Elevating the experience at Inverewe

The Trust has revealed the first public sketches of its new proposed viewing tower at the award-winning Inverewe Garden in Wester Ross this week.

The bold plans, which have been submitted to Highland Council for planning consent, would see an approx. 20m-high observation tower installed below the High Viewpoint overlooking Loch Ewe, deep in Inverewe Garden.

If given the go-ahead, the tower would provide unique panoramic views for visitors, with minimal impact on surroundings, and could be used to host educational talks. The sustainable development plans mark the latest in a series of projects undertaken by our conservation charity to enhance the visitor experience at the heritage garden.

The project is one of the Trust’s key projects for 2018/9 and is part of our strategy to invest £57 million enhancing the visitor experience and condition of heritage at the places we protect, now and for future generations.

Since 2016, Inverewe has developed a full and varied events programme aligned to a new museum and art gallery. This has resulted in a 30% increase in visitor numbers, partly benefitting from the international success of the North Coast 500 tourist route, while enabling the development of a Highland art community centred on showcasing work based on the inspirational garden and surrounding landscape of Wester Ross.

The estate received national recognition last year after being voted the UK’s number one garden in 2017 and the Inverewe House project received the Gold Award in the Marketing Society Star Awards 2018 for the interpretation of Inverewe House in recognition of the quality of the creative design and effectiveness in supporting the visitor experience.

Clea added: ‘Inverewe Garden is gaining a reputation as an imaginative and inspiring arts destination in its own right, with a thriving programme of cultural activity. We’re pleased to be adding architecture to the list and have plans to make more enhancements with a new light and projection system.’

The National Trust for Scotland works every day to protect Scotland’s national and natural treasures. From coastlines to castles, art to architecture, wildlife to wilderness, we protect all of this for the Love of Scotland.

In Our Strategy for Protecting Scotland’s Heritage 2018–23, we set out how we’re planning to work towards our vision that Scotland’s heritage is valued by everyone and protected now, and for future generations.