Aviemore

United_Kingdom

Aviemore is a town in the Highlands of Scotland, in the area of Badenoch and Strathspey. It's the main base for skiing and other outdoor activities in Cairngorms National Park. The town mushroomed in the 1960s / 70s as winter sports became popular: initial developments were ugly, but these have been replaced by buildings more in keeping with the surroundings. The main part of town is along the loop of old road (now bypassed by the A9) near the railway station. There's another straggle of places to stay for a couple of miles along the B-road towards Cairngorm, as far as the village of Coylumbridge.

In October 2018, the Cairngorm mountain railway suffered weather damage and closed, so access to the ski areas was lost. The company subsequently went bust. As of June 2019 the funicular is still out of service, with no re-opening date announced.

The TIC is at Aviemore iCentre, 7 The Parade, Grampian Road, PH22 1RH, +44 1479 810930. M-Sa 09:00-17:00, Su 10:00-16:00. Open year round, has info on local amenities and accommodation booking service.

The TIC is at Aviemore iCentre, 7 The Parade, Grampian Road, PH22 1RH, +44 1479 810930. M-Sa 09:00-17:00, Su 10:00-16:00. Open year round, has info on local amenities and accommodation booking service.

Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, Glenmore, +44 1479 861228. See reindeer.

Loch an Eilein and Castle. A lake in the Rothiemurchus Forest with a ruined castle on an island. A 7km walk around the lake is described on Walkhighlands.

Loch Morlich, Glenmore. Sandy beaches. A 6km roundtrip is described on Walkhighlands.

Aviemore Ring Cairn and Stone Circle.

White-water rafting at Aviemore

  • The Strathspey Railway operates a 10-mile (16-km) preserved railway and has its southern terminus at the Railway Station at Aviemore. Bikes can be taken for free on the train.
  • Hillwalking. Many mountains nearby, the Cairngorms includes 4 of 5 of Scotland's highest mountains.
  • Mountain biking & Quad Biking. Numerous forests nearby, with tracks and paths suitable for off-road cycling and riding, e.g. Rothiemurchus, Glenmore, Glenfeshie.
  • Golfing. There are several golf courses in Aviemore and the Cairngorm area.
  • Cairngorm Brewery Company, Dalfaber Industrial Estate, PH22 1ST, +44 1479 812222. Brewery established in 2001. Offers tours. £5 for tour.
  • Skiing and mountaineering at Cairngorm Mountain, PH22 1RB., 10 miles east of Aviemore. The funicular railway has been closed since 2018, and the managing company has gone bankrupt. See Cairngorms National Park for details.
  • Glenmore Lodge, PH22 1QZ, +44 1479 861256. Outdoor training centre.
  • Whisky distilleries: there are lots of these along the Spey valley towards Grantown-on-Spey. Two that are open to visitors and within a 15-min drive from Aviemore are Speyside at Kingussie, and Tomatin, IV13 7YT (between Aviemore and Inverness, +44 1463 248 144. Tours from £7.
  • Laggan Wolftrax. A network of purpose-built mountain bike trails, witha cafe, shop and bike hire. About 35 km south west from Aviemore on the A86. See Cairngorms National Park for details.

The Strathspey Railway operates a 10-mile (16-km) preserved railway and has its southern terminus at the Railway Station at Aviemore. Bikes can be taken for free on the train.

Hillwalking. Many mountains nearby, the [[Cairngorms]] includes 4 of 5 of Scotland's highest mountains.

Mountain biking & Quad Biking. Numerous forests nearby, with tracks and paths suitable for off-road cycling and riding, e.g. Rothiemurchus, Glenmore, Glenfeshie.

Golfing. There are several golf courses in Aviemore and the Cairngorm area.

Cairngorm Brewery Company, Dalfaber Industrial Estate, PH22 1ST, +44 1479 812222. Brewery established in 2001. Offers tours. £5 for tour.

Skiing and mountaineering at Cairngorm Mountain, PH22 1RB., 10 miles east of Aviemore. The funicular railway has been closed since 2018, and the managing company has gone bankrupt. See [[Cairngorms National Park]] for details.

Glenmore Lodge, PH22 1QZ, +44 1479 861256. Outdoor training centre.

Whisky distilleries: there are lots of these along the Spey valley towards Grantown-on-Spey. Two that are open to visitors and within a 15-min drive from Aviemore are Speyside at [[Kingussie]], and Tomatin, IV13 7YT (between Aviemore and Inverness, +44 1463 248 144. Tours from £7.

Laggan Wolftrax. A network of purpose-built mountain bike trails, witha cafe, shop and bike hire. About 35 km south west from Aviemore on the A86. See [[Cairngorms National Park]] for details.

