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The Cairngorm National Park is the ideal place to experience the best that Scotland offers in terms of magnificent mountains and scenery. The area is rich in native flora and fauna including ancient Scotch Pine forests and birds such as the rare Capercaile, Ptarmigan and Golden Eagles.
Highlights of this trip will include exploring the Scotch Pine forest around Rothiemurchus and hopefully climbing some of the highest Scottish Mountains (four of the five highest can be found in the locality) Ben Macdhui (1309 m), Cairn Gorm (1245 m), Braeriache (1296 m) and Cairn Toul (1293 m). We may also visit the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) reserve at Loch Garten. Loch Garten is one of the best places to watch wild Ospreys in Scotland.
This trip runs from Saturday 26th July to Saturday 2nd August. We'll pick you up from Aviemore railway station at any time to suit you from 3pm.
Accomodation
We will be staying in Meikle cottage near the village of Aviemore. The cottage has 3 double and one twin room. There is no single supplement but if you are holidaying on your own you may be asked to share a room if necessary. If you would like to discuss this further then please don't hesitate to get in touch .
Some of what we'll get up to
After dinner we will pore over maps, the weather forecast and plan the following days trip. Some of the highlights of the Cairngorm trip include.
Ancient Scots Pine forests and Sgor Gaoith (1118 m)
Walking south from Aviemore, through beautiful Scots Pine forest we enter isolated Gleann Einich. We will walk up the Glen passing Loch Einich before gaining height and crossing a tundra like landscape. We will summit Carn Ban Mor (1052 m) before following a ridge south that will take in the summits of Sgor Gaoith (1118 m) and Sgoran Dubh Mor (1111 m). From here we will drop down to Creag Dhubh (848 m) and visit the Argyll Stone. Folk history tell us that it was from this stone in 1644 that Montrose saw the the forces of the Marquis of Argyll who were seeking to bring his army to bay. We will then drop down from the hills and visit Loch an Eilein before returning to our chalet.
 Lairig Ghru and Braeriach (1296 m)
Again we will start walking through Scots Pine forest before entering the Lairig Ghru, an ancient pass that leads through the mountains towards Braemar. We will ascend Braeriach (1296 m) and, weather permitting, enjoy some amazing views. After returning to the Lairig Ghru we will walk through the Tolkien like landscape of the Chalamain Gap. We will then drop down into the forests of Glen Mor, an important habitat for Capercaille, have a well earned drink in Glenmore Lodge.
 Loch Garten and Ospreys
Situated in the Abernathy pine forests, the Loch Garten RSPB reserve is one of the best places to see Ospreys in the wild. Hunted and persecuted to near extinction in the 19th and early 20th centuries Ospreys returned to breed in Scotland at Loch Garten. The birds overwinter in Africa before returning to Scotland to breed. In spring the male must prove himself as a provider to the larger female by bringing her gifts of freshly caught fish. Seeing the Ospreys is something not to be missed on your holiday in the Cairngorms.
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