Cairngorms National Park

城市概覽

The Cairngorms are a huge block of granite. During the Ice Age, the ice sat on top but didn't move. Elsewhere in Britain (for instance in the English Lake District) it carved out U-shaped valleys and other distinctive glacial features; here, with the exception of a few narrow valleys such as Lairig Ghru, it just polished the block into a series of rounded tops of similar height. So what was left behind was a plateau at 1000-1200 m altitude, with the peaks of Ben Macdui (1309 m), Braeriach (1296 m), Cairn Toul (1291 m) and Cairn Gorm (1244 m). This creates a habitat for hardy plants and animals that are common in sub-arctic countries but rare in Britain. It's too cold, stony and steep for agriculture, and the Caledonian forests in the valleys represent the last stand of the primeval forest that once cloaked Scotland. Modern times have seen encroachment by sheep-farming, game hunting and forestry, and climate change has become appreciated as a threat. The area was therefore protected in 2003 by designation as a national park. It's a remarkable wilderness, interspersed by lochs, rivers, woodland and moors. Wildlife includes crossbills, ospreys, capercaillie, golden eagles, red deer, red squirrels, otters, and mountain hare. Highlights include:

the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber), with some 500 now inhabiting the Tay valley; likeliest sightings are May-Aug at Loch of the Lowes above Dunkeld. a free-roaming herd of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), about 150 between Cairngorm and Glenlivet. They're usually just a distant smudge on the moor, but rangers lead hikes from Glenmore to their usual grazing area. you will be very lucky to spot the Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), or be sure that it's not just a burly domestic cat – they interbreed vigorously and there may be only a few dozen "pure" wildcats out there. A program to re-build the breed started in 2023, releasing 20-some wildcats annually for three years. Room for any more? Lynx, wolves and bears once roa

如何抵達

By plane Inverness (INV IATA) and Aberdeen (ABZ IATA) are the closest airports, with connections across Europe and the UK. Edinburgh (EDI IATA) is a longer drive but has more flights, and is west of the city so you drive straight out onto M90 then A9.

By train The railway line on the west (Tay and Spey) side of the park has trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow via Perth to Inverness every hour or two, plus the Highland Sleeper overnight from London Euston to Inverness. Stations along the way (with not all trains stopping) are Dunkeld & Birnam, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore and Carrbridge. The railway to the east hugs the coast from Dundee to Aberdeen, and is always at least 30 miles from the park boundaries. Trains also run from Aberdeen to Elgin, Nairn and Inverness, but it's even less convenient to access the park from that direction.

By bus

Hourly buses from Edinburgh and Glasgow stop at Perth and Aviemore on their way to Inverness, but mostly rush past the other villages. One bus per day also stops in Blair Atholl, Newtonmore and Kingussie. Bus X37 from Inverness runs five times a day via Tomatin, Carrbridge, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown, Nethy Bridge and Boat of Garten to Aviemore. Bus 201 runs hourly from Aberdeen to Crathes, Banchory, Ballater and Braemar.

By car The A9 from Perth to Inverness enters the park in the south and follows along the western side of it to the north east of the park. Follow the A93 from Aberdeen to enter the park from the east.

當地交通

Some trails are reachable on foot, and bus 30 runs hourly from Aviemore via Coylumbridge and Glenmore to Cairngorm ski area. But beyond that, buses are sparse and you need your own wheels. National Cycle Route 7 mostly follows A9. There are bosky back lanes and old railway tracks along the Spey valley, but crossing Drumochter Pass is on the busy main road.

必看景點

Balmoral Castle is 3 miles west of Ballater. Completed in 1856, it's the archetype "Baronial" Scottish mansion. It remains a royal residence - Queen Elizabeth II usually resided here in Aug and Sept, and died here on 8 Sept 2022. Blair Castle in Blair Atholl was 15th / 16th century, but rebuilt in Victorian times to resemble Balmoral. Other castles are ruins. Most are medieval, though Ruthven Barracks near Kingussie was built in 1719 to quell the Jacobites. Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie is a branch of Edinburgh Zoo. Prehistoric monuments such as stone circles cluster round Aviemore. Highland Folk Museum near Newtonmore is an open air museum of rural highland life from 1700 to the 1950s, open April-Oct.

體驗活動

Strathspey Railway is a standard gauge heritage line, usually steam-hauled, coursing 10 miles from Aviemore to Boat of Garten and Broomhill. Mountain biking: Laggan Wolftrax is a network of purpose-built mountain bike trails, along A86 between Spean Bridge and Newtonmore. Abernethy Forest is a remnant of the original Caledonian Forest and much is a nature reserve. The main entry points are near Loch Garten in the west and near Nethy Bridge in the north.

Walking Loch an Eilein is an easy 5 mile stroll in Rothiemurchus Forest south Aviemore. A ruined castle perches on an islet in the loch. Speyside Way is a walking trail, 85 miles / 137 km southwest from Buckie on the Moray coast, upriver to Grantown, Aviemore and Newtonmore in the Spey Valley. Most of it is also suitable for cycling and horse-riding. Cateran Trail is a 64 mile / 103 km hiking circuit of the southern glens, through Blairgowrie, Bridge of Cally, Kirkmichael, Spittal of Glenshee, Cray, Kirkton of Glenisla and Alyth. Lairig Ghru is a 19 mile / 31 km route through the Cairngorms from Coylumbridge to Linn of Dee above Braemar. You need transport set up at both ends; the first bus of the day to Coylumbridge is leaving it late to get through the pass before nightfall. It's heavy, boggy going, with snow and ice underfoot in winter. There are no bail-out options if you get cold and weary midway. Cairn Gorm (1245 m) and Ben Macdui (1309 m) are ascended from the ski centre car park above Aviemore. Lochnagar, a Munro of 1155 m / 3789 ft, is climbed from Ballater.

Skiing There are three downhill skiing facilities within the park: 1 Cairngorm Mountain is 12 miles east of Aviemore. This resort has been hamstrung by extended breakdown of the funicular railway, check status before visiting. 2 Glenshee Ski Centre is 10 miles south of Braemar. 3 The Lecht 2090 is a rinky-dinky beginners' slope along A939, 18 miles northeast of Ballater. When they're good, they're great, but they all have limited skiing areas, unr

購物

All the villages have small stores, mostly open M-Sa to 22:00 but with limited hours on Sunday. Fuel is available but expensive. Fill up in the Perth or Aberdeen area as you approach.

美食

All the individual towns have food outlets designed to refuel hungry skiers and hillwalkers quickly.

飲品與夜生活

All the towns have pubs, which usually serve food and are dog-friendly. Whisky distilleries: lots, in and arou