A landscape full of mountains, rivers and lochs, the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands is a popular destination for lovers of nature and the outdoors. Add to that, beautiful mountain villages, distilleries and an abundance of wildlife make this region a desirable hot spot for anyone wanting to experience Scotland’s magical scenery and hospitality. We recently took a trip to the region and experienced some fantastic Northern Cairngorms walks, lochs and attractions that really shouldn’t be missed.
With over 4,500 square kilometres of stunning scenery, the Cairngorms is the largest National Park in the UK. Located centrally in Scotland, the park features five of the six highest peaks in the UK, as well as a forests, nature reserves, winter ski resorts and beautiful lochs. Covering so much ground space, it’s difficult to cram in everything during a single trip, so it’s wise to focus on a particular area and delve deeper, or embark on a road trip to get a taster of everything on offer.
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Fantastic Cairngorms walks, lochs and attractions
The focus of our trip to the Cairngorms National Park was to the north, in the areas surrounding Grantown-on-Spey and Aviemore. With a cottage booked in a rural village outside of Grantown, we opted to explore the local surrounds which included a wealth of Cairngorms walks up mountains, through forests and around beautiful lochs. With a number of mountain towns and attractions to explore in the area, there was no shortage of trips to take over the space of a week, without having a hectic schedule, and allowing for plenty of downtime to relax.
Northern Cairngorms Walks #1 – A walk around Loch an Eilein
First up on the list of Cairngorms walks, a fabulous circular stroll of the beautiful Loch an Eilein, located within the ROTHIEMURCUS ESTATE. With an idyllic castle ruin situated on an island that gives the name Loch an Eilein (loch of the island), this beautiful spot is nestled deep in the Rothiemurcus Forest near Aviemore. From the ample car parking area, a short walk leads to the northern shores of the loch, with stunning views of the loch, the island castle ruin and the pine forest covered mountain backdrop.
A 3-mile trail trail leads the entire way around Loch an Eilein, providing a views from all aspects including close up views of the 14th century ruin on the island. The forest walk around the loch is on a well tended and relatively flat pathway with a few small hills. The local forests are teeming with wildlife including Red Squirrels, Scottish Crossbills and Crested Tits, so it’s always worth keeping a look out in the trees.
Visit the ROTHIEMURCUS website for further information about the estate.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE / Be sure to stop off at the Rothiemurcus Estate Farm Shop which is located on the main road a couple of miles north of the the loch. With a wide range of items from local producers, it’s a great opportunity to stock up on some fabulous Scottish produce, and support local businesses. The Barn Cafe on site is a great spot to stop and grab some breakfast, lunch or coffee and cake before or after your walk.
Sample the local Caorunn Gin at Balmenach Distillery
Let’s be honest, you’re not going to the Scottish Highlands without visiting at least one distillery on your trip. Luckily, the Northern Cairngorms have a wide variety of the distilleries dotted around in beautifully scenic spots. With the majority of these being whisky distilleries such as Dalwhinnie, Speyside and Tomatin, we just so happened to be staying right next door to a distillery with a slight difference. The Balmenach Distillery located in the Speyside region is one of the area’s most traditional distilleries, creating old style whisky, however the main focus for the public is as a gin distillery, and home to Caorunn Gin.
With a spectacular mountain backdrop, the Balmenach Distillery is a fabulous spot for an afternoon guided tour, learning about the gin making process. From seeing the onsite botanicals, and learning about the Copper Berry Chamber distillation process. the tour includes a tasting in The Bothy Visitor Centre and the opportunity to take home some delicious gins. The tour was informative, engaging and interactive and a great opportunity to learn about the site and the process.
Distillery Tours start up again in Spring 2023 and can be booked directly on the CAORUNN GIN website.
