Overview
In the heart of the Scottish Highlands lies the majestic Cairngorms National Park – big mountains, remote glens, pine forests and lochs create a natural playground like no other. The UK’s largest National Park is home to Scotland’s largest ski resort; Cairngorm Mountain has 30km of ski runs and a freestyle park served by 11 lifts including the UK’s highest funicular railway. Walking is also very popular in the national park, with five of the six highest mountains in Scotland located in the Cairngorms massif. This includes Ben Macdui which at 1,309m above sea level is the second highest mountain in the UK. The wild Monadhliath Mountains are a less popular option for walkers and whilst not on the scale of the Cairngorms massif are still impressive. The extreme weather in these parts also means winter mountaineering and climbing are hot on the agenda, and ski touring is also an option. Loch Morlach on the Cairngorm mountain road has a water sports centre and is a popular choice for kayaking, sailing and wild swimming. A 1 km long natural sand beach with mountain views also make this a good spot for chilling on a warm summer day. Mountain bikes can head to the Laggan Wolftrax and Glenlivet trail centres, or for a multi-day off-road cycle adventure there are endless forest and mountain tracks to explore. For a high octane experience why not hurl yourself off the Garry bridge high above the River Garry in Killicrankie, at the highland fling bungee!
“Fiacaill Ridge” by rjshade / CC BY
Activities
Skiing, Snowboarding, Walking, Road cycling, Climbing, Water sports, Mountain Biking, Bungee Jumping, Sledding, Fishing.
Adventure Highlights
Adventure Highlights include a powder day at Cairngorm Mountain, hiking the alpine wilderness of Ben Macdui, wild swimming the spectacular Loch Morlach and and bungee jumping at Killicrankie.
When its time to kick back the holiday resort town of Aviemore is an accommodation hub and has a range of cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops – its also the closest you’ll get to apres ski in the UK, helped in part by its resemblance to an 80’s style ski village! More laid back options include the charming village of Ballater and picturesque town of Kingussie.
A less adrenaline fueled activity that of wildlife watching; the Red Squirrel, Golden Eagle, Osprey, Scottish wildcat and even a herd of Reindeer are all inhabitants of the Cairngorms national park.
Finally for whisky lovers the Cairngorms are home to 6 distilleries, some of which offer tours and of course tastings!