Whitelee wind farm

Went up to Whitelee Windfarm Visitor Centre for a lovely walk and decided to take the longest route i could see on the sign which i believe was Ardochrig, now this was supposed to be 10miles so i was expecting a big walk but i was taken aback when i realised over halfway through the walk that this was not in fact a circle route this was deeply distressing as it was getting later and it would have taken us hours to get back to the visitor centre. After discovering this information we decided to start walking back the way and eventually chose a slightly different route back. The scenery was beautiful and we were definitely surprised when we came across some sheep! Anyways was quite a lovely walk but i wish they would make routes and signs more accurate, user friendly and clearer to understand and follow.

Only a short drive from Glasgow and you are in rural splendour. Endless paths and scenic views away from the bustle of the city. Visitors centre and free parking a bonus.

Great place for walking dogs and cycling with well-marked trails. Dog-friendly with on/off-lead areas, clean facilities, and water points. Perfect for fresh air and exercise near Glasgow.

Red hot day looking from the road behind the wind farm the hill behind has a lovely view but you need to be fit to climb it I wasn't lol

Good place with walking trails and scenic views. A day well spent with kids.

Whitelee Wind Farm is the largest onshore wind farm in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. Located on Eaglesham Moor, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of Glasgow, Scotland, the wind farm spans approximately 130 square kilometers (50 square miles). ### Key Facts about Whitelee Wind Farm: - **Capacity:** The wind farm has a total installed capacity of 539 megawatts (MW), generated by 215 turbines. This is enough to power around 350,000 homes annually. - **Turbines:** The turbines at Whitelee range in height, with some reaching up to 140 meters (460 feet) from base to blade tip. - **Operation:** It was developed by ScottishPower Renewables and became operational in phases, starting in 2008. - **Environmental Impact:** Whitelee is a key part of Scotland's renewable energy strategy. The wind farm helps to reduce carbon emissions by displacing the need for fossil-fuel-generated electricity. - **Visitor Centre:** Whitelee also has a visitor centre that offers educational exhibits on renewable energy and the environment. There are over 130 kilometers of trails around the wind farm, making it a popular spot for walking, cycling, and other outdoor activities. Whitelee Wind Farm is not only a significant contributor to the UK's renewable energy supply but also a symbol of the country's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to a more sustainable energy system.

Great place if you want to go for a long walk and get lost!!!

Excellent place to cycle on gravel

Lovely place for a long walk! I'm currently training for a charity trek next year and I've come here for a couple of training walks. Still not managed to try out the cafe yet... Next time!!!

Whitelee wind farm is a recent venture by Scottish energy sources (by recent I mean over the past few years), and it is most certainly a good one! Whitelee is spread out over endless miles of hills surrounding Glasgow, and is the largest wind farm in Europe. It currently has the capacity to power all local towns and cities, including portions of Glasgow, and the general aim over the next decades is to expand the venture and power at least 40% of Scotland with renewable energy. Being just outside the confines of the city and even secluded from neighbouring towns, you could argue that the wind farm is a blight on the Scottish landscape. I would argue that this isn't the case. There is something surreal about seeing endless tall turbines spread out over miles and miles of unused land. They act as a landmark as you can see them from several motorways - I would always know I was leaving the central belt when I was younger as I could see the turbines turning on the hills. Over the past year they have opened an informative visitor centre on site, tucked away near the turn off near the M77 to Galston. It's free and gives people the opportunity to explore the space, offering bus tours for people wanting to get around the vast expanse more efficiently. But people often bring their bikes up here, the dog or just themselves to browse the scenery. It is beautiful, and from some points you can see at least 20 miles in each direction. On a clear day the isle of Arran can be seen with Goat's Fell peeking over the many other dwarfed hills nearby. There's also a mini exhibition, a cafe, souvenir shop selling solar powered desktop turbines and other such gifts, and people on site to helpfully dispense information. Overall it's something different to do on a day out. The gorgeous view, fresh air and centre is free, there are miles to explore undisturbed by traffic, and facilities available for familes and wanderers alike. There is a serene quality about the place, and that in itself is worth escaping to for a few hours.

I had noticed these bad boys from a far, yes them wind turbine thingys. Then it was my friend who, I hadn't quite realised worked there, said about it. Well, she did say she worked for the Science Centre, you can see my confusion. This is because it's owned by the Science Centre. Ahh, makes sense now and new fact of the day. It's based just outside Eaglesham, not far from East Kilbride and from me. I didn't realise I was closer to this venture than I first thought. The place is mahoosive, now the second largest. Downgraded since, I believe the Netherlands added like one more to their collection or something so therefore creates more power. I think they should totally Tool Time Tim the place and get, More Power! It's a site to behold even though I couldn't see everything, unfortunately it was a very wet day. The visitor centre was brilliant, a bright, modern and Eco friendly building. It has an interesting and interactive exhibition and a workshop room for kids to learn even more about wind power. The centre also runs bus tours throughout the day, they put up a timetable as I believe they may change each day. Adult tickets £3, concessions and children £2 and under 5s go free. They also encourage you to walk around the grounds and it's also good for dog walkers. There's also a café and gift shop. I got a good cup of tea and delicious cake, so I can't complain. The café is a good size and looks out over the site. I bet it's a fantantic site when the weather is good. I'll definitely need to pop back up on a better day.

Took the girls to the Windmill park yesterday. Amazing place, didn't realise how big windmills are up close and personal. Over 200 at this site and as it was a windy day they were in full speed motion. Made a rather hypnotic sound!! Different and interesting experience

I am a huge supporter of wind energy and have always found wind turbines to be beautiful. They are elegant, stately, and interact gracefully with the natural environment around them. A wind farm is certainly a far sight more pleasant to look at than any other kind of energy plant I've ever seen. So of course I was delighted to discover I have "Europe's Largest Windfarm" practically on my doorstep. I had been planning to drive through anyway but when I learned they had a visitor's centre I waited to check it out until it had opened again (it was closed in the winter). According to the Centre's website, they are now open seven days a week from 10am - 5pm. The centre is a breath of fresh air (pun intended!). It's an ecologically friendly building set against the backdrop of the mysterious and awesome turbines. There is parking set back from the main building and outside the gate so if you plan to hike/bike outwith their opening hours, you can park at your leisure. Once inside there is a friendly receptionist and a learning room set behind the bathrooms. An airy cafe with surprisingly excellent cake and expansive views of the wind farm is an excellent spot to visit on its own. You can get up close and personal with the turbines on a guided bus tour, which is £3 and lasts about 45 minutes. Or you can tool about on your own. The turbines are set amongst some classic Scottish hillside beauty, and you can get right up close to them. They are enormous but wonderfully quiet--just about the same noise level as a windy day or a plane flying way overhead. This is a wonderful and quick day trip from Glasgow. The surrounding area is beautiful and the Visitor's Centre is educational and engaging. You can stop in and enjoy the views from the cafe, get your learn on, and/or interact with the landscape and the miles of hiking trails set up amongst the turbines.