Aviemore travel guide

The area around Aviemore is blessed with an abundance of craggy peaks, lochs, rivers and acres of forest, including pockets of the ancient and native Caledonian pine forest. Subsequently, much of Speyside is home to rare wildlife including pine martens, wildcats, red squirrels, ospreys and capercaillie, and Britain’s only herd of wild reindeer. Most of upper Strathspey is owned by Forestry Commission Scotland and Rothiemurchus Estate, which has been in the possession of the Grant family since the 16th century. Fortunately, the owners enthusiastically support access to these lands that form part of the Cairngorms National Park and which, among the opportunities for outdoor adventure and inhaling fresh air, boast miles of waymarked trails. Thanks to an undulating forest cycle trail completed in 2008, it’s now possible for families to pedal off the road from Aviemore all the way to Glenmore and picturesque (9 miles east) at the bottom of the Cairngorm Mountain access road.

An easy circular walk of about two hours around Loch an Eilean in Rothiemurchus Estate starts from the end of the side road which turns east off the B970, 2 miles south of Aviemore. From the car park at the end of the road head for the lochside. The route around the loch is clearly marked and it’s difficult to lose your way as it follows the loch shore. It’s a very pleasant walk through woodland with views of a 14th-century castle ruin on an island in the middle of the loch. The views and change of light here are breathtaking, whilst it’s a magical experience to hear one’s call echo across the loch and through the silent forest. It’s a romantic spot too, highlighted by the fact locals sometimes marry in the forest by the lochside. You can extend the walk by around a mile by including the circuit around Loch Gamhna. The paths around Loch an Eilein are also connected with the massive network of trails around Rothiemurchus. OS Sheet 36 covers the route. There are toilets by the car park (£3), and in a small croft, postcards, ice-cream and information about the walks and wildlife in the area are available.