heading start of July for a couple of weeks

kids aged 4 7 and 9

9 year old at blue/easy red trail stage on mtb

other 2 on smooth flatter stuff

suggestions for trails?

I’ll probably be looking for short 1-2 hour blasts early in the morning before they rise, any suggestions for loops from the town?

other suggestions for activities and must do/see things?

we also have a double sit on kayak so looking for places to use that

thanks

SOT on any of the local lochs.

Loch Morlich is most popular. Easy access, beach cafe, a nice wee creek to explore.

Loch an Eilean has a wee carry but is smaller/more scenic. There’s a castle on an island that you can easily paddle round.

Loch Pityoulish has more difficult parking and a gate to manoeuvre with the SOT but is rarely paddled.

Further afield, Lochindorb has a bigger island and a ruined castle to explore.

There’s an easy river paddle from Ruthven Bridge at Kingussie through the Insh Marshes and into Loch Insh. Don’t take the SOT out at the boat house – they’ll have a strop. Go just beyond it to the outflow, past the island and to the bank beside the church. Good parking here too.

Remember that the Scottish access laws also apply to water/waterways so you can basically paddle anywhere you want.

Kids will easily handle a circuit of Loch Morlich, Speyside Way to Boat of Garten and some of the trails in the woods beside Carrbridge.

Loops from town? Where to start. Up the Old Logging Way to Badaguish and round that course, up the bottom bit of the Lairig Ghru and back down again. Burma Road. High Burnside if you want to get your steez on. So many more…..

Other activities;

steam train

wildlife park (baby polar bear)

Landmark centre at Carrbridge

Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore

Various watersports at Loch Insh.

Treetop rope trail at Inverdruie

Archery

Zipwire course at Alvie

Horse riding at Alvie

Loads of nature trails, historic sites etc. Check the Forestry for guided walks.

Beaches at Nairn, Findhorn, Burghead, Lossiemouth etc.

Dolphin watching at Chanonry Point

Culloden battlefield

and there’s more…

Someone (on here) described Aviemore as Center Parcs without the fence.

Tap me up when you’re almost due and I can give you more info/trail updates etc.

Steam train to Boat of Garten on train, cycle back.

Did zipline few weeks ago, it’s pretty good.

Walk with the reindeer herd is good.

There’s a go-ape type place at inverdruie which my lad liked.

I realise I’m just repeating what scotroutes said above, so I agree with what he said, and so do my kids.

The bike trails in grantown are good for kids.

There was a place that used to do sheep herding displays, which was good, kids got to see puppies and lambs, not sure if it exists following all the roadworks tho

Thanks

Heading saturday

any info welcome

Right now forget the smidge and bring sunscreen 🙂 It’s bloody brilliant!

And right now the swimming is great, swimming in the lochs is fine but there is something very special about swimming in a river and there are some lovely spots on the spey and others

Loch Insh Watersport centre is another place you can paddle/  sail / dry ski …eat / drink ..

Home

Reindeer walk and feeding is ace. Can’t recommend it enough. Done it 3 times and twice with the kids. Smallest was hesitant the first time as the Reindeer push through the group to get to the feed. Try to get about a third of the way in the group when you get to the fenced enclosure as they often push into the line on the boardwalk which is ace.

Furnicular up to the ski slopes is ok but expensive. The kids loved it mind. Basically nothing to do once you’re up there though other than shop/cafe/views.

Swimming pool at the hotel on the way up to Cairngorm for poor weather.

Osprey centre at Loch Garten is good. Now with added fairy doors to some trees on the walk there. Plus fixed magnifying glasses on the walk to look at stuff through. Loads of telescopes and binoculars to use. RSPB so members go free.

Highland wildlife park is much better than I expected. Make sure you get to the snow monkey feeding early to get a good spot.

How are bike trails at the minute?

The trails are mainly loose and dry. We’ve had a dry/sunny/hot end to Spring and very little rain. I’d say they are very loose in places as they are so dusty.

Expecting 30C today and tomorrow but only 25C or so by Saturday. No doubt it’ll then rain for a month 😂

Dry (unsurprisingly)

What are the trails at High Burnside like?

We are staying over that way and thinking would be handy for before breakfast blasts

I imagine high burnside will be dusty dry loamy riding at it’s finest at the moment

Technical? Steep?

Yes. Yes.If you want that.

Any easier trails at High Burnside?

Yeah – there’s quite a range. Richards Down is just out the back of the houses and should be perfect at the moment. Do a bit of exploring, just head up the forest roads and you’ll see various sections of singletrack. Have a look on Trailforks too.

There is some extraction going on so be aware of any large vehicles and abide by any instructions.

There are also some nice trails in the woods beside Boat of Garten that you’d easily get to by crossing under the A9, picking up the Orbital Path, then the Speyside Way.

Oh – and I lied. It’s actually 31C today….

Two of my Aviemore resident climbing buddies carried a pair of freestyle kayaks up to the source of the Eidart with the intention of returning during spate conditions; I wonder if thy are still there (this was 15 years ago)?

Have you checked under the bridge?

That’s trolling mate!

agreed on the Boat trails. easily a morning in there, especially with kids.

The Eidart did get paddled, but not on the first, or second attempt. It is very flashy. See John Mason’s account in the SCA Scottish Whitewater guide for more details. IIRC they ran out of daylight (in August!) and had to make an unplanned bivvy. Harsh.

With regard to the original question, we took the train to Broomhill on Saturday, then rode back via the Speyside Way with my 2 boys, 4 & 7. The 4yo managed it fine, with a few hand-on-the-back pushes. He was on a 16″ wheeled single speed. Hardcore.

On Sunday we rode the Loch an Eilean loop and then went swimming in the river at Feshiebridge. Magic.

Had an hour last night so had a look around, did Richards down and a few other bits. Seems to be plenty up there.

Thanks for advice