Page 267 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

cruising the outdoor- Mar; p) features a drive-
TRIP HIGHLIGHT equipment shops or through safari park as
5 Loch Garten recounting their latest well as animal enclosures
A car park on the shores adventures in the cafes that offer the chance to
view rarely seen native
and bars.
of Loch Garten, amid Strathspey Steam wildlife, such as Scottish
beautiful open forest Railway (%01479-810725; wildcats, capercaillies,
of Scots pine, gives ac- pine martens and red
cess to the RSPB Loch Station Sq; return adult/child
£14.25/7.15; p) runs steam squirrels, as well as spe-
Garten Osprey Centre trains on a section of cies that once roamed the
(%01479-831694; www.rspb. restored line between Scottish hills but have
org.uk/lochgarten; Tulloch; Aviemore and Broomhill, long since disappeared,
osprey hide adult/child £5/2; 10 miles to the north- including wolves, lynx,
hosprey hide 10am-6pm east, via Boat of Garten. wild boars, beavers and
Apr-Aug). Ospreys nest in There are four or five European bison. Last
a tall pine tree on the trains daily from June entry is two hours before
reserve – you can watch to August, and a more closing.
from a hide as the birds limited service in April,
feed their young, and May, September, October The Drive » Continue
see live CCTV feeds from and December. southwest on the B9152 through GREAT BRITAIN 19 ROYAL HIGHLANDS & CAIRNGORMS
the nest. These rare and The Cairngorm Sled- Kingussie to the Highland Folk
Museum (6.5 miles).
beautiful birds – the Dog Centre (%07767-
only bird of prey in the 270526; www.sled-dogs.
world that eats only co.uk; Ski Rd; c) will take 8 Highland Folk
fish – migrate here each you on a 30-minute sled
spring from Africa, arriv- tour of local forest trails Museum
ing in April and leaving in the wake of a team of The old Speyside towns
in August (check the huskies, or a three-hour of Kingussie (kin-yew-
website to see if they’re sled-dog safari. The sleds see) and Newtonmore sit
in residence). at the foot of the great
have wheels, so snow’s heather-clad humps
The Drive » The minor road not necessary. known as the Monadh-
leads back to the B970, where
you turn left along the banks of 4 p269 liath Mountains. New-
the River Spey to Coylumbridge; The Drive » From Aviemore tonmore is best known as
turn right here to reach drive south on the B99152, the home of the excellent
Aviemore (11 miles). Highland Folk Museum
which follows the valley of the
River Spey; after 8.5 miles, soon (%01540-673551; www.high
after passing through the vilage landfolk.museum; Kingussie
6 Aviemore of Kincraig, you’ll see a sign Rd, Newtonmore; h10.30am-
The gateway to the on the right for the Highland 5.30pm Apr-Aug, 11am-4.30pm
Cairngorms, Aviemore Wildlife Park. Sep & Oct; p), an open-air
may not be the prettiest collection of historical
town in Scotland – the buildings and artefacts
main attractions are in 7 Highland revealing many aspects
the surrounding area – Wildlife Park of Highland culture and
but when bad weather The Highland Wildlife lifestyle. Laid out like
puts the hills off-limits, Park (%01540-651270; www. a farming township,
Aviemore fills up with highlandwildlifepark.org; Kin- it has a community of
hikers, cyclists and craig; adult/child £15.40/11.55; traditional thatch-roofed
climbers (plus skiers and h10am-6pm Jul & Aug, to 5pm cottages, a sawmill, a
snowboarders in winter) Apr-Jun & Sep-Oct, to 4pm Nov- schoolhouse, a shepherd’s

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