About the Centre

Centre History

In 1994 the Bennachie Centre Trust was formed, and along with Gordon District Council (now Aberdeenshire Council) managed the construction of the Bennachie Visitor Centre. Funding for the construction came from the Council, Scottish Natural Heritage (now NatureScot), Grampian Enterprise Ltd., the Bailies of Bennachie and the European Regional Development Fund (EC), with in-kind support from the Forestry Commission (now Forestry & Land Scotland).

The Visitor Centre has an unusual shape, which symbolises the Iron Age hill fort found around the Mither Tap (the most prominent and easily identifiable peak on Bennachie, but only the second highest). The building is wooden, so it fits well into the Scots pine woodland around the Centre.

Since its construction, the Centre has undergone a couple of major refurbishments, and the Trust continues to upgrade its displays, activities and educational materials on a regular basis. The Centre has won awards for excellence of interpretation and has achieved 4-star status awards by Visit Scotland over many years. The Centre won the Bancon Tourist Hotspot of the Year Award in 2018 and has also been shortlisted for Best Visitor Attraction /Best Day Out local awards.

The building sits on ground owned by and leased from Forestry & Land Scotland (FLS) on the south-eastern slope of the hill. FLS own and manage a large share of the land on Bennachie, much of which is forested, predominantly to produce timber. FLS also own and operate the carpark at, and areas surrounding the Visitor Centre, and maintain a series of paths and trails around the hill to allow recreational use.

The Bennachie Visitor Centre Today

The Centre is both an orientation point and interpretation centre for the hill, provides facilities for the public, including the café and toilets, and is also a base for Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch Ranger. The area outside the front of the Centre comprises a courtyard with benches and a seating area within a low enclosing wall, and provides access to the toilets. There is pedestrian access to carparks and trails, and the main access areas of the hill and surrounding woodland.

The centre is run and managed by the Bennachie Centre Trust. As a charitable trust, we rely on your generous donations to keep the centre open, relevant and to provide the best visitor experience possible. Please consider donating when you visit the free to access centre or you can donate using the link above.