Delighted to stumble upon this while our coach stopped for a break up to Loch Ness. John Muir lived…read morein my hometown, Martinez, California, so I know quite a bit about him. This center is lovely, the man at the desk nice, too. Just a bit of information, nature, prints, some things to buy. I hope in years to come there are more exhibits and naturey things in there.

Stopped in to this interesting exhibit while passing through, it is part of the John Muir Trust,…read moremission is to protect the natural Environment. Nicely presented, a welcome change from all the tacky tourist shops. Definitely worth a visit. They have a small assortment of interesting items for sale.

At the Battle of Culloden approximately 1,500-2,000 Jacobite soldiers were killed or wounded in…read moreless than an hour. In contrast, government forces suffered 50 deaths. Just hearing that initial description of the place made it a very somber experience. We had a guided tour of the battlefield that provided additional information and knowledge. There were some highland cows and other cattle on the back fields. They were behind an electric fence at the time of our visit but they were a nice sight to see during this visit.

The Culloden Battlefield was run by the National Trust of Scotland which was a different membership…read morefrom the one we had with Historic Scotland. We opted to book a guided tour of the battlefield which was well worth it with the insights provided by a knowledgeable and outgoing guide. The tour walked out as far as the British Line(red flags) but we later wandered out to the Jacobite Line (blue flags) on our own. Do stay on the gravel paths as the site does contain the remains of those who died in the battle. Another tip, dress warmly for the walk outside as the weather shifted while on the tour and it got quite chilly with some rain. The museum presented both viewpoints on the battle and the two sides throughout which was interesting to see and compare. Photos of the artifacts on displays were not allowed and docents would chase you down or stop you since some items were privately owned and on loan. It was ok to take photos of drawings or placards created by the NTS. Overall a stunning defeat for the Jacobites. Next time we're in Scotland I do want to visit the Battle of Bannockburn site to compare the battle that Scotland won over England.

While the site is certainly historic and the gorge and river picturesque, overall I was…read moreunderwhelmed. Since I had paid £2 for parking, I did about an hour's worth of hiking, taking in the major spots pertaining to the battle. (What? You don't know about the famous Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689? Well, go look it up on Wikipedia; I don't have time to tell you the whole story.) I suppose that the deciduous, ridge-and-valley terrain simply reminded me too much of back home in Pennsylvania to be interesting. So it wasn't the most breathtaking hiking, but it was a pleasant hour in some historic woods. The visitor centre itself contains a modest exhibit on the battle, but focuses mostly on local ecology. There were many kids around who seemed to be having a great time.

Well just the place to come to following a battle re-enactment, more of a nature reserve though…read morethan a historical establishment. But if you like your Scottish history and all the scuffles between Jacobeans and Redcoats then this is a place you need to see. Allegedly the soldiers leap is where a certain Donald Mcbean jumped 18ft across a water filled gorge to escape King George's men back a few years ago in 1689. I think he was probably notoriously trying to escape his wife's nagging to stay off the ale and fight for his country. So he just ran to the hills the Redcoats got wind he might have hidden his ale in a cave so followed him to get it??? Not sure if the battle today was a success for the folks watching but it certainly was entertaining as well as educating. They had horse charging, pistol, muscat and cannon firing, torture through the ages, and Angus's antics(includes tying a guy to a horse on a long rope and dragging him through a grassy field), Scottish youth theatre, big tent Ceilidh later on. You can also try your hand at Archery, learning about battlefield archeology, buy refreshments, sample local highland burgers(venison/hotdogs), there is even a drinks tent. But since you are in an open field if it's overcast and cloudy remember your brolly. Thanks to the local folks and council for supporting events like the battle but without our attendance there would be no Soldiers of Killiekrankie or visitors centre. This visitor centre doubles not only as a historic establishment but a nature venue with grand views of the River Garry.

I pass this area a lot and we often end up here as the meeting point before heading to our final…read moredestination. This is quite a large place where you can buy souvenirs from their shop from clothing to bottles of whisky at £1200 a pop. We often call in sometimes with 20 - 30 people in our group and have coffee and breakfast rolls to go, and as paying customers who have made purchases you would think that you would be able to use the facilities, well not really, I've encountered what could be certain members of staff bitching at customers for using the toilets after the elderly cleaner had only just moped them.

Was on a day tour of the Highlands a few weeks a go while in-country and we stopped here for dinner…read moreon way home. I had a Club Sandwich and some coffee. The sandwich was surprisingly very good and not a bad price. I did have a bottle of sparkling water which felt was a bot over priced. In all a good experience and nice little gift shop. Not five stars but good three. Would stop here again.