Northern Cairngorms Walks #2 – Explore the trails of Cairngorm Mountain
During the winter season, Cairngorm Mountain becomes Scotland’s ultimate winter playground with numerous ski and snowboard runs just a short drive from Aviemore. In the summer months (or as soon as the snow has thawed), Cairn Gorm is an accessible mountain destination, woven with hiking trails suitable for all skill and fitness levels. The main car park offers access to the Day Lodge and Base Station featuring a cafe, bar, mountain shop and toilet facilities. From here a number of simple walking trails lead up the mountain, with unrivalled views across the area. For families, there are gentle strolls, where more experienced hikers can head towards the summit, being Scotland’s 6th highest peak.
For more information about Cairngorm Mountain, take a look at the WEBSITE.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE / As of January 2023, the Cairngorm Mountain Railway has reopened after an extensive refurbishment. Scotland’s only funicular railway is the highest in the UK, reaching a height of 1,065m, offering an alterative to walking to higher ground.
Take a stroll through Aviemore & Grantown-on-Spey
While in the Northern Cairngorms, it’s worthwhile taking a stroll through the towns of Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey. Aviemore, the main hub of the Northern Cairngorms is a popular destination in winter thanks to the easy access to the surrounding ski resorts. With restaurants, cafes and pubs alongside outdoor clothing shops and gift shops, it’s a wonderful place for a stroll while passing. Grantown-on-Spey, further north, is a community hub with lots of outdoor activities on the doorstep. The high street is full of independent shops and cafes that sit amongst the beautiful architecture and heritage buildings of the town. Visit the GRANTOWN MUSEUM to learn about the area’s history, before stopping off for a speciality coffee nearby.
Northern Cairngorms Walks #3 – A wildlife walk at Loch Garten RSPB
The third of our Northern Cairngorm walks takes us to another fabulous loch and RSPB nature reserve. Located within the Abernethy National Nature Reserve, this RSPB property is nestled deep in the woodland, with walking trails through the forest alongside Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie. A path from the car park leads to the RSPB Nature Centre with a shop and cafe on site. Depending on the time of year, there is the opportunity to observe a nearby Osprey nest, and to learn of their behaviours. From the car park, the Big Pines Trail leads alongside Loch Garten for a half mile, offering glimpses across the still waters of the lake and stunning forest and mountain reflections.
Further along, the Two Lochs Trail is a 1.7 mile circular trail through the forest along the shores of both Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie. This peaceful walk through beautiful woodland offers the opportunity to glimpse the local wildlife and bird species such as crested tits, red squirrels, bank voles, great spotted woodpeckers and other forest wildlife. Where the forest trails meet the shores of the lochs, the still peaty brown water creates perfect reflections of the surrounding scenery on the glassy surface.
Find out more by visiting the RSPB LOCH GARTEN website.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE / Stop at nearby Boat of Garten, a scenic Highlands village where you can grab a bite to eat, or take a ride on the STRATHSPEY RAILWAY steam train from the Boat of Garten station.
Visit a beach in the centre of the forest at Loch Morlich
Landlocked in the centre of the Scottish Highlands, the last thing you’d expect to see in the Northern Cairngorms is a beach. But, lo and behold, head to Loch Morlich on the road to Cairngorm Mountain and you’ll find yourself with an expanse of golden sand beach on the edge of this freshwater lake. Loch Morlich is a popular loch, with a watersports centre, yacht club and cafe located on the shores. The scene is absolutely stunning. Golden sands stretch along the entire east shore of the loch, with a forest and mountain backdrop. A stroll along the shore, watching kayakers and paddleboarders out on the water, made me really wish I had more time to spend in this idyllic location.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE / Fancy getting out on the water? LOCH MORLICH WATERSPORTS offer a range of hire equipment including kayaks, SUP’s and wetsuit hire. Stop by the Boathouse Cafe for a bite eat or a quick drink with fabulous views.
