Cairngorms National Park Park

Website: https://cairngorms.co.uk

Hours: Open year-round

Admission: Free entry (national park; some visitor centres/attractions may charge)

Cairngorms National Park is a large protected area in the eastern Highlands of Scotland, created to conserve mountain, forest and moorland habitats. The park was designated in 2003 and covers roughly 4,500 square kilometres, making it the largest national park in the United Kingdom.

Visitors come for hillwalking, mountaineering, winter sports, wildlife watching and outdoor recreation; the park includes multiple 1,000-metre summits and extensive native Caledonian forest fragments. Seasonal activities include skiing on the Cairn Gorm plateau in winter and long-distance hiking and mountain biking in summer.

The park was established to protect upland ecosystems and to support rural communities through sustainable tourism and land management. Conservation priorities include peatland restoration, woodland regeneration and species protection.

The park sits across parts of the Scottish Highlands, centred on the Cairngorms massif and surrounding glens, with visitor gateways such as Aviemore providing access to trails and facilities.

• Area: Covers roughly 4,500 square kilometres, making it the largest national park in the United Kingdom
• Established: Designated in 2003 to conserve upland ecosystems, native Caledonian forest remnants and mountain habitats

What to See#

• Ben Macdui: Ben Macdui - the second-highest summit in the British Isles at 1,309 metres and a major mountaineering and walking objective within the park.
• Cairn Gorm: Cairn Gorm plateau and ski area - a high plateau and developed winter-sports zone around the mountain of Cairn Gorm with ski lifts and winter facilities.
• Aviemore / Glenmore: Aviemore and Glenmore - the principal visitor gateways offering accommodation, trailheads, and outdoor-service businesses for park visitors.

• Use Aviemore as the primary gateway - it has direct rail connections and the widest range of visitor services for exploring the park and arranging guided activities.
• Check Cairngorm Mountain's visitor facilities and the seasonal funicular or ski area operations before you go if you plan to use them to reach the high plateau; access and services are seasonal and weather‑dependent.
• Avoid the busiest car parks (e.g., Glenmore/Cairngorm ski car park) by visiting popular peaks early in the day or exploring quieter areas such as Glenlivet, Tomintoul or the western sections of the park for more solitude.