My first school, Rothiemurchus Primary, just a mile outside Aviemore, was the kind of place you picture the children from the TV’s Monarch of the Glen being taught their times tables by tweed-clad teachers with names such as Miss McPherson. Funny that, because the hugely popular series was filmed on location in the area.
Come 22 June my old school playing fields will undergo something of transformation as they play host to Scotland’s latest summer festival, The Outsider, and will be overrun with rock fans. Headliners KT Tunstall and Crowded House may well be hanging out in the playground where we used to trade marbles.
For many of the festival-goers it will be their first visit to the area. My advice to them is to take a few hours off to explore, for the Spey Valley is an outdoor pursuits paradise.
One of the first places I take friends visiting the area is Loch an Eilean, a few miles from Rothiemurchus. It’s a magical spot in the midst of ancient pine forests, with a stony beach and a ruined 14th-century castle on an island. The castle was reputedly built by Alexander Stewart, the ‘Wolf of Badenoch’, a cruel ruler who according to legend played chess with the devil.
Should you want to get your heart pumping, climb Ord Ban hill and you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views over to the Cairngorm mountains. Following this trip you can treat yourself to tea at the nearby Inshriach Nursery. Wander through the beds of alpine plants then savour some of Gunnbjorg Borrowman’s fabulous cakes in the Potting Shed tearoom.
Next on the itinerary has to be Glenmore, which is seven miles from Aviemore towards the Cairngorms. If the weather is suitable for bike riding, take the trail from Rothiemurchus that snakes over to Loch Morlich in Glenmore. There are dozens of trails in the Forest Park around the loch, and you can continue on, up past Glenmore Lodge activity centre, to Ryvoan bothy (a very basic shelter), stopping off to skim a few stones from the shores of the Green Loch.
My favourite low-mountain walk starts in Glenmore from the road by the youth hostel. Only locals can pronounce the name of the hill, Meall a’ Bhuachaille, but anyone can climb up the recently restored footpath and savour the amazing views from the cairn at the top.
You can’t be so close to the Cairngorm National Park and do without a high-mountain experience. Drive up the ‘ski road’ to the car park and walk to the top of Cairngorm from there (unfortunately there’s no access to the mountain from the funicular railway). It’s a straightforward route, but make sure you’re equipped with a map and compass, as well as wet-weather kit. There’s a lovely gentle trail down from the car park to the Glenmore campsite, if you don’t fancy a climb.
North of Aviemore, there’s fantastic cycling in the Abernethy Forest, as well as the chance to spot the ospreys, which nest there. The Speyside Way is a biking/walking route that stretches from Newtonmore to the sea in the north. The Boat of Garten to Aviemore leg is lined with sculptures created from scrap metal.
If watersports is more your thing, the place to go is Loch Insh, where Clive and Sally Freshwater have established their sailing and canoeing empire, complete with bunkhouse and chalet accommodation overlooking the loch, and one of the best places to eat in the area, The Boathouse Restaurant. Canoeing down the River Spey is a exciting way to spend the day, or you can learn sailing or windsurfing with the in-house instructors.
My final must-do is a 45-minute drive south on the Fort William road, just beyond Laggan (Glenbogle in that TV series). From the waterfalls near the car park, walk up the forest road, across the army bridge and down to the spectacular Falls of Pattack. I have never ever met anyone walking there. The walk down is through a forest with precipitous drops down to the river and curious landmarks, such as the ‘hermit’s shelter’. For post-excursion treats – and what would any walk be without them – try the pottery/cafe outside Kingussie. Mmm... more delicious cakes.
Getting there
By train to Aviemore direct from Edinburgh, Glasgow and London. By car on the A9. By plane to Inverness Airport via BA or EasyJet.
Staying there
- Glenmore Campsite: www.forestholidays.co.uk
- The Boat: www.boathotel.co.uk
- Mountain Bothy Association: www.mountainbothies.org.uk
Activities
Loch Insh Watersports: www.lochinsh.com
Glenmore Lodge for courses: www.glenmorelodge.org.uk
Youth Hostel at Glenmore:
At Loch Insh, children can start to learn the various watersports from age six upwards, and have to be water-confident.
More info
The Outsider: www.outsiderfestival.co.uk
Cairngorm Mountains: www.cairngorms.co.uk
