Cairngorms National Park

The Cairngorms are essentially a huge block of granite. During the Ice Age, the ice sat on top but didn't move. Elsewhere in Britain (e.g. in the English Lake District) it carved out U-shaped valleys and other distinctive glacial features; here, with the exception of a few narrow valleys such as Lairig Ghru, it just polished the block into a series of rounded tops of similar height. So what was left behind was a plateau at 1000-1200 m altitude, with the peaks of Ben Macdui (1309 m), Braeriach (1296 m), Cairn Toul (1291 m) and Cairn Gorm (1244 m).
This creates a habitat for hardy plants and animals that are common in sub-arctic countries but rare in Britain. It's too cold, stony and steep for agriculture, and the Caledonian forests in the valleys represent the last stand of the primeval forest that once cloaked Scotland. Modern times have seen encroachment by sheep-farming, game hunting and forestry, and climate change has become appreciated as a threat. The area was therefore protected in 2003 by designation as a national park. It's a remarkable wilderness, interspersed by lochs, rivers, woodland and moors. Wildlife includes crossbills, ospreys, capercaillie, golden eagles, red deer, red squirrels, otters, and mountain hare. Highlights include:

• the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber), with some 500 now inhabiting the Tay valley; likeliest sightings are May-Aug at Loch of the Lowes above Dunkeld.
• a free-roaming herd of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), about 150 between Cairngorm and Glenlivet; usually just a distant smudge on the moor, but they may come snuffling up for hand-outs.
• you will be very lucky to spot the Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), or be sure that it's not just a burly domestic cat - they interbreed enthusiastically and there may be only a few dozen "pure" wildcats out there.

Room for any more? As the UK's largest park, with an area of 4,528 km 2 (1,748 sq mi), the Cairngorms may be suitable for re-introduction of long-extinct species such as lynx, wolves, and even bears. But this has to be balanced against its IUCN designation as a "Category 5" area, where farming and commercial activity are permitted, and tourism is encouraged, within sustainable limits. The family picnic remains safe for now.

The main service town and access point for the western, larger side of the park is , which straggles into Coylumbridge.
Other small settlements along or near the main road A9 are , Dalwhinnie, Laggan, Newtonmore, and .
Going down the Spey Valley east from Aviemore are Boat of Garten, Dulnain Bridge and .
The east side of the park, mostly in Aberdeenshire, is smaller and has fewer facilities, and most visitors come on day-trips.
Small places along the Dee valley are Ballater and .

By plane

Inverness and Aberdeen are the closest airports, with connections across Europe and the UK. Edinburgh is a longer drive but has more flights, and is west of the city so you drive straight out onto M90 then A9.

By train

The railway line on the west (Tay & Spey) side of the park has trains between Edinburgh & Glasgow via Perth to Inverness every hour or two, plus the Highland Sleeper running overnight from London Euston to Inverness. Stations along the way (with not all trains stopping) are Dunkeld & Birnam, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore and Carrbridge.
The railway to the east hugs the coast from Dundee to Aberdeen, and is always at least 30 miles from the park boundaries. Trains also run from Aberdeen to Elgin, Nairn and Inverness, but it's even less convenient to access the park from that direction.

By bus

The Edinburgh-Inverness route operated by Scottish CityLink goes through the park along the A9.

By car

The A9 from Perth to Inverness enters the park in the south and follows along the western side of it to the north east of the park.
Follow the A93 from Aberdeen to enter the park from the east.

By bus

Stagecoach operates a few local buses. It is best to plan your journey in advance with Traveline Scotland.

By bicycle

The National Route 7 passes through the national park roughly following along the A9.

• Balmoral Castle

  address: Balmoral Estates, Ballater AB35 5T
  Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, bought this land and built a grandiloquent pile of a castle, the prototype of the "Scottish Baronial" style, all mock-turrets and stags heads looming over the stairways. Completed in 1856, it remains the Royal Family's summer holiday home. You can only visit one room within the castle, the ballroom, plus an exhibition in the stables, and the gardens. The queen is usually resident in Aug & Sept, so there is no access then. See website for dates of guided tours in winter.

• Dalwhinnie DistilleryThe highest whisky distillery in Scotland. You can visit the distillery by tour.

• RZSS Highland Wildlife Park

  phone: +44 1540 651270
  Safari park and zoo.

Mountain biking, canoeing, climbing, walking, horse-riding, sailing, skiing, snowboarding, golf, clay pigeon shooting, canyoning, gorge walking, orienteering, yoga, shinty, wildlife and birdwatching, tennis, swimming, white water rafting, river tubing, archery, fishing.

• Cateran Trailcircular hiking route.

• Abernethy ForestA large forest (4,000 hectares) originating from the ancient Caledonian Forest. The forest is part of a larger National Nature Reserve and is great for wildlife spotting. The main entrance points are near Loch Garten in the west and near Nethy Bridge in the north.

• Laggan Wolftrax

  phone: +44 1479 861220
  A network of purpose-built mountain bike trails, with a café, shop and bike hire.
• Skiing: there are three downhill skiing facilities within the park:

• Cairngorm Mountain

  phone: +44 1479 861261
  address: PH22 1RB
  The funicular, has been closed since Oct 2018 because of damage to the track supports, and the managing company went bankrupt. Future plans for the resort are unclear.

• Glenshee Ski Centre

  phone: +44 13397 41320
  address: Cairnwell, Braemar, Aberdeenshire, AB35 5XU

• The Lecht 2090

  phone: +44 1975 651440
  address: Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, AB36 8YP

And see individual towns listed above.

• Gordon's Tearoom and Restaurant

  phone: +44 1339 741611
  address: Mar Rd, Braemar

• Goodbrand & Ross tea room

  phone: +44 1975 651433
  address: Corgarff, Strathdon

And see individual towns listed above.
There are plenty of guest houses, self-catering cottages and hotels throughout the park, and a couple of Caravan & Camping parks.

• Glen Clova Hotel

  phone: +44 1575 550350
  address: Glenclova
  Offers dog-friendly hotel rooms, lodges, and shared sleeping spaces (bunkhouses). The bunkhouse has washrooms and a full kitchen; bring your own towels and soap. Some accommodation packages include breakfast, use the website's check availability feature to see what packages are available. Also has a restaurant and bar that has a pet friendly section. You can get a packed lunch here.

Camping

• Spey Bridge Caravan & Camping Park

  phone: +44 1540 673275
  address: Perth Rd, Newtonmore

Backcountry

You can camp out in the wilderness if you are in a small group for a couple of nights, although you must stay away from houses and not disturb any livestock.

Check the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) for Scotland before going hiking in the mountains.

• Rannoch Moor
• Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park — Scotland's first National Park