‘In wooded districts throughout the Highlands where materials can be found, doors, gates, partitions, fences, barns and even dwelling houses are made of wattle-work.’

A. Carmichael – 1884

You can’t tell where you will find inspiration, and for me the replica turf and creel house at Glencoe Visitor Centre is one of those surprise moments of awe. All the more so because I didn’t know the house existed that morning when I woke up, and I didn’t even intend on going to the Glencoe Visitor Centre that day.

A sunny autumn day in the central belt made me keen to drive into the countryside to photograph some beautiful autumn scenes in the sun. We settled on Glencoe as it would be dramatic and colourful in the sunshine. Of course, as a silly towny, I forgot to check the weather forecast at Glencoe, and the clouds began to tumble in and rain began to fall as we drew closer. Thankfully, as anyone who has been to Scotland knows, mist and rain just adds to the personality and beauty of this country. So, what began as a desire to photograph an Instagram worthy, pristine autumn landscape, evolved into something much more atmospheric and inspiring.

When the rain began to fall more relentlessly, we decided to retreat to the nearby Visitor Centre to dry off. Being a descendant of the MacDonald Clan, I am naturally interested in the history of Glencoe, so it was a perfect place to learn more.

What I could never have been prepared for was the moment I passed through the centre and turned to see the turf and creel house for the first time. I don’t think I have ever seen a manmade structure that sat so naturally within the surrounding landscape. It was like looking at a baby mountain growing from the earth.

Walking around and through the house, it was impossible to ignore how rooted in place the building is. The age-old techniques used in the construction speak to generations of makers who understood how to work with the world around them. Their knowledge reminds us that every craft begins with curiosity, observation, and a willingness to learn from those who came before. I believe it is important that the foundations of these crafts continue to be understood so future generations have something to build upon in their own way.

The most striking thing for me about the turf and creel house at Glencoe Visitor Centre is how it perfectly reflects the beauty of finding and developing craft from what surrounds us. Turf and creel houses were, like all buildings at one time, literally made from what was closest at hand. The people of the Highlands developed the knowledge to work with the materials they had close at hand. Trial and error, observation, and curiosity have always shaped the way people create. Every generation learns from the last, adds something of its own, and passes those ideas forward.

This is the spirit I hope Wild Lea will always carry: a belief that curiosity and human creativity can transform what we inherit into something new, while never losing sight of the people and places that inspired it.