The Central Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 170

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE KINGUSSIE

By train Kingussie's train station is on Station Rd, just
south of the A86.
Destinations Edinburgh (Mon-Sat 7 daily, 5 on Sun; 2hr
40min); Glasgow (Mon-Sat 4 daily, 2 on Sun; 2hr 30min);
Inverness (Mon-Sat 12 daily, 7 on Sun; 55min); Newton-
more (Mon-Sat 5 daily, 3 on Sun; 5min).

By bus Buses arrive and depart from near the Duke of
Gordon Hotel , on the High St.
Destinations Edinburgh (5 daily; 3hr 30min); Inverness
(Mon-Sat 8 daily, Sun 5 daily; 1hr); Newtonmore (roughly
hourly; 5min).

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ACCOMMODATION
Ì The Cross North of the centre off Ardbroilach Rd
T 01540 661166, W thecross.co.uk. One of the most
appealing places to stay in the whole of Speyside, this
relaxed but stylish restaurant with rooms is located in a
converted tweed mill on the banks of the River Gynac k. The
superb restaurant (see below) is open to non-residents. £120

The Laird's Bothy 68 High St T 01540 661334,
W thetipsylaird.co.uk. For a cheap, comfortable bed try
this hostel on the High St. It's attached to the Tipsy Laird
pub, which h osts occasional jam sessions and karaoke
nights. Dorms £17

EATING AND DRINKING
The Cross North of the centre off Ardbroilach Rd
T 01540 661166, W thecross.co.uk. The most ambitious
(and pricey) restaurant in the area, where a three-course
meal carefully crafted from fresh Scottish ingredients like
Shetland lobster and Perthshire lamb costs £50. Daily
7-8.30pm.
The Potting Shed 84 High St. Cute little tearoom with
teacups hanging in the window. Good spot for a drink,

but your main objective should be devouring one of the
tasty, wheat-free cakes with fruity fillings (£4.50). Mon &
Thurs-Sun 9.30am-5pm.
Tipsy Laird 68 High St T 01540 661334. This pub is a
good spot for a light lunch or an inexpensive evening meal;
it's £6.75 for a plate of haggis, neeps and tatties with gravy
and oatcakes. Mon-Wed noon-midnight, Thurs-Sat
noon-1am, Sun 12.30pm-midnight.

Newtonmore
Kingussie's closest neighbour, NEWTONMORE , is also its biggest rival. The two villages,
separated by a couple of miles of farmland, both have long-established shinty teams
that battle for dominance in the game, a fierce indigenous sport from which ice hockey
and golf evolved. Newtonmore itself is notable for its top-notch folk museum, and
there are plenty of rough-and-ready mountain biking routes in the forests to the south.

Highland Folk Museum
Kingussie Rd • Daily: April-Aug 10.30am-5.30pm; Sept & Oct 11am-4.30pm • Free; donation requested • W highlandfolk.com
Newtonmore's chief attraction is the excellent Highland Folk Museum . The outdoor site
is a living history museum, with reconstructions of a working croft, a water-powered
sawmill and a church where recitals on traditional Highland instruments are given.

Laggan Wolftrax
8 miles southwest of Newtonmore on the A86, just beyond the junction with the A889 from Dalwhinnie • Free; car parking £3/day •
T 01463 791575, W www.forestry.gov.uk
Laggan Wolftrax is a superb, free facility with more than twenty miles of marked
mountain-biking trails to suit all abilities. The three-mile-long green route is the best
place for those starting out, but expert riders might prefer the gruelling black route,
which traverses a steep and rocky staircase made up of uneven slabs.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION NEWTONMORE

By train The train station is south of the centre on Station Rd.
Destinations Edinburgh (Mon-Sat 3 daily, 2 on Sun; 2hr
30min); Glasgow (Mon-Sat 2 daily, 1 on Sun; 2hr 20min);
Inverness (Mon-Sat 5 daily, 3 on Sun; 55min); Kingussie
(Mon-Sat 5 daily, 3 on Sun; 5min).

By bus Buses for Edinburgh and Inverness arrive and
depart from Main St.
Destinations Edinburgh (Mon-Fri 5 daily; 3hr 25min);
Inverness (Mon-Sat 8 daily, Sun 5 daily; 1hr 10min);
Kingussie (roughly hourly; 5min).