Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE CAIRNGORMS
The
Cairngorms National Park
(
www.cairngorms.co.uk
)
encompasses the highest land-
mass in Britain - a broad mountain plateau, riven only by the deep valleys of the Lairig
Ghru and Loch Avon, with an average altitude of over 1000m and including five of the six
highest summits in the UK. This wild mountain landscape of granite and heather has a sub-
Arctic climate and supports rare alpine tundra vegetation and high-altitude bird species,
such as snow buntings, ptarmigans and dotterels.
The harsh mountain environment gives way lower down to scenic glens softened by
beautiful open forests of native Scots pine, home to rare animals and birds such as pine
martens, wildcats, red squirrels, ospreys, capercaillies and crossbills.
This is prime hill-walking territory, but even couch potatoes can enjoy a taste of the high
life by taking the Cairngorm Mountain Railway up to the edge of the Cairngorm plateau.