The main shopping point in Aviemore is the local Tesco's. Apart from that the village mainly contains outdoor and sporting equipment shops located on the main street, Grampian Road (with a few exceptions):

  • Fat Face. Fashionable outdoor leisure clothing and footwear. Trendy & fairly expensive.
  • Bothy Bikes. Great stock of quality bikes, cycle clothes and accessories with local cycle trails right on the doorstep. Repairs and servicing also available. Knowledgeable & friendly staff.
  • Nevisport. Outdoor and sporting equipment and clothing.
  • Blacks. Camping and outdoor equipment and clothing.
  • Mackinnons of Speyside, Grampian Road, +44 1479 258008. Family run butcher shop.
  • Sue Ryder Charity Shop. Secondhand clothing charity shop. Sometimes good for bargain skiing/sporting gear. Also good for cheap books.
  • Fat Treads. Quality cycling gear and bikes available as well as a repairs service. Good advice to be had, if a little on the expensive side.
  • Ottakars. Book shop with a fairly good range of stock including local OS maps and games.
  • Semi-Chem. For toiletries and personal care items.
  • G2 Outdoor, Unit 3 Plot 10, Dalfaber Industrial Estate, PH22 1ST, +44 1479 811008. G2 Provide Outdoor Activities such as rafting and gorge walking through summer and a ski school through winter.

Fat Face. Fashionable outdoor leisure clothing and footwear. Trendy & fairly expensive.

Bothy Bikes. Great stock of quality bikes, cycle clothes and accessories with local cycle trails right on the doorstep. Repairs and servicing also available. Knowledgeable & friendly staff.

Nevisport. Outdoor and sporting equipment and clothing.

Blacks. Camping and outdoor equipment and clothing.

Mackinnons of Speyside, Grampian Road, +44 1479 258008. Family run butcher shop.

Sue Ryder Charity Shop. Secondhand clothing charity shop. Sometimes good for bargain skiing/sporting gear. Also good for cheap books.

Fat Treads. Quality cycling gear and bikes available as well as a repairs service. Good advice to be had, if a little on the expensive side.

Ottakars. Book shop with a fairly good range of stock including local OS maps and games.

Semi-Chem. For toiletries and personal care items.

G2 Outdoor, Unit 3 Plot 10, Dalfaber Industrial Estate, PH22 1ST, +44 1479 811008. G2 Provide Outdoor Activities such as rafting and gorge walking through summer and a ski school through winter.

Aviemore has lots of cheap & cheerful places to refuel cold hungry skiers and hill-walkers.

  • The Cairngorm Hotel, Grampian Road (opposite railway station, +44 1479 810233. Traditional pub/lounge and restaurant. Good range of beers, food is more expensive than normal pub fare but good quality. They also have hotel rooms (from £90 pn), but these are over the bar and can be noisy.
  • The Old Bridge Inn, Dalfaber Road (South end of village below main street, +44 1479 811137. Su-Th 12:00-00:00, F Sa 12:00-01:00. Traditional pub with open fire in the evenings. Has outdoor seating area facing the river during the summer. Good food & beer, but a bit expensive for your average backpacker.
  • The Winking Owl, 123 Grampian Road, +44 1479 812368. Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 11:00-01:00; food to 21:30. A bit drouthy, but serves yummy pub grub and has a good atmosphere.
  • Skiing Doo, 9 Grampian Road (near the Post Office. Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00. Theme bar with old signs, posters, skis and various other items adorning every surface. Grills and burgers, the garlic burger is commended.
  • Happy Haggis, 45 Grampian Road (just south of railway station. M-Th 15:00-21:00, F-Su 12:00-21:00. Fish restaurant with connecting chip-shop take away. Good range of fish and good quality food.

The Cairngorm Hotel, Grampian Road (opposite railway station, +44 1479 810233. Traditional pub/lounge and restaurant. Good range of beers, food is more expensive than normal pub fare but good quality. They also have hotel rooms (from £90 pn), but these are over the bar and can be noisy.

The Old Bridge Inn, Dalfaber Road (South end of village below main street, +44 1479 811137. Su-Th 12:00-00:00, F Sa 12:00-01:00. Traditional pub with open fire in the evenings. Has outdoor seating area facing the river during the summer. Good food & beer, but a bit expensive for your average backpacker.

The Winking Owl, 123 Grampian Road, +44 1479 812368. Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 11:00-01:00; food to 21:30. A bit drouthy, but serves yummy pub grub and has a good atmosphere.

Skiing Doo, 9 Grampian Road (near the Post Office. Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00. Theme bar with old signs, posters, skis and various other items adorning every surface. Grills and burgers, the garlic burger is commended.

Happy Haggis, 45 Grampian Road (just south of railway station. M-Th 15:00-21:00, F-Su 12:00-21:00. Fish restaurant with connecting chip-shop take away. Good range of fish and good quality food.

  • The Vault, Grampian Road (north of station, down the stone steps near the public toilet/showers. Th-Sa 22:30-03:00. Night club with mainly popular chart music however also has an electronic/techno music scene, with the club having various electro nights, with acts such as Cagedbaby and DJ Fergie playing here.

The Vault, Grampian Road (north of station, down the stone steps near the public toilet/showers. Th-Sa 22:30-03:00. Night club with mainly popular chart music however also has an electronic/techno music scene, with the club having various electro nights, with acts such as Cagedbaby and DJ Fergie playing here.