Cairngorms National Park, Scotland

CairngormsNational

Park located in the North Central part of Scotland covering around 4528 km2. This National Park was established in 2003 and is of two in Scotland. It holds 5 of the highest mountains in Scotland with a very diverse landscape from wetlands, rainforests, valleys, to farms, and wildlife. It is home to many different insects, raptors, red squirrels, water voles, otters and the capercaillies. Capercaillies are an iconic bird and considered the largest grouse in the world living within these pine forests since the last Ice Age. It is known as: “The Horse of the Woods” in Gaelic the Celtic language of Scotland. About 80% of capercaillies reside in Cairngorms National Park and their numbers have been steadily decreasing over time, due to “a number of cumulative reasons including loss of suitable habitat or woodland management that has not favored the species, bad weather, predation, collisions with deer fences and disturbance.” Their numbers seem to be holding their own since park and private landowners have stepped in. “The Cairngorms Capercaillie Project is now delivering key recommendations from the framework related to population monitoring, habitat creation, sustainable recreation planning and work enabling communities to make decisions and take informed action for capercaillie.” There is about 18,000 people that reside in Cairngorms, living in towns and villages within the area of Angus, Highland, Peth, Aberdeenshire, Moray, and Kinross. One of the most celebrated munros (a mountain) in Scotland with a height over 3,000ft) within Scotland is the Lochnager, a popular mountain residing in Cairngorms, known for its beauty and it was described in a poem by in the 1700s by “Lord Byron who was a British Romantic poet and satirist whose poetry and personality captured the imagination of Europe.” Cairngorms also has a monument that is somewhat out of the norm for Scotland. A 12.5m x 12.3m pyramid, “located on Balmoral Estate in Deeside, the ‘pyramid’ – which is in fact a cairn (a mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark, typically on a hilltop or skyline) – was erected by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband Prince Albert who died in 1861.” Cairngorms is known for holding the famous Highland Games that is a deep part of Scottish and Celtic culture going back hundreds of years. “It is thought their origins lie in Scottish clans competing against each other in various sporting events as a clan chieftain’s way of choosing the best bodyguards and the strongest fighters. It was not all about war though; pipers and dancers were important too and Games doubled up as ‘gatherings’ where all members of a clan would march together in a display of force.” Cairngorms National Park, an exquisite place full of history, culture, wildlife, and scenic beauty. Preserving areas like this is not only important but vital for the economic and cultural existence of the park, but also for protecting biodiversity and our aesthetic values, giving us a place to be in nature and enjoy it to the fullest. Cairngorms National Park is a very unknown gem to the rest of the world. But for those that know of this amazing landscape, it is a place of great wonder. And to all of those that now have seen a small glimpse into this wonderous place, it very well could be part of your next adventure.