‘One of the Glories of Wild Scotland’ - Active Green Breaks in the Highlands

[Emma Kate Henderson]

Are you bored of lounging on sun-beds or bruising your bum on the slopes? Do you want a break that can give you a genuine sense of well-being and achievement? An active break in Aviemore and the Cairngorms National Park can tick all these boxes. 

Nestled in the rugged and handsome heart of the Scottish Highlands. Wild and untamed in its majority, the setting invokes a passion in you from the moment you step off the plane at the bijou Inverness Airport. The cool clear mountainous air brushes your face as your eyes savor the seductive setting surrounding you. Aviemore and the Cairngorms is a forty-five minute drive from Inverness airport, or two and a half hours from Edinburgh.  

What to do: Rothiemurchus, Aviemore is a Highland estate set in the hub of the Cairngorms National Park. It is the largest natural forest in the UK. An all-year round attraction, the estate is regarded as one of the best outdoor recreation centres in Scotland. Sir David Attenborough has referred to the estate as "one of the glories of wild Scotland."    

As a visitor and customer of the Rothiemurchus estate you're helping the Laird family to care for this extraordinary place, for which they have been the guardians for centuries. Your visit really makes a difference. This break can satisfy all you eco-warriors, whilst setting the bar for exciting new challenges. 

The park offers over thirty different types of activities, for groups, families, couples or individuals. The activities cater for all, the youngest adventurer, the keen wildlife watcher, and even the adrenaline junkie.  

Set in the truly awe inspiring setting, amid lochs, rivers, moorland and ancient forest, visitors can enjoy a range of activities, including; clay shooting, 4x4 off road driving, hand-feeding deer, canoeing, quad bike trekking, aerial adventuring, safaris on foot or by Land Rover, and indoor climbing, all with fully qualified instructors. You can book all these activities at the Rothiemurchus Centre. 

Land Rover Safari: When you hear safari, visions of Africa's Serengeti may spring to mind. You may think there will be no comparison, you will be pleasantly surprised. A safari though this mountainous place of infinite wildlife and exceptional beauty can be just as enthralling and adventurous. 

TreeZone aerial adventure course: A squirrel's-eye view of Rothiemurchus. Zip-wires, balance beams, hanging platforms, tightropes, scramble nets, white-knuckle bridges and gap jumps are set high up in the ancient Caledonian Pines of the Cairngorm Mountains.

A heady mix of nail biting fear and an injection of adrenaline to the heart. Not a natural adrenaline junkie, why? You may ask would I put myself through such a trial. The truth, the finale to the whole experience was one of utter relief, combined with an overwhelming sense of achievement and consciousness of feeling alive. I wanted to immediately go again. A popular retort of first time sky divers, or so I'm told.   

Speyside Wildlife Watching: Encounter real wildlife with an enchanting walk through the glens and lochs at Speyside. You can see the wonders of nature through your own eyes, or rose tint of the camera lens. Perfect for both enthusiasts and those who are simply curious. For a photographer, amateur or professional it is a dream. 

You may see Golden Eagles soaring in secluded glens. Illusive Osprey fishing over picturesque lochs. Crested Tits and Crossbills flitting amongst Caledonian pines. Dippers bobbing on rocks in crystal-clear rivers. Rare Red Squirrels swinging in the trees or nibbling on pine cones. With an experienced local nature watcher, you're guaranteed to catch a glimpse of a wide range of wildlife. 

Where to stay: Hilton Coylumbridge is a large hotel situated in a 65-acre estate. It is on the doorstep of a little town called Aviemore. Here you will a small high street, peppered with boutique shops and cafes, as well as a convenient supermarket. The hotel is a perfect base camp, ideally placed to explore the beautiful Cairngorm National Park. The Hotel is situated a short walk or drive away from both Rothiemurchus and Speyside.

 

After a day of activity, this hotel invites you to sit by the cozy log fires in the Foyer Lounge & Bar, stocked to the hilt with warming malt whiskeys. There is also a spa and swimming pool, perfect for a spot of post activity pampering. 

 

The rooms are simple, comfortable and modern. There are two restaurants the Grant Room, and the Woodshed Bar, a cosy cabin in the woods, serving hearty Scottish cuisine. Breakfast is every conceivable thing you could ever wish to have for breakfast. To name but a few, freshly made waffles, a full Scottish breakfast with bacon, black pudding and haggis, to steaming porridge laced with optional, Glenfiddich single malt. 

 

Where to Eat. The Old Bridge Inn: On the banks of the Spey, visitors are greeted by crackling log fires and low ceilings covered in ancient black beams. There is a relaxed and genial atmosphere. The bar offers a fine selection of cask ales, premium lagers and malt whiskies. You will find this haunt populated by outdoorsy types and locals who welcome you in. The ingredients are sourced largely from the estate. 

 

The seasonal menu offers such delectable delights as twice cooked pork belly, black pudding, local carrots and Arrn mustard sauce, or Geddes Farm Chicken with braised red cabbage, puy lentils and parsnip sauce. The ingredients were wonderful and cooked beautifully. Mid-range options like these are around £15.00. Most people will want to order some additional sides to accompany the main course. For lunch this is maybe a little on the expensive side. 

 

Inshriach Nursery and Potting Shed: So magical and enchanting it could be written into a Harry Potter book. Everyone who visits this corner of the world should visit the Potting Shed. So popular with ramblers and visitors to the estate, this tea time treasure was recently nominated one of Britain's top ten cake shops. 

 

The potting shed is a cheerfully twee tearoom, with an observing gallery to the multitude of birds and squirrels attending the midair feedings. The homemade cakes are heavenly, more Gatto than sponge cake. The strawberry cake was four layers high, laced with lashings of cream, sponge and pilled high with fresh strawberries. This is all washed down with English tea served in giant theatrical tea pots. 

 

Rothiemurchus Estate Farm Shop & Deli: All the flavors and smells you can possibly imagine, straight off the Cairngorms National Park. Get into a pickle savoring all jams, biscuits, cheeses, whiskeys, meats, pies and ice cream on offer. It has the appeal of a big kids sweet shop.  

 

Visitors to the Cairngorms National Park will gain a real ‘switch off' from the everyday. There will be a part of you that wants to shout about this place, but another that will want to keep it a secret. By visiting this park you continue the cycle of its care, with the benefit of gaining a real sense of well-being and adventure, in some the most beautiful scenery in the world.


images: Nick Bramhall, Office of National Statistics Geography