Aviemore is a small town of approximately 2500 residents that lies approximately 50 kilometres south-east of Inverness within the Cairngorm National Park, part of the Highland Region of Scotland. Aviemore lies at the foot of the Craigellachie, which means ‘crag of the rocky place’ and is a Scottish National Nature Reserve. Although not particularly high, the crag emerges from the birchwoods like a beacon and historically was the rallying place for the Clan Grant, whose lands stretched from here to the village of Craigellachie.
Aviemore was once a quiet Speyside village until it was transformed in the 1960’s and became the centre of Britain’s main winter-sports. It was built of local granite and wood in the modern bold architecture of its time and has developed into an all-year-round resort with restaurants, hotels and shops, a theatre and concert hall, a swimming pool, go-kart circuit and ice rinks. Skiing, of course, is the major attraction, and there is a dry ski-slope as well as ski schools which hire out all the equipment required.
Near to the village is the Craigellachie Bridge which stretches over the River Spey, and is one of Thomas Telford’s most beautiful bridges. Begun in 1812, it has two ornamental stone towers at each side, with a 45 metre span of cast iron in the centre. Until 1973, when a new road was built alongside, it carried the main road north and south. Steam trains of the Strathspey Railway, a Heritage Railway, still run along the eight kilometres of track from Aviemore to the Loch Garten Nature Reserve where it is possible to see the rare osprey’s nesting area from the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) observation point.
Other places of interest within 30 kilometres:
The Cairngorms National Nature Reserve, the largest in Britain, a magnet for hikers, climbers and skiers, and home to the golden eagle, wild cat and capercaille, found nowhere else in the land.
The Highland Folk Museum at Kingussie, 20 kilometres south-west of Aviemore, with furniture, pottery and Highland dress as well as primitive homes and farm implements of the Highlands and Islands.
The Reindeer Centre in the Glenmore Forest Park, where reindeer were introduced from Sweden in the 1950s.
The Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, 13 kilometres south-west of Aviemore, has Highland cattle, wolves, eagles and bison, as well as other animals which were once native to the area.
The Landmark Visitor’s Centre at Carrbridge, ten kilometres north, gives much information about the Highlands.
Did you know that – although the area has many associations with Bonnie Prince Charlie, the man who most cast a shadow over the area was known as the Wolf of Badenoch, son to King Robert II!! In the 14th century he maintained a reign of terror from his castle at Ruthven and Loch an Eilein.
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