Surrounded by the beauty and thrills of the Cairngorms, outdoor adventurers will find plenty to do around Kingussie.
Located within the Cairngorms National Park, the small town of Kingussie is in the very heart of the Scottish Highlands. It’s an ideal base for outdoor adventurers who will find plenty of opportunities for climbing, hiking, horseback riding, biking, white water rafting and more. The town also has a challenging 18-hole golf course, from which you can enjoy spectacular views of the national park. Campers have plenty of options in the area, from parking in a caravan site to pitching a tent in a peaceful forest.
Three miles west of Kingussie, the village of Newtonmore is popular with anglers and has cycle and walking trails offering views of the Cairngorm and Monadhliath mountain ranges. The quiet, family-run Invernahavon Caravan Site has excellent views of the mountains, forests and rivers and has spacious pitches with hook-ups for tourers, as well as tent pitches. South of the village, on a bend of the River Spey, the Spey Bridge Caravan and Camping Park has pitches for campervans and tents.
Nestled in the Glen Feshie woods, eight miles east of Kingussie and a 10-minute drive from the Highland Wildlife Centre, the Lagganlia Centre for Outdoor Education has a selection of basic camping pods with shared facilities. The center also has a variety of self-catering lodges suitable for groups.
A 20-minute drive east, deeper into the Cairngorms National Park, the Rothiemurchus estate contains one of Britain’s largest areas of natural forest. Here, the tranquil Rothiemurcus Camp and Caravan Site offers the ideal combination of a semi-wilderness experience with plenty of creature comforts. The site has sheltered tent pitches and level pitches for caravans and motorhomes, all with electric hook-up.
Summer is the Cairngorms National Park’s busiest season, bringing crowds and booked-up campsites. If planning to visit in the summer months, it’s a good idea to try to avoid school holidays and weekends. The area is a year-round destination, however. Spring can be a great time to enjoy water sports, hiking and climbing, free from crowds. From late February through March you can also enjoy skiing and other winter sports: this is also a good time to visit the Cairngorms Reindeer Centre.