Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For both the adventurous and novice cyclist, the entire region is great for mountain biking;
the
Rothiemurchus Estate
has several excellent (and non-technical) way-marked trails
running through its extensive lands. Sailing, windsurfing and canoeing are also popular,
with a specialist centre at
Loch Insh
providing lessons and loaning out equipment.
Wintertime sees the tourist focus switch away from the lochs and rivers and up
towards the surrounding slopes, home to a well-established
ski resort
and the country's
only
dogsled centre
.
Strathspey Steam Railway
Aviemore Station, Dalfaber Road • July & Aug three times daily; less regular service at other times • £13 return •
T
01479 810725,
W
strathspeyrailway.co.uk
he main attractions of Aviemore are its outdoor pursuits, though train enthusiasts are
also drawn to the restored
Strathspey Steam Railway
, which chugs the short distance
between Aviemore and Broomhill, just beyond Boat of Garten village. he return
journey takes an hour and a half, with glimpses of the Cairngorm Mountains visible
through the trees.
11
Cairngorm Sleddog Adventure Centre
Moormore Cottage, three miles east of Aviemore on the Rothiemurchus Estate • Sledding Oct-April, by appointment • Museum £8; 30min
sled experience £60/person; 3hr sleddog safaris £175/person •
T
07767 270526,
W
sled-dogs.co.uk
Between Loch Morlich and Inverdruie lies the
Cairngorm Sleddog Adventure Centre
,
the UK's only sleddog centre. On a pre-booked tour of the centre's museum you can
meet the centre's dogs and learn more about the history of sledding. More exhilarating
are the centre's thirty-minute trips through the forest on a wheeled or ski-based sled,
pulled by around ten dogs.
Cairngorm Ski Area
Nine miles southeast of Aviemore • Ski season Dec-April, but varies depending on snowfall •
T
01479 861319,
W
cairngormmountain.
org • Buses from Aviemore wind past Inverdruie, stopping at the Coire Cas car park, near the funicular railway's base station
By Continental European and North American standards it's all on a tiny scale, but
occasionally snow and sun coincide at the
Cairngorm Ski Area
to offer beginner and
expert alike a great day on the pistes. High above Loch Morlich in Glenmore Forest
Park, the ski area is well served by public transport. From the car park at Coire Cas
(2150ft), the year-round
funicular railway
is the principal means of getting to the top of
the ski slopes.
Base station
Accessed via the Coire Cas car park • Ranger o
ce daily: April-Oct 8.30am-5pm; Nov-March 8.30am-4.30pm • Free
At the Cairngorm Ski Area base station there's a
ranger o
ce
where you can find out
about various trails, check the latest weather report and - on fine days between May and
October - join guided walks. he “Guided Walk @ he Top” (£15.95; allow two and a
half hours) involves riding the funicular part way up the mountain, joining a guided
walk to the summit, and then taking the funicular back down to the base station.
Guided mountain-bike descents of the mountain can also be arranged (from £22.50).
Cairn Gorm Mountain Railway
Leaves from the base station • Daily: May-Oct 10.20am-4.30pm, Nov-April 9am-4.30pm; last train up 4pm; every 20min • £10.30
he Cairngorm Ski Area base station is the departure point for the
Cairn Gorm
Mountain Railway
, a two-car funicular system that runs to the top of the ski area. A
highly controversial £15 million scheme that was bitterly opposed by conservationists,
the railway whisks skiers in winter, and tourists throughout the year, along a mile and a
half of track to the top station at an altitude of 3600ft, not far from the summit of
Cairn Gorm mountain (4085ft). he top station incorporates an exhibition/
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