Three days in the Scottish Highlands

Arrive at your accommodation destination and explore the beautiful surroundings. Sally recommends the following places to stay:

Kinross House is a guesthouse in Grantown-on-Spey in the north of the Cairngorms. It’s an attractive Victorian villa with period features situated on possibly the quietest street in Grantown in wooded surroundings. They offer free use of mountain bikes, plus secure storage for your own bike, fishing gear, skis or golf clubs. This lovely Victorian village has shops and restaurants nearby, and pleasant surrounding walks which you can follow to the River Spey.

Gardener’s Cottage near Aviemore offers two charming self-catering cottages (both sleep four), tucked away at the end of Inshriach Garden. It’s the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the Cairngorms, just 4 miles south of Aviemore. If you’re a mountain biker, you can head straight up to the forest from the doorstep and start exploring the hundreds of miles of tracks available, suitable for riders of all ages and levels. Aviemore’s skiing resort is also nearby.

Rowan Tree Country House Hotel is a cosy, family-run country hotel and restaurant located just south of Aviemore. It sits in secluded country grounds surrounded by trees and with stunning mountain views and overlooking the lovely Loch Alvie near Alvie Estate, which provides a pleasant walk from the hotel grounds. With facilities for walkers, climbers, cyclists, historians, nature lovers and photographers, it’s an ideal place to stay for a getaway in the great outdoors. Dogs are welcome too!

Spend the afternoon at Alvie Estate trying some fun outdoor activities or just appreciating the beautiful setting. Located near the village of Kincraig, this Highland estate covers 13,000 acres of fields, woodland and moors and has been owned by the Williamson family since 1927. 

From zip wires and clay pigeon shooting to archery and horse riding, there’s plenty to try here! You could get an adrenaline rush with some quad biking, accompany the gamekeeper as he feeds the wild deer (December to March only), take a tour of the estate, or learn bushcraft skills. There’s also walking, fishing and bird watching if you’d prefer a relaxed afternoon to yourself feeling close to nature.

 The estate also offers some lovely holiday cottages if you’d like to stay.

To round off the day, why not treat yourself to a delicious dinner out? Sally has the following restaurant recommendations you might want to try during your visit:

The Old Bridge Inn in Aviemore is well known for its friendly atmosphere, great food, live music and beautiful riverside setting. Enjoy the outlook onto the River Spey, surrounded by old pine trees. The locally sourced, seasonal food and drink can be enjoyed in the lounge by the fireside, or in the elegant restaurant area. The bar has a real local focus too, with five cask-ale pumps and an array of single malt whiskies.

Cairngorm Hotel in Aviemore is right in the heart of town and offers superb food, a wonderful bar with an excellent range of beer and malts, plus regular live music. Meals are served throughout the day and the hotel provides an excellent base for any Highland holiday or stopover.

Take a guided wildlife tour with Speyside Wildlife on an exclusive basis for you and up to six friends or family members. You can take a full day or half day tour, both of which start from 9am. 

Depending on the time of year, you can hope to see some local regulars such as capercaillies, crested tits, Scottish crossbills and other woodland birds. Mammals include red squirrels and the majestic roe deer. The best seasons can actually be autumn and winter, with this being some of the best times to look for the rare capercaillie, which is a member of the grouse family.

The expert local guides know the area intimately and will take you to the best locations to help you find the species you’d most like to see. They can teach you to identify species, recognise different calls, show you how to use fieldcraft, and read animal tracks and signs. They’ll tell you all about the behaviour and general biology of the species that you find in the Highlands - but most of all, they will ensure that you have an exciting and rewarding day out no matter the weather!

After an early dinner you can spend the evening on a guided wildlife watching experience in Speyside Wildlife’s Mammal Hide, which badgers and pine martens regularly visit.

The hide is located within the Caledonian Forest near Aviemore and gives you the opportunity to watch nocturnal pine martens and badgers all year round! A variety of other Scottish wildlife species may visit the hide whilst it’s still light, including tawny owls, and red and roe deer. Bear in mind that days are much longer at the height of summer.

You’ll be accompanied throughout by a friendly expert guide, and you can also hire the hide exclusively. 

Abernethy National Nature Reserve is the largest surviving forest of Caledonian pine trees and provides a vital refuge for some of Scotland’s most charismatic mammals and birds. This ancient and magical place provides miles of beautiful walks to enjoy, where you can soak up the natural atmosphere that makes the Highlands so special.

Situated within the forest on the edge of Loch Garten is the RSPB Scotland Loch Garten Osprey Centre. Loch Garten is where ospreys returned in the 1950s after a period of extinction in the UK, and they still return here every spring to breed. These majestic birds of prey are a fascinating sight to see. The centre has views onto the nest, plus hi-definition remote viewing and an osprey webcam. Red squirrels, bank voles, crested tits and lots of other woodland birds visit the feeders, and friendly staff will be happy to tell you more about the forest and wildlife so you have a memorable visit. Why not take a walk around the loch after visiting the centre?

Sally also recommends a walk to the more hidden Loch Mallachie, which you can find following this idyllic walking route. 

The atmospheric ruins of the Ruthven Barracks near Kingussie are situated atop a hill, taking in incredible Highland vistas of mountains and forest all around. It’s a great stop for Outlander fans who want to get closer to the history behind the story.

The barracks were built by George II’s government in the early 1700s after the failed Jacobite rising of 1715. The troops were stationed there to maintain control and enforce the Disarming Act of 1716. Three decades later in 1745, a 300-strong Jacobite attack tried to take the barracks and failed, but the following year, a more heavily armed attack successfully forced the government troops, also known as ‘Red Coats’, to surrender.

This poignant spot is also where the Jacobites made a last stand after the infamous battle at Culloden. Nearly 3,000 men who survived the battle gathered at Ruthven to await further instructions from Bonnie Prince Charlie, only to be told days later that the cause was lost and they were to look after themselves.

Visit Caorunn Gin Distillery for a guided tour and learn about how they expertly infuse locally foraged gin botanicals to produce their unique, small batch gin. 

This quadruple-distilled Scottish gin is lovingly handcrafted by one man – the Gin Master Simon Buley. Using only the finest pure grain spirit, natural Scottish water and 11 botanical gin ingredients which are foraged locally, he personally crafts each and every bottle of Caorunn! Your tour will include an in-depth tasting experience to understand the subtleties of this fabulous and truly authentic Scottish gin.

Please be sure to check ahead of time for opening details and tour availability.

You may want to linger longer in the area as there’s much to see and enjoy, or travel west to explore the magnificent coast - Sally's favourite getaway location.