A loch at the back of Killiehuntly Farmhouse

If you stand alone in the woods in the Cairngorms for long enough, you might just feel a jolt of old magic, or hear the whisper of faerie folk in the wind. Rugged, mysterious, volatile, and awe-inspiring, the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands is a land of Caledonian pine forests, snowcapped mountain ranges, heather glens, moody moors, moss-covered rocks, enigmatic lochