Success Stories

Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness
Modern visitor facilities blended with an historic past.
 

"Urquhart Castle aims to provide high quality visitor facilities in a way that involves the local community, helps the local economy and reduces adverse impacts on the local environment. "

Lucy Vaughan, Historic Scotland

From the start, the highest standards of environmental planning were aimed for. Visual, environmental and traffic impact assessments were all undertaken and the design team used guidelines contained within the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) to plan the development.

This resulted in the visitor centre receiving a Gold GTBS award, the highest level of the scheme.

Historic Scotland also ensured that the local community was kept informed and gave a commitment during the planning process to form the Urquhart Castle Liaison Group. This group provided a forum for discussion between Historic Scotland and the local community. The group had representatives from the local council, community groups, relevant agencies, the main contractor and Historic Scotland.

During the project, the quarterly ‘Project News’ newsletter proved very successful in keeping both visitors and the local community up to date with progress.

The redevelopment project has resulted in improved car and coach parking, a new unobtrusive visitor centre buried beneath the car park and full wheelchair access into the castle.

The Centre was designed to have a large number of energy efficient features. These included thermostatic radiator valves fitted on radiators and underfloor heating circuits. Natural ventilation was used wherever possible. High efficiency lamps were used where artificial lighting was required. People-movement sensors controlled lighting in the toilet area. The importance of monitoring energy usage has also been built into the design of control panels.

Spray taps in toilet areas and low-capacity toilet cisterns help to reduce water consumption, and the Centre’s waste water treatment plant has been recognised as having the highest design specification in Scotland for protection of the local environment.

An important part of the visitor experience is the audio-visual presentation in the circular film theatre, where up to 80 people learn about the story of Urquhart Castle. This film has been very well received by visitors.

Artefacts and objects associated with the castle in its heyday have been included in the interpretation area. Complementing the interactive display is a scale model of the castle and a recreation of the Lord's Chamber in the community and education area.

The tearoom is an open plan area with seating for up to 75 people. Toilets and washrooms are located nearby and are designed to meet peak visitor numbers during the summer months. The centre has been designed to give maximum access for people with disabilities.

An area within the visitor centre shop has been dedicated for products that are ‘Made in the Highlands’.

Native Scottish plant species have been used in landscaping around the centre.Screen planting has helped to reduce the visual impact of car and coach parking areas.

For further information on the Urquhart Castle development please contact:

or visit Historic Scotland’s website at: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

This case study updated on 15 May 2003

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