Find some Hairy Coo’s
If your lucky on one of your Cairngorms walks, you might stumble across one of the most popular emblems of the Scottish Highlands – the Highland Cow, or the Hairy Coo. On our first trip to the Scottish Highlands a few years ago when we won a STAY IN A CASTLE, I was determined to see some Hairy Coo’s, but didn’t see a single one. I expected the fields to be full of them, but alas, it was not to be. This time, I was even more determined to search them out, but once again I was thwarted for the first few days. Did these mythical creatures even exist?
One day, during one of our trips out, we caught a glimpse of a herd of these beautiful beasts in a distant field, with their thick red woolly coats and massive horns. Sadly, it wasn’t in a location we could easily stop. Towards the end of our week in the Cairngorms, we managed to find a pair in a field next to the road, at a suitable stopping point, so I cautiously went to meet them. They were mostly aloof and more interested in grazing, or scratching an itch against the fences, but at least I got to see them close up. They really are beautiful creatures.
Take a scenic drive along the SnowRoads
If you’re exploring the Cairngorms by car, it’s very likely that at some point you will join or cross the SNOWROADS SCENIC ROUTE . A 90 mile journey, leading from Grantown-on-Spey in the north to the market town of Blairgowrie in the south, the SnowRoads take in some of the highest roads in Britain. The route offers dramatic landscapes, pretty villages and stunning castles along the way. Passing through the popular towns of Ballater and Breamar in the central Cairngorms, it’s a great route that could be taken over a number of days to get a real feel for the National Park.
We chose to take the SnowRoads route south at the end of our week in the Cairngorms National Park. Rather than take the quick route home, we followed the SnowRoads route, stopping at a number of scenic viewpoints along the way. With a number of art installations located at specific viewpoints, the scenes offered some great perspectives on the surrounding landscape. The three sculptures – Still Art, The Watchers and Connecting Contours were great stop off points, along with other notable spots such as Well of Lecht which has a lovely riverside walk to an old mine.
With so much to see in the Cairngorms National Park, the purpose of our visit was to focus on a smaller section, rather than spend most days driving long journeys, or staying at numerous places. The SnowRoads drive provided us with a glimpse into the remainder of the area, and opened up some ideas on which areas would be good to visit on our next trip. One thing is for sure, one trip to the Cairngorms definitely isn’t enough, so we will be back at some point.
Visit the SNOWROADS WEBSITE for further information.
Where to stay in the Northern Cairngorms
We visited the Cairngorms with friends so the intention was always to look for a base where we could relax and enjoy our time. Our choice for the week was a three bedroom cottage just outside the grounds of the Balmenach Distillery called Corriemhor Beag. This fabulous cottage, booked through Sykes Cottages, was a spacious two storey cottage with four good sized bedrooms, three bathrooms, a lounge, bright conservatory and large social kitchen leading into a dining room.
The outdoor space consisted of a patio area accessed via the conservatory with bench seating and a chiminea. The conservatory and patio areas were fabulous and sunny spots to relax with a book, a drink, or just to gaze out enjoying the views and watching the surprisingly large Brown Hares running around the area. We found this the perfect location and setting from where to take our Cairgorms walks, and visit the local attractions.
BOOK SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION IN THE CAIRNGORMS ON THE SYKES HOLIDAY COTTAGES WEBSITE
SEARCH FOR HOTEL BOOKINGS ON THE BOOKING.COM WEBSITE
Getting to the Cairngorms National Parks
The Cairngorms National Park is easily accessible by car, plane and train. With good road links from the south, the journey to the southern edge of the park from Edinburgh is about 1hr 15 minutes, traffic permitting. If travelling by plane, Edinburgh Airport is best for the southern end of the park, and Inverness Airport is the best route for the northern section of the Cairngorms, with less than an hour journey by car into the National Park. The park is also accessible by train, with a railway station in the centre of Aviemore.
LOOK FOR CAR HIRE IN SCOTLAND ON THE ENTERPRISE WEBSITE
BOOK TRAIN TICKETS ON THE TRAINLINE WEBSITE
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