Growing up on the east coast of Scotland I was lucky enough to spend a good chunk of our staycations travelling west to Aviemore, as a kid this was like going to a big adventure park for the weekend.
Now living in Ireland for many years, last year I travelled there twice. I think it’s a secret I should no longer keep to myself.
The purpose of my first trip was to suss out the area for a triathlon in August, so I spent a whirlwind 26 hours over there in July.
I was still on the clock for that trip so the train was an excellent choice of transport, I could work away on my laptop
I took a flight from Dublin to Glasgow airport, a bus from the airport to Queen Street Station in the city centre and then a direct train from there to Aviemore.
I did the same trip in reverse to get home. It cost me €134 which included Ryanair flights (€54), Glasgow Airport Express (€17) and booked seats with Scotrail (€63).
I was still on the clock for that trip so the train was an excellent choice of transport, I could work away on my laptop during the periods where I was not completely distracted by the breathtaking scenery. I don’t use that phrase lightly, if you have never been in the Scottish Highlands before, be ready to gasp out loud, a lot.
Base station to hill. \ CMSL
The town itself is basically one main street and easy to get around. The quaint train station is to the south of the town and only a short walk from where I was spending the night at Aviemore Youth Hostel.
I’d booked it online through booking.com for €57 for a single room. It really was an excellent choice for this trip as I was on my own and you’re never lonely in a hostel. This one also has bike storage.
Travel by bike
I’d arranged to hire a bike to test part of my cycle route which cost me €45 for the time I was in town from Mike’s Bikes.
I had a road bike but the gravel/hybrid bikes are more popular as there’s some excellent tracks for cycling through the woodland, perfectly safe for all levels of fitness.
Just so you know, this is a steep climb, I’d recommend a road bike and a certain level of fitness
This cycle was 10km out to Loch Morlich, where I met some family enjoying the sandy (not fine sand) beach and the kids were loving the water sports where they’d hired paddle boards, pedal boats and canoes from Loch Morlich Watersports.
As part of my test cycle I had to sample the 6km from Loch Morlich to the car park at Cairngorm Mountain. Just so you know, this is a steep climb, I’d recommend a road bike and a certain level of fitness.
Be prepared for the wind, I got a rapturous applause, by those watching my struggle from the cafe, after I’d completed the effort. The views are worth it – if I’d had any breath left it’d have been taken away.
The paths are excellent, it’s obviously very open so expect wind, maybe not an option for very small children
If you drive up, parking will cost you £2 during the summer months, a small price to pay for the views and of course if you fancy a walk you can take a hike up the mighty Cairngorm Mountain.
The paths are excellent, it’s obviously very open so expect wind, maybe not an option for very small children.
I’d a well-deserved meal with family in Happy Haggis, a chip shop/restaurant. We had nine kids, three adults and lots of fish, chips and ice cream. This place is a must in Aviemore, the staff are friendly and its reasonably priced. I’d the senior fish and chips with a drink for £7.95 and it was plenty.
The reflection of the mountains on Loch Garten . \ Fiona Alston
The hostel had excellent kitchen facilities (there is a Tesco, Aldi and Marks and Spencer nearby) and the big lounge had more than enough areas to relax. I sat down to a film with complete strangers before bedtime, we all bonded over The Lion King.
My cycle the next day was a 88km route, which took me to the north and east of Aviemore through a beautiful place called Boat of Garten. The reflections of the mountains on Loch Garten are one of my favourite memories of this trip.
I’d ridden through a thunderstorm and there was something about the angry clouds that made the views more magical, despite being soaked to the skin.
There were some pretty villages on my route, Nethy Bridge, Grantown-on-Spey and Carrbridge. The roads are safe to cycle and, according to my new hostel mates, there is a decent public transport system.
Trip two
For the actual race trip I drove from Wicklow and caught the ferry from Larne to Cairnryan. Again, this was a spectacular way to travel as the views are stunning. Scotland is beautiful, why did I ever leave?
I left home at around 3am and got to Oakwood Camping Park on the north side of Aviemore around 1pm.
It was a long exhausting drive and I don’t recommend doing it without an overnight break if you’re alone or with small children. The ferry cost me €123 return, using both P&O and Stena.
The kids had such a blast playing in the playground which could be seen from the kitchen of the house
More family joined me on this trip and we rented a fabulous four-bed house in Oakwood, my family gifted me my accommodation so I’ve no price but they said it was worth every penny.
The kids had such a blast playing in the playground which could be seen from the kitchen of the house.
They also enjoyed a day at the pool in the Colymbridge Hotel, this is a place we used to visit on trips many years ago.
Unfortunately, the hotel seems to have moved on from quality to quantity in recent years so while it was part of my trip I wouldn’t be in a rush to recommend it.
Aviemore is a fabulous place for a short trip or a week’s break, there is so much to do for the kids and adults with a huge emphasis on the great outdoors.
Unfortunately, they don’t experience the snow they used to during the winter months (it arrived in April last year) but there is still plenty to do year-round. Go on, book yourself a break, take your breath away.
