Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the nesting site of one of Britain's rarest birds. A little over fifty years ago, the
osprey
,
known in North America as the fish hawk, had completely disappeared from the
British Isles. hen, in 1954, a single pair of these exquisite white-and-brown raptors
mysteriously reappeared and built a nest in a tree half a mile or so from the loch. One
year's eggs fell victim to thieves, and thereafter the area became the centre of an
effective high-security operation. here are now believed to be up to 300 pairs nesting
across the UK.
he best time to visit is between April and August, when the ospreys return from
West Africa and the RSPB opens an
observation centre
, complete with powerful
telescopes and CCTV monitoring of the nest.
ARRIVAL AND GETTING AROUND
BOAT OF GARTEN
By train
Strathspey Steam Railway trains (July & Aug
daily, less frequent at other times) stop at the attractive old
station in the centre of Boat of Garten.
Destinations
Aviemore (3 daily; 15min); Broomhill
(3 daily; 25min).
By bus
Buses from Aviemore run hourly to Boat of Garten,
stopping outside the post o
ce on Deshar Rd.
By car
The visitor centre is about two and a half miles east
of Boat of Garten: from the village, cross the Spey then
take the Grantown road, and the reserve is signposted to
the right.
Bike rental
You can rent two-wheeled transport from
Cairngorm Bike and Hire near the station (Daily July &
Aug 9.30am-5.30pm; limited hours at other times;
T
01479 831745,
W
cairngormbikeandhike.co.uk) for
£16/day.
11
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Anderson's
Deshar Road, 300m west of the train
station
T
01479 831466,
W
andersonsrestaurant
.co.uk.
Attractive place for lunch or dinner, serving creative
dishes based on local ingredients, like their Highland lamb,
rosemary and root vegetable hotpot (£14.95).
Daily:
noon-1.45pm & 6-9.30pm.
Boat Hotel
Just across from the railway station in Boat
of Garten
T
01479 831258,
W
boathotel.co.uk.
The
most elegant place to stay in the village, with fresh, airy
bedrooms. The hotel also has a bistro serving its own
interpretations of Scot
tish f
avourites - from Cullen skink to
chicken tikka masala.
£110
Fraoch Lodge
W
scotmountainholidays.com.
Excellent hostel providing
high-quality home-cooked meals along with good
facilities such as a purpose-built drying room.
Enthusiastically run by experienced mountaineers, who
also offer guided walking holidays. Minimum stay of two
nights when booking in advance; please note that prices
quoted
her
e are
per n
ight, based on a two-night stay.
Single
s
£21
; twin
s
£42
Old Ferryman's House
Just east of the village,
across the Spey
T
01479 831370.
A wonderfully
simple, and homely B&B, with an old-school approach:
no TVs, lot
s of
books and delicious evening meals and
breakfasts.
£70
15 Deshar Rd
T
01479 831331,
Grantown-on-Spey
Around fifteen miles northeast of Aviemore, the pretty town of
GRANTOWN-ON-
SPEY
makes a good alternative base for exploring the Strathspey area. Local life is
concentrated around the central square, with its attractive Georgian architecture,
but there are plenty of opportunities for hiking and biking in the immediate area.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
GRANTOWN
ON
SPEY
By bus
Buses from Aviemore and Inverness stop on
Grantown-on-Spey's High Street.
Destinations
Aviemore (roughly hourly; 35min); Inverness
(at least 2 per day Mon-Sat; 1hr 10min).
INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES
Tourist o
ce
54 High Street (April-June, Sept & Oct
Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-3pm; July & Aug
Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun 10am-4pm;
T
01479
872242,
W
grantownonspey.com.) Grantown's seasonal
tourist o
ce has leaflets on local attractions, as well as
maps of the area.
Bike rental
You'll find good bikes and decent coffee at
BaseCamp Bikes (Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm, Sun
10am-5pm;
T
01479 870050,
W
basecampmtb.com; £25/
day), next door to the Co-op convenience store on the
town's main square.
