Cairngorms National Park. Courtesy of VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint
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Cairngorms National Park
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When:
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Daily
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Where:
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Cairngorms National Park
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| Costs: |
Free
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| Opening Hours: |
24 hours daily
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Cairngorms National Park is Scotland's largest, covering 3800 square kilometres of the Highlands and Grampian regions. With mountains and glens, rivers and lochs, forest and moorland, it is a popular destination for hillwalking, climbing, skiing, mountain-biking and fishing.
Officially opened as a national park in September 2003, the expanse of wilderness is named after the Gaelic An Carn Gorm, meaning "the blue hill". A combination of heather moorland, farmland and woodland, each with individual characterstics, come together to make the area special. It is home to a quarter of Scotland's native woodland and a quarter of Britain's endangered species.
The Cairngorms mountains comprise the highest and most massive range of arctic mountain landscape in Britain, and there are no roads. The area can only be viewed properly on foot. For more information, visit the administrative centre in Grantown-on-Spey.
The forests of the foothills are home to animals such as pine martens, red squirrels, badgers, wildcats, crossbills, crested tits and the capercaillie. Similarly, the open rolling heather moorland is remarkable for its ecological diversity and beauty.
Local businesses include whisky distilling and salmon fishing, and the freshwater lochs and marshes contribute to the natural beauty of the area.
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