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Growing up on the east coast of Scotland I was lucky enough to spend a good chunk of our staycations travelling west to Aviemore, as a kid this was like going to a big adventure park for the weekend.
Now living in Ireland for many years, last year I travelled there twice. I think it’s a secret I should no longer keep to myself.
The purpose of my first trip was to suss out the area for a triathlon in August, so I spent a whirlwind 26 hours over there in July.
I was still on the clock for that trip so the train was an excellent choice of transport, I could work away on my laptop
I took a flight from Dublin to Glasgow airport, a bus from the airport to Queen Street Station in the city centre and then a direct train from there to Aviemore.
I did the same trip in reverse to get home. It cost me €134 which included Ryanair flights (€54), Glasgow Airport Express (€17) and booked seats with Scotrail (€63).
I was still on the clock for that trip so the train was an excellent choice of transport, I could work away on my laptop during the periods where I was not completely distracted by the breathtaking scenery. I don’t use that phrase lightly, if you have never been in the Scottish Highlands before, be ready to gasp out loud, a lot.
Base station to hill. \ CMSL
The town itself is basically one main street and easy to get around. The quaint train station is to the south of the town and only a short walk from where I was spending the night at Aviemore Youth Hostel.
I’d booked it online through booking.com for €57 for a single room. It really was an excellent choice for this trip as I was on my own and you’re never lonely in a hostel. This one also has bike storage.
Travel by bike
I’d arranged to hire a bike to test part of my cycle route which cost me €45 for the time I was in town from Mike’s Bikes.
I had a road bike but the gravel/hybrid bikes are more popular as there’s some excellent tracks for cycling through the woodland, perfectly safe for all levels of fitness.
Just so you know, this is a steep climb, I’d recommend a road bike and a certain level of fitness
This cycle was 10km out to Loch Morlich, where I met some family enjoying the sandy (not fine sand) beach and the kids were loving the water sports where they’d hired paddle boards, pedal boats and canoes from Loch Morlich Watersports.
As part of my test cycle I had to sample the 6km from Loch Morlich to the car park at Cairngorm Mountain. Just so you know, this is a steep climb, I’d recommend a road bike and a certain level of fitness.
Be prepared for the wind, I got a rapturous applause, by those watching my struggle from the cafe, after I’d completed the effort. The views are worth it – if I’d had any breath left it’d have been taken away.
The paths are excellent, it’s obviously very open so expect wind, maybe not an option for very small children
If you drive up, parking will cost you £2 during the summer months, a small price to pay for the views and of course if you fancy a walk you can take a hike up the mighty Cairngorm Mountain.
The paths are excellent, it’s obviously very open so expect wind, maybe not an option for very small children.
I’d a well-deserved meal with family in Happy Haggis, a chip shop/restaurant. We had nine kids, three adults and lots of fish, chips and ice cream. This place is a must in Aviemore, the staff are friendly and its reasonably priced. I’d the senior fish and chips with a drink for £7.95 and it was plenty.
The reflection of the mountains on Loch Garten . \ Fiona Alston
The hostel had excellent kitchen facilities (there is a Tesco, Aldi and Marks and Spencer nearby) and the big lounge had more than enough areas to relax. I sat down to a film with complete strangers before bedtime, we all bonded over The Lion King.
My cycle the next day was a 88km route, which took me to the north and east of Aviemore through a beautiful place called Boat of Garten. The reflections of the mountains on Loch Garten are one of my favourite memories of this trip.
I’d ridden through a thunderstorm and there was something about the angry clouds that made the views more magical, despite being soaked to the skin.
There were some pretty villages on my route, Nethy Bridge, Grantown-on-Spey and Carrbridge. The roads are safe to cycle and, according to my new hostel mates, there is a decent public transport system.
Trip two
For the actual race trip I drove from Wicklow and caught the ferry from Larne to Cairnryan. Again, this was a spectacular way to travel as the views are stunning. Scotland is beautiful, why did I ever leave?
I left home at around 3am and got to Oakwood Camping Park on the north side of Aviemore around 1pm.
It was a long exhausting drive and I don’t recommend doing it without an overnight break if you’re alone or with small children. The ferry cost me €123 return, using both P&O and Stena.
The kids had such a blast playing in the playground which could be seen from the kitchen of the house
More family joined me on this trip and we rented a fabulous four-bed house in Oakwood, my family gifted me my accommodation so I’ve no price but they said it was worth every penny.
The kids had such a blast playing in the playground which could be seen from the kitchen of the house.
They also enjoyed a day at the pool in the Colymbridge Hotel, this is a place we used to visit on trips many years ago.
Unfortunately, the hotel seems to have moved on from quality to quantity in recent years so while it was part of my trip I wouldn’t be in a rush to recommend it.
Aviemore is a fabulous place for a short trip or a week’s break, there is so much to do for the kids and adults with a huge emphasis on the great outdoors.
Unfortunately, they don’t experience the snow they used to during the winter months (it arrived in April last year) but there is still plenty to do year-round. Go on, book yourself a break, take your breath away.
Read more
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Forty winks at Pontius Pilate’s place
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