Cairngorms

The Cairngorms are a mountain range and national park in the eastern Highlands of Scotland, designated as Cairngorms National Park in 2003 and covering roughly 4,500 square kilometres. It contains one of the largest upland plateaus in Britain and several of the country’s highest peaks.

The area offers extensive hillwalking and mountaineering across broad plateaus and corrie peaks, with Ben Macdui rising to 1,309 m and Cairn Gorm to about 1,245 m. There are winter ski facilities, mountain biking routes and marked long-distance paths; large areas of the park are important for native Caledonian pinewood and upland wildlife.

The landscape is the product of ancient geology and glaciation; human use has included upland grazing, forestry and recreational development. The national park designation in 2003 formalised conservation, recreation management and rural development across multiple council areas.

Situated in the eastern Scottish Highlands, the park spans parts of Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highland, Angus and Perth and Kinross, with the town of Aviemore and visitor facilities located within the park boundaries.

• Timing: Best walking season runs late spring to early autumn when higher plateaus are generally snow-free and paths are clearer.
• Wildlife sighting tip: Reindeer are found in the Glenmore area; sightings are most likely around the Cairngorm plateau and adjoining pinewoods in summer.

What to See #

• Ben Macdui: Highest mountain in the range at 1,309 m and the second-highest peak in the UK; a common target for hillwalkers and ski-touring in winter.
• Cairn Gorm: Summit plateau and ski area reaching around 1,245 m with lift-served winter skiing and year-round mountaintop viewpoints.
• Glenmore and Loch Morlich: Caledonian pinewood and lochside recreation area containing the Cairngorm Reindeer herd and facilities for forest walks and watersports.
• Cairngorm Mountain ski area: Visitor facilities and ski infrastructure serving recreational visitors and hillwalkers across the central massif.