whitelee wind farm visitor centre

Britain’s biggest on-shore wind farm is on wild, open moorland but only a short drive from Glasgow.The Visitor Centre, an offshoot of Glasgow Science Centre, is on the B764 moor road between the village of Eaglesham and junction 6 of M77.It’s open 10:00 to 17:00 daily from March to October, with reduced days and hours in Winter. The cafe ceases 30 minutes before closing time. The whole scale is so big that a long afternoon’s walking circuit around the most scenic area will take you past just 19 of the 215 turbines. A one-hour each-way stroll takes you to a miniature fort on the top of the highest hill, with a viewpoint indicator. Or a one-hour circuit past 4 turbines is easy enough for anyone with toddlers and buggies.There are cycle lockers and showers for everyone from racing cyclists to families with young kiddies.And the dog walkers! Britain’s biggest windfarm is the world’s biggest doggie toilet.And everyone arrives back to refuel in the tea room.You’re welcomed at the entrance and greeted with a smile at the cafe. Good soup, the usual hot snacks and sandwiches.There’s lots of room, it’s bright, airy and clean, and the food and drinks are all good and good value (hot drink and traybake for £2.70). I’m just back from my 14th visit, and every one has been good.

Visited the Whitelee Wind Farm with the family on a very blustery and dare I say it `windy' day and it is pretty impressive as you drive up to site and view the turbines which reminded me of a War Of The Worlds movie. The area has a number of walks and is popular with joggers, cyclists, ramblers and dog walkers and is a magnet for school trips and kids clubs. The main building is fairly basic but pretty informative albeit some of the gadgets weren't working in the display area. The café is pretty good with a nice selection of cakes and a good coffee machine but the serving area is pretty small. Having waited a few minutes to be served we settled down for our coffees and hot chocolates and whilst reviewing our 2 mile walk in peace and quiet we were then accosted with a large group of what I believed to be Boy Scouts/Cubs who invaded the already cramped space. Our peace was shattered with this noisy boisterous and frankly very annoying group of kids who completely ruined our chill out time and it is unfortunate that they were not directed to a private area (if one existed) where they could shout and bawl till their hearts contented. As it is we beat a hasty retreat to the sanctuary of the car and some much needed deep breaths! I wouldn't want this to take away from the positive general impression of the site but would recommend some assertive supervision and segregation of large parties of children so it doesn't ruin the experience for everyone else.

Nice to cycle up to the visitor centre and see the 215 odd turbines laid out in front of you. Lock the bike up in the sheds provided and have a cup of tea & cake in the visitor centre cafe.

A good place to visit and very interesting to get so close to the huge turbines. Many miles of tracks to walk or cycle make it a great place for families

What a brilliant attraction....and it's free. For families and those who really need educating on the use of wind farms then a visit here is a must. I came away knowing far far more than ever I did previously about this energy providing concept. It is also worth considering paying out just a few pounds on a guided bus tour of the site which in itself is very informative and value for money.

This could have been simply hundreds of windmills across moorland. It is that, of course, but it is so much more - great for walking, for cycling of all types, magnificent visitor centre with lots for kids to do and a lovely tearoom with a panoramic view. Brilliantly thought out and a great credit to the power company. They've thought of everything, even showers for tired and dusty bikers!

Unfortunately we visited on a truly horrible day when the rain was battering down and the cloud level was low, so we could really get amungst the wind turbines themselves, so we spent time at the visitors centre. It is a great centre with kids activities starting every 45 mins and from the ones on our day were engaging (build a wind tower!). There are plenty of people on hand to talk to and help out. There is a science centre area with hands on experiments in wind that you can try. Some of the videos were a shade one sided in their arguments, but this is no different than any other power station pushing their technology. We had a good day out here, and a wee cake in the café.

Visited with Australian visitors, they loved it! Te scenery is breathtaking. Perfect for a bike ride, dog walking or just a leisurely stroll. The cafe is wonderful and reasonably priced. There is a little mini bus that does tours but there are plenty of information signs around also. Plus the visitor centre is a haven for kids, be sure to check the schedule for whats on. There was arts and crafts there when we visited, looked like fun.

Hi AllJust visited with my 5 year old and 12 year old child and it is a wonderful place to visit with the kids.Being easter week, there were lot of activities arranged for the kids, egg hunt, crafting etc etc and also to know the basics about renewable energy (wind mills).At the visitor center exibition room, a couple of self interactive learning exercise about wind mills and really it was a nice place to start with to learn about wind mills. had a wonderful time pass within the visitor centre.also if u have bikes, it a good place to go around the windmills on bikes.

My partner,myself & our 3 dogs had our very first visit to Whitelee Wind Farm today (Nov 3rd 2013). We weren't sure what to expect but we were not disappointed in the slightest by any part of the trip. The guides & other staff members could not have been any more helpful if they tried!! The facilities were excellent, cafe, exhibition room, toilets, maps of the area (free!) & a small gift shop. We had a great walk with the dogs, there are MILES of track to walk or cycle around, and then we stopped for tea & cake in the cafe which was good value for money. There was a water bowl available for the dogs (bonus), & if you are a cyclist the facilities for storing & cleaning your bikes are excellent. All in all a great experience!!!! WELL DONE WHITELEE !!!!!

On arriving was surprised how busy it was. Took a walk down to the turbines and was amazing how close you are to them. There are some good walks and cycle tracks to help you spend a good few hours at the centre. Inside there is a very educational exhibition centre for kids and adults alike and is free of charge. Staff are very helpful welcoming you to the centre and asking if you have been before and then explaining the centre and all the things to do. The cafe is a welcome sight and sells a good selection of hot and cold snacks from locally sourced outlets where possible. My son loves the hot chocolate with marshmallows, and the home baking. They are reducing size of gift shop to make way for more seating in cafe which is a good sign, but will still have chance to purchase items to remember your visit. This is our 3rd trip and will be returning again.

My husband and I had a really enjoyable experience visiting Whitelee. The interactive activities are excellent fun but the highlight of the visit was the bus tour. Costing only a few pounds it was fabulous. There were only 3 of us but our guide (Martin I think!) was excellent. We learnt so much and the tour lasted an hour because we had so many questions. We then walked a couple of miles to a viewing point. We finished our visit by enjoying coffee and cake in the cafe. Would definitely recommend a visit if in the area.

A really wonderful few hours/day out. We went to the visitor centre which has great views over the site - really impressive how far it extends. Had lunch there which is a limited menu of sandwiches, soup and butties plus baked goods but good value. The exhibition centre is good fun with some hands-on exhibits which became competitive. We went on the bus tour which was very informative and gets you onto the site quickly, though I thought it would go deeper into the site. It is worth either taking the tour or going for a walk to stand under one of the windmills - really incredible how large and how quiet they are, Great site for walking and cycling as people were doing - do take a map though as it looks flat but the rolling relief makes one bit look like the rest. Parking is ample and free as is a visit to the centre. Only the bus tour carries a charge adults £3 and kids over 5 - £2.

Lovely family walk with kids and dogs to the viewpoint. Plenty to keep us interested and a great visitor centre.

A very interesting visitor attraction. The interactive displays are excellent for all ages. It was really amazing to see the size of the windmills. A really good walk round but even in summer it is advisable to wrap up well as Eaglesham Moor is very cold.