Love Cairngorms

24/09/2026

3 quieter local walks I keep going back to ❤️

There are walks you do once for the view and others you find yourself recommending again and again. These are three I often suggest to guests if they’re looking for a quieter Cairngorm trail.

01 Sluggan & Dalnahaitnach
One of my favourite places when I want open space and very few people. Through Birch woodland and down towards the old Sluggan Bridge, and if I’m on my bike, over to Dalnahaitnach. On a warm day, there are a few tempting spots for a quick dip too.

02 Craigellachie
Right above Aviemore but once you start climbing through the wood, it quickly feels a long way from the village below. Keep going to the viewpoint and you’re rewarded with huge views across the strath, lochs and mountains beyond. A lot of reward for a relatively short walk.

03 Ellan Wood
A completely different sort of walk. Old pines, interweaving woodland paths and carved creatures appearing amongst the trees before you eventually make your way down to the river and the old packhorse bridge. I’ve walked here in sunshine, mist, autumn colour and deep snow and it never feels quite the same twice.

None of them are secret “hidden gems”. They’re simply three places I’ve walked for years and still never seem to tire of. Creature of habit, moi?

I’m looking for some quieter trails a little further beyond Strathspey too, so if you have a favourite Cairngorm walk, I’d love to hear it.

15/09/2026

The joy of a slow weekend.

Waking up without an alarm. Making coffee while watching the birds in the garden. A long walk somewhere beautiful, followed by a long soak, dinner followed by an evening by the fire with a dram and a good book.

And then doing very little all over again the next day.

We have three places to make yourself at home, all immersed in nature and within easy reach of Aviemore.

The Hayloft • sleeps 2
Railway Cottage • sleeps 4
Hillview Cottage • sleeps 7

08/09/2026

The end of summer already, where does the time go?

There’s still plenty of green on the hills, but you can feel the season beginning to turn here in the Cairngorms.

The mornings are cooler, the evenings are drawing in and the Rowan trees are heavy with bright berries.

I always find this time of year a little bittersweet. Summer here is hard to let go of… the bike rides and swims in the lochs, days that seem to stretch on forever, but then autumn arrives and reminds me just how beautiful the Cairngorms can be at this time of year too.

The softer light. Quiet trails. That first properly chilly morning. And, before long, the whole landscape turning gold.

So, goodbye summer. You were lovely!

Hello autumn.

Here’s to pulling the woolly jumpers back out, huddling around the fire pit with toasted marshmallows, crisp walks through the woods and cosy evenings curled up with a new book ❤️

What are you looking forward to most about the new season?

06/09/2026

It’s the little things ❤️

One of the loveliest parts about offering self catering is the number of wonderful guests who come back year after year.

A couple who have stayed at Railway Cottage the past few summers recently decided the cottage needed a new OS map. Not only did they order one, they had it custom made with one of their own illustrations of Railway Cottage on the cover 🥹

I mean… how lovely is that?

And they’re not alone. Over the years we’ve had returning guests pottering in the garden, changing a light bulb before we’ve even had a chance to know it needed changing, and sending a message to say “just so you know, there’s a little chip in one of the mugs…”

It’s these tiny things that always make me smile.

Because somewhere along the way, it seems to stop feeling like they’ve simply booked somewhere for a holiday and our properties start to feel a little bit like their home in the Cairngorms too.

So this is really just a little thank you to all the guests who come back, look after the place as though it were their own, recommend it to friends, leave kind words and notice when we’ve changed something.

You make looking after these places rather special ❤️

And to the creators of Railway Cottage’s rather fabulous new map, I think you’ve officially raised the bar 😂 thank you Zoë Mackenzie

03/09/2026

Good coffee is always part of the itinerary!

Living in the Cairngorms means I’ve had plenty of time to find the places I genuinely love and return to so I thought I’d start sharing more of them here.

First up: coffee. Three favourites all offering something different…

• Foxfire, Aviemore
My pick when the coffee itself is the priority. Tucked away at Granish on the edge of Aviemore, it has a cool, contemporary feel, a little outdoor seating area and gorgeous views towards the Cairngorms. They take their coffee seriously here and, for me, it’s the best in the area.

• The Barn, Rothiemurchus
It’s the perfect pit stop after a wander around Loch an Eilein - coffee and cake (or something more substantial), followed by the inevitable browse around the excellent farm shop next door.

• The Old Post Office Café Gallery, Kincraig
The one where coffee can very easily turn into lunch. Part café, part gallery, with co-owner Ann Vastano’s beautiful Highland landscapes on the walls and a lovely outdoor seating area overlooking the surrounding countryside. The food is excellent too, so come hungry.

A recent Love Cairngorms guest told me she’d managed to plan her entire trip using our Discover Cairngorms blog. I can’t tell you how happy that made me.

It was a lovely reminder of how useful it is to share the places that I actually eat, walk, explore and think are genuinely worth knowing about when you visit this part of the Highlands. So there’ll be plenty more of that here!

And on that note, where’s your favourite coffee stop in the Highlands?

I’m always very willing to undertake further research… 🤓😆

03/09/2026

16/08/2026

There’s something about the sound of a pipe band that gets me every time…

Yesterday we took a trip to the Nairn Highland Games and what a brilliant day out it was.

A packed arena, caber tossing, Highland dancing, pipers, fairground rides and that wonderful buzz you get when what feels like the whole town has turned out for the day.

Topped off with a stunning backdrop.

I love that Highland Games are still such a big part of summer here. There’s something pretty special about standing in a crowd watching traditions that have been enjoyed for generations. For me, the pipe band will always the highlight. Goosebumps. Every time.

If you’re visiting the Highlands in summer, we’d absolutely recommend finding a local Games and making a day of it. Nairn was well worth the drive over.

Have you ever been to a Highland Games? And if so, which one is your favourite? We’re always looking for an excuse to visit another one.

09/07/2026

Such a glorious time of year when the light stretches out, the evenings are warm and the hills are at their greenest. Lots of late walks inspecting the blooms and dinner al fresco 😍

A couple of July dates are available if you fancy joining us this month.

High summer in the Cairngorms is a wildlife-lover’s dream 🦅

01/07/2026

If you’ve been thinking about escaping to the highlands, we’ve got a few last remaining dates at two of our self catering cottages.

Whether you’re looking for mountain adventures, lazy afternoons by the river, wildlife watching or simply somewhere peaceful to unwind, July and August are a wonderful time to visit.

If your stay happens to coincide with one of our local events, you’ll find everything from Highland Games and country fairs to art exhibitions and outdoor adventures taking place across Strathspey.

🚂 Railway Cottage
• 24-27 July
• 7-10 August
• 15+17 August

🏡 Hillview Cottage
• 17-20 July
• 27-30 July
• 21-24 August

Book direct via the link in bio for the best rates ❤️

05/05/2026

Did you know Insh Marshes is often called the Highland Serengeti? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌾 Just like the great plains, this floodplain is teeming with life right now. While the winter geese have headed north, our resident Greylags and breeding waders are putting on quite a show.

We actually have a rare opening this weekend at Railway Cottage (8th-11th May). If you fancy trading your screen for these views, the link to book is in our bio☕️🪿