What's happening in the Cairngorms National Park August 2020

WHAT S HAPPENING? '

Normally in August we would bring you a bumper edition of the Whats On guide, packed with events and things to do. Clearly, in these ‘unprecedented times’, August will be quieter this year. But, while we may not be playing host to the usual big gatherings, such as the Harley Davidson’s ‘Thunder in the Glens’ or the Highland Games, there is still so much to do here. As you’ll see from status.visitcairngorms.com, many activity providers are open and ready to give you a warm highland welcome, albeit with a few slight adaptations in place to keep you safe. There are many fantastic places available to eat and drink and enjoy your holidays. So, whether you prefer to quietly escape into the landscape, or get your adrenaline rush on a bungee jump or zip line, we know you’ll love your time here and make precious memories.

#CairngormsTogether

KNOW THE GUIDELINES PLAN AHEAD BE FLEXIBLE BE KIND See at a glance what activities / food and beverage /retail & attractions are open, partially open or closed in the Cairngorms National Park and what measures are in place to keep everybody safe. Scan the code with your phone camera.

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TEST & PROTE T C

Check In to venues all across the Cairngorms with 2 taps on your phone. Scan the code below with your camera.

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Check in to all venues in line with government guidelines to keep communities safe.

The following businesses are signed up to offer the service. Scan here to  sign up to the service or you can sign up as a guest at each venue.

Aviemore Ardlogie Guest House Deli Mair Cairngorm Mountain Highland Home Centre Highland Yaks La Taverna Macdonald Aviemore Resort Miele's Aviemore Old Bridge Inn Pine Marten Bar & Scran/Glenmore Shop Route 7 Family Cafe Rothiemurchus The Cairngorm Hotel The Winking Owl The Old Ministers House Boat of Garten Fraoch Lodge Blair Atholl Blair Atholl Golf Club Food in the Park Wasted Degrees Brewing

Ballater Alexandra Hotel The Balmoral Bar Braemar The Cairn Grill taste..

The Invercauld Mews Bar Carrbridge Cairn Hotel Carrbridge Kitchen Fairwinds Hotel and Chalets Crathie Balmoral Estates Crathie Opportunity Holidays Glenshee Glenshee Ltd Grantown on Spey Brooklynn Guest House Chaplins Coffee Shop Garden Park Guest House Speyside Centre

The Pagoda The Spey Bed & Breakfast The Tulach The High Street Merchants Kincraig Loch Insh Kingussie The Iona Gallery Laggan Laggan Coffee Bothy & Gallery Laggan Wolftrax Cafe Nethy Bridge Ryvoan Lodge Newtonmore Larick House B&B Ralia Cafe Strathdon The Steading Bar Tomintoul Glenavon Hotel Whisky Castle

INSIDER S GUIDE '

HIDDEN GEMS OF THE CAIRNGORMS OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

We understand that visitors returning for the first time may feel a bit of trepidation. They may, understandably, want to avoid any of the places that are likely to be busier. That’s why we’ve put together this blog of hidden gems of the Cairngorms off the beaten track. Please, when you’re travelling, bear in mind the #CairngormsTogether code, developed for locals and visitors alike, to #knowtheguidelines, #planahead, #beflexible and #bekind. If, for example, you arrive at your destination and find it is busy, then why not have a list of back-up plans in your back pocket? Here are a few great suggestions.

Read the full blog here: www.blog.visitcairngorms.com/hidden-gems-of-the-cairngorms-off-thebeaten-track/

1.Art on the SnowRoads

You don’t need to go to an art gallery in a town to take in breathtaking art in the Cairngorms. If you’re nervous about potential crowds or bottlenecks, then driving the SnowRoads is a perfect choice because you’ll get a feeling of vastness and spaciousness when traversing it, and it’s like an open air outdoor gallery in itself! Not only that, but there are especially-commissioned art installations along the route; ‘Still’, ‘The Watchers’ and ‘Connecting Contours’.The east side of the Cairngorms National Park, through which the SnowRoads winds, is less populated than the west. www.snowroads.com

2.Blair Castle & Gardens

Visiting Blair Castle Gardens makes for a great day out, particularly so in these days of social distancing because there is so much room for everyone and so much to see. For instance, there’s a nine acre walled Georgian garden, called ‘Hercules Garden’, a sculpture trail and a calming wooded area called ‘Diana’s Grove’. While the Castle will open on the 1st August for small group tours booked in advance, the caravan park and the gardens are open. If you’re looking for a wonderful, short walk to team up with this castle visit, try the climb up to Bruar Falls, which takes about 1-1.5 hours and gives you impressive views of the Atholl valley. www.blair-castle.co.uk

3.Walking up the Glenfeshie Valley

Glenfeshie Valley is another gem in the Cairngorms where you are overwhelmed with an incredible sense of space, openness and awe, accentuated by the sweeping ‘U’ shape which allows you to see for miles. It also means that whether you are after a long, day’s hike into the mountains, or a shorter child-friendly wander along the valley floor, you have plenty of options. Additionally, you can take a short walk to the riverside and set up camp there for a picnic and dip. Or, you can scale higher and find beautiful, cascading waterfalls with fairy-like pools to plunge in. Park at Achlean for multiple walking options.

4.Bungee Jumping – Killiecrankie

If you’re after adrenaline pumping action, then Highland Fling, in Killiecrankie, at the southerly entrance to the National Park, has taken measures to combat Covid-19 and is operating with small groups at a time and increased hygiene measures. www.bungeejumpscotland.co.uk

5.Braemar Village – nearby walks

Park at the Highland Games Park, where there’s plenty of space, and take the charming, short walk from here up Chapel Brae to the Duck Pond, from where you’ll get a lovely view of the quaint village. Please note, however, that at time of writing the Highland Games Centre is not open. If you fancy a longer walk, you could do the more difficult and less clearly marked, but adventurously named ‘Lion’s Face and the Cromlins’. This starts in the centre of Braemar and climbs up, via woodland, and was apparently a walk frequented by Queen Victoria herself. The ‘Lion’s Face’ refers to the granite rock formations on Ben Avon and the Cromlins means “the crooked fields” which you also pass through. Or, also accessible from Braemar, why not walk up to famous nature writer Nan Shepherd’s ‘bothy’ on Morrone hill? Another beautiful gem of a walk which often misses the crowds and has ample parking is the walk around Craig Leek, also near Braemar. Park at Keiloch (a charged car park) and the walk is about 8.5km. www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/braemar.shtml

6.The Gorges of the Ailnack, near Tomintoul

If you’re after some wild, remote adventure, then head to the Ailnack Gorge, from Tomintoul, which is the biggest glacial melt water channel in Scotland, 6 miles long. The gorge is astonishingly dramatic, even on the most dreich of days, full of striking scenery, twists and turns and is a favourite location for canyoning and gorge walking. It is certainly a hidden gem and not as well known as it ought to be. You’re also bound to see some of the local wildlife, such as roe deer and mountain hare.You can park, in the spacious car park, off the main street in Tomintoul and walk to the gorge. This makes it quite a substantial walk of 20km. However you can shorten this if you park at Queen’s View car park in Glen Avon by Delnabo.

Alternatively, you could hire a walking guide. Operators such as Hillgoers are operating group walks, and available for hire this summer. www.snowroads.com/ballater_to_tomintoul/places/ailnack-gorge

Please access the outdoors responsibly We are very lucky in the Cairngorms to benefit from the Scottish Outdoor Access Code which gives us the right to roam, as long as we behave responsibly. To check out the guidance on what this means, including being accompanied by dogs: www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot

3rd - 31st August in The Cairngorms National Park The following restaurants, cafes & bars have signed up to the scheme and are getting ready to serve you up with some great hospitality! Please note, open days vary and each venue is operating on a limited capacity so we absolutely encourage you to call in advance, check availability and book.

Angus Glens Glen Clova Hotel Aviemore Cobbs Cafes Explorer Cafe Tiso Galaxy Restaurant Mambos Cafe/Bar Aspects Restaurant- Macdonald Aviemore Resort Pine Marten Bar & Scran Spey Valley Golf Course Club House Spey Valley Shopping Cafe - Macdonald Aviemore Resort The Rowan Tree Hotel The Cairngorm Hotel The Old Bridge Inn The Ski-ing Doo Restaurant Ballater Bridge House Cafe Brown Sugar Cafe Darroch Learg Hotel India on the Green The Auld Kirk The Balmoral Bar The Deeside Inn The Glenaden Hotel Darroch Learg Hotel Ballindalloch Ballindalloch Castle Tearoom The Croft Inn Blair Atholl Atholl Arms Hotel Boat of Garten The Boat Hotel Braemar Braemar Lodge Hotel Fife Arms Hotel

Braemar Gordons Tearoom and Restaurant Invercauld Mews Bar The Cairn - Grill Restaurant & Bar The Clunie Dining Room The Flying Stag Grantown on Spey Craggan Outdoors Craig Revack Grantown East Highland Heritage Centre The Pagoda Cafe Bar The Wee Puffin Restaurant Killiecrankie The Killiecrankie Hotel Kincraig Loch Insh Boat House Restaurant Kingussie Duke of Gordon Hotel McInnes House Hotel The Tipsy Laird The Cross at Kingussie Laggan Laggan Coffee Bothy & Gallery The Laggan Hotel Nethy Bridge Nethy House Cafe Newtonmore The Glen Hotel The Newtonmore Grill Strathdon The Steading Bar Tomintoul & Glenlivet Hotel Square The Whisky Castle & Highland Market Bike Glenlivet

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