Explore the Cairngorms

Days Out

There’s plenty to enjoy here, whether you’re looking to slow down together or set off on an adventure. Linger over wildlife watching, quiet walks and the stillness of the landscape, or spend your days hiking, climbing, mountain biking, river tubing and horse riding.

Drift through the scenery on a steam train, discover local whisky distilleries and small art galleries, then finish the day with wonderful food made from the best Highland produce.

  • The Old Bridge Inn in Aviemore is the centre for contemporary live music for the local area. Great atmosphere. 25 mins drive

    Hootenanny’s or upstairs in the tiny Market Bar, Inverness town centre, are also great for live music on most evenings. 45 mins drive

    At Loch an Eilein, Rothiemurchus, there is a beautiful little art gallery looking out over the loch. Open through the summer until the end of October, this gallery focuses on local talent linking in with the Creative Cairngorms group of home-based artisans and craft workers. 30 mins drive, and the loch itself is stunning with its island castle.

    Eden Court Theatre in Inverness hosts a strong and diverse programme of theatre, music, and dance and they also have a lovely art house cinema. 50 mins drive

    Pitlochry Festival Theatre puts together some great productions. Quite possible for a day trip – perhaps catch a matinee and have a walk at the Hermitage, just a little further south, on the way home. 1 hr 20 mins drive

  • The famous Speyside malts are softer and gentler than their Islay cousins, and there’s a string of distilleries within a short drive from Nethy Bridge, including the newly opened Cairn Distillery. Guided tours and tastings at each of them.

  • In Your Element
    An amazing, family-friendly, outdoor experiences on the Rothiemurchus Estate, from TreeZone Aerial Adventure Course, to guided canoe trips, gorge walking, archery and bike hire. 25 mins drive (01479 811426).

    G2 Outdoor
    Another adrenaline-fuelled specialist, has installed a kilometre of ziplines running through the forest in Alvie. It’s always going to be fun, particularly if you get a crisp autumn day to zip through. 25 mins drive (01540 651784).

    Landmark Forest Adventure Park
    Landmark Forest Adventure Park in Carrbridge cleverly matches educational activities with adrenaline-fuelled fun. Established in the 80’s, it has grown to accommodate a great selection of attractions, all based around the woodlands, and something for all ages. 15 mins drive (0800 7313446).

    Wet Day
    There are flumes and a wave machine at the swimming pool in Aviemore (20 mins drive) (0344 879 9152). Otherwise, a quiet session at Smarty Art in Grantown where they can decorate their own pottery, is a wonderful souvenir and maybe a gift for granny. 15 mins drive (01479 873552).

  • Be sure to visit Castle Roy, just on the outskirts of Nethy Bridge. Get there by following the castle icons on the local forest walk.

    Cawdor Castle lies across the Dava Moor going north from Grantown. It’s a fairy-tale castle but also the splendid and lived-in home of the family, filled to the rafters with ‘Shakespearian history’ and classically tended gardens. 45mins drive.

    Also on Dava Moor, don’t miss the romantic 14th century castle ruin on the island in Lochindorb. Under the water there’s supposedly a causeway known only to the castle’s keepers. 30mins drive.

  • The Highland Folk Museum is an open air ‘living history’ village at Newtonmore. Step back in time and experience life in the Highlands from 1700s to the 1950s. Do take at least half a day to explore. Free entry. 40 mins drive.

  • The Strathspey Steam Railway is a great 20 mile round trip from Aviemore, through Boat of Garten and on to Broomhill Station, just a couple of miles from Nethy Bridge. Afternoon tea or light lunch, tinkling crockery at a gentle pace through upper Strathspey. Santa Express special in December has mince pies and mulled wine. 10 mins to Broomhill.

  • Nethy Bridge has a general store for groceries, but for something a little special do check the well-stocked Balliefurth Farm Shop in the village and the Dell Grocer just across the river. Beef, lamb, venison sausages, produce, local beer, gourmet ingredients, and more are available here. 25 mins walk.

    Grantown-On-Spey boasts a Co-op. Open every day from 7am to 10pm. 15 mins drive.

Food & Drink

You’ll find plenty of dining options, from cozy local cafés and family-run eateries to larger hotel restaurants. There’s everything from handcrafted local treats and dishes made with locally sourced ingredients to a wee dram or two of whisky to complete the experience.

Fresh salmon fillet topped with dried herbs and steaming, with a blurred green background.

  • Nethy House Cafe This delightful café in the heart of Nethy Bridge is highly recommended. A delicious range of light lunches, sweet treats, and great coffee, it also sells creations by local artisans.

    Don’t miss the fabulous community Gather Inn pub-in-a-tipi at Dell of Abernethy. There’s usually pizza from a horsebox too. Fridays, except in winter. A very pretty 25mins walk

    The Nethybridge Hotel is open to non-residents with a charming dining room and good menu choice, often featuring local produce.

  • Anderson’s Restaurant Booking recommended. The former fishing tackle shop, now the very pretty Anderson’s, is a brilliant, intimate and inventive bistro, using the best local produce around. Great pizza to take away too. 15mins drive

  • The Garth Hotel A slick and upbeat restaurant with chatty staff and a high quality menu. Booking is advised.

    KJ’s Bothy Bakery Of Mountain Cafe fame, KJ and her team upped sticks to Grantown on Spey in 2020 and now offer deli-style take away and sit-oot dining. An absolute must.

  • Old Bridge Inn is an institution. Consistently wonderful menus, always a warm welcome, brilliant new live music and the best craic around.

    La Taverna Ristorante and Pizzeria isa family favourite complete with red and white checkered tablecloths, proper stone-baked pizza and an alpine ski-lodge atmosphere.

    The Skiing Doo and the Doo Below Bar Been going since the golden age of seventies ski-suits descended on Aviemore. Enormous steaks, curly fries and a quirky pine-clad après-ski institution.

Sports & Activities

Cairngorms National Park has long attracted adventurers, nature lovers, history buffs, and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

Since the skiing boom in the 1970s, Aviemore is again becoming one of the UK’s top spots for outdoor adventures, with plenty of independent activity providers.

And just beyond, still mostly untouched, the Cairngorms offer peaceful, wild landscapes that are easy to explore without going far off the beaten path.

Snow-covered mountain landscape with cloudy sky and rocks in the foreground.

  • The Lazy Duck sits almost equidistant between the Cairngorm and the Lecht ski areas, each offering slightly different experiences.

    For those keen to stay on the flat, summer forest paths are often transformed into a network of wonderful cross-country skiing routes, many accessible from the door.

    There is also ice climbing in the Northern Corries and the unique Cairngorm Sled Dog Adventure Centre for husky safaris. 35 mins drive

  • From white water rafting, canyoning and river tubing to a serene sea kayak in search of the Moray Firth dolphins we recommend, of the many adventure specialists, Full On Adventure based out of Aviemore. 20 mins drive

    Loch Morlich (30 mins) and Loch Insh (40 mins) both offer sailing, windsurfing and kayaking equipment and instruction – ideal for family groups

    Spey fishing. Fishing permits are available for a wonderful private stretch of the Spey (10 mins drive) from Mortimers of Grantown-on-Spey and equipment hire, practice and instruction can be found at Craggan Outdoors (15 mins drive)

  • Dramatic mountain scenery provides the backdrop and endless woodland paths, the base for some of the best mountain biking in the country. From the Lazy Duck, Abernethy Forest leads up onto the Ryvoan Pass and down to Loch Morlich, one of the many brilliant tracks in the area. Two bike parks are close by, Glenlivet literally on the doorstep and Wolftrax at Laggan further away.

    Ride Cairngorm in Boat of Garten has bike & ebike hire and sales, a repair workshop, and a small café. 10 mins drive

    Rothiemurchus Estate is a focus for independent well-run activities: There is pony trekking with beautiful Highland Ponies, archery, and clay pigeon shooting. 20 mins drive

  • We are very lucky to have a wide network (45km) of marked woodland paths centred on Explore Abernethy, and an excellent ranger service offers guided walks from the Nethy Bridge village hall – information on a large notice board next to the river. Walk Highlands is a brilliant website with downloadable routes and loads of information.

    We recommend Strathspey Storywalks, their outdoor storytelling and guided walks are a great experience.

  • Aside from what you can spot from your window, there is a huge array of wildlife to experience close at hand. Keep your eyes peeled for roe deer, capercaillie, and cross-bills, as well as the red squirrels which are so easily seen in the woodlands here.

    The Ranger Service based at Boat of Garten and operating also from the Nethy Bridge village hall offers lots of excellent information. Depending on the day, active options are sometimes on offer, including guided walks in the ancient forest focussing both on wildlife and early timber operations, star-watching nights, butterfly catching walks, bat listening forays, pond dipping for children, and more.

    Speyside Wildlife at Rothiemurchus have hides set up and organised dusk watches for badgers, pine martens, and owls. 30 mins drive.

    The Highland Wildlife Park near Kincraig, which is home to everything from snow monkeys, polar bears, siberian tigers, and wolves – a really fantastic outing for all ages. 35 mins drive.

    Loch Garten Ospreys make wonderful viewing in spring and early summer. A resident pair arrives home each spring to raise their young. The RSPB viewing facility and interpretation at the loch is really well done and they also organise capercaillie viewing during the lek from April to mid-May if you are prepared to rise early. And Loch Garten is worth a visit just for its own sake, any time. 10 mins drive.

Annual Events

Highland Games are a distinctive blend of athletics, cultural traditions, and lively social gatherings. They are held across the area in summer. There’s plenty more in the calendar too though…

  • Traditional highland games with 100 pipers and drummers marching together. Also the gathering for the local Clan Grant. Right here in Nethy Bridge, the 2nd Saturday in August.

    Also look out for the authentic Tomintoul Highland Games in July and the glam Braemar Gathering in September.

  • Competitors from around the globe cook up traditional and specialty porridges as they vie for the coveted Golden Spurtle trophy. Going strong in Carrbridge for over 25 years, annually in October.

  • This Harley Owners Group rally features entertainment, food & drink. Happens the last weekend of August from Aviemore.

  • Chainsaw carving competition in August/September.

  • A celebration of the rich Strathspey tradition of music, song, and dance. Held in Grantown-on-Spey annually in September.

  • The Nethy New Year celebration includes a torchlit procession, family ceilidh, and fireworks. Nearby Grantown draws a bigger crowd. If you like it messy, head for Aviemore.

Ready to book your stay?