95 a person at the time of writing, with gin and Prosecco teas too; say in the booking which tea you want.
The day
Glencoe
An hour with the story of the glen, then tea and cake by the water.
About three hours
Glencoe Visitor Centre
An attraction
The Glencoe Visitor Centre stands among the birch woods a mile up the A82 from Glencoe village. Park in the National Trust for Scotland's paid car park beside it, which is free for members. The centre itself is free and step-free. A giant carved map lays the mountains out in front of you, and films and an exhibition tell how volcanoes and glaciers made them. The exhibition also tells of 13 February 1692, when government soldiers who had been guests of the MacDonalds turned on their hosts. Outside, at a viewpoint facing the mountains, stands a turf house built as the MacDonalds would have lived, under a deep thatch. Give it an hour to an hour and a half. It opens every day, closing earlier in winter, and shuts on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December and 1 January.
7 min by car
Isles of Glencoe Hotel
Afternoon tea
Drive 7 minutes on towards Ballachulish to the Isles of Glencoe Hotel, on the shore of Loch Leven, for afternoon tea in its bar. It's served every day from noon to 4pm, from £21.95 a person at the time of writing, with gin and Prosecco teas too, and must be booked by email at least 24 hours ahead. Children and dogs are welcome.
If it rains
Both are under a roof: on a wet afternoon skip the turf house outside, and the rest is indoors.
Kingshouse Hotel, historic inn on Rannoch Moor.
Clachaig Inn, walkers' pub in the glen.