Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Abernethy Forest RSPB Reserve
2.5 miles east of Boat of Garten, on the northeastern shore of Loch Garten • Reserve open year-round; Visitor centre April-Aug daily
10am-6pm • £4 • 3hr guided walks late May to early Aug Wed 9.30am; £5 •
T
01479 831476,
W
rspb.org.uk
A little over fifty years ago, the
osprey
, known in North America as the fish hawk,
had completely disappeared from the British Isles. Then, 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 Loch Garten, now the location of the
Abernethy Forest
RSPB Reserve
. One year's eggs fell victim to thieves, and thereafter the area became
the centre of an effective high-security operation. There are now believed to be up
to three hundred pairs nesting across the UK. The best time to visit is between
April and August, when the ospreys return from West Africa to nest and the RSPB
opens an
observation centre
, complete with powerful telescopes and CCTV
monitoring of the nest. The reserve is also home to several other rare species,
including the Scottish crossbill, capercaillie, whooper swan and red squirrel.
Once-weekly
guided walks
leave from the observation centre, while during the
spring lekking season (April to mid-May) when male capercaillie gather and joust
with each other, the centre opens at 5.30am for “Caperwatch”.
2
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
BOAT OF GARTEN
By bus
Buses from Aviemore run hourly to Boat of Garten,
stopping outside the post o
ce on Deshar Rd.
By train
Strathspey Steam Railway trains (see p.166) stop
at the attractive old station in the centre of the village
(3 daily July & Aug, less frequent at other times; 15min to
Aviemore; 25min to Broomhill).
Bike rental
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.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Anderson's
Deshar Rd, 300m west of the station
T
01479 831466,
W
andersonsrestaurant.co.uk.
Attrac-
tive 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
Across from the train station
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
Scottish
favou
rites - from Cullen skink to chicken tikka
masala.
£110
Fraoch Lodge
15 Deshar Rd
T
01479 831331,
W
scotmountainholidays.com.
Excellent hostel providing
high-quality home-cooked meals along with good facili-
ties such as a purpose-built drying room. Enthusiastically
run by experienced mountaineers, who also offer guided
walking holidays. Minimum stay of two nights when book-
ing in advance; please note that prices q
uoted
here
are p
er
night, based on a two-night stay. Singles
£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,
lots
of
books, and delicious evening meals and breakfasts.
£70
Kincraig
Around
KINCRAIG
, six miles southwest of Aviemore on the B9152 towards Kingussie,
there are a couple of unusual encounters with animals which offer a memorable
diversion if you're not setting off on outdoor pursuits.
Highland Wildlife Park
2 miles southwest of Kincraig • Daily: June-Aug 10am-6pm; April, May, Sept & Oct 10am-5pm; Nov-March 10am-4pm; last entry 1hr
before closing • £14 •
T
01540 65127,
W
highlandwildlifepark.org
Run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the
Highland Wildlife Park
is a
safari park and zoo, offering visitors the chance to see wolves and bison, as well as
many rarely seen natives, including pine martens, capercaillie, wildcats and eagles.
The park also runs photography tours and “keeper for a day” experiences with the
chance to feed tigers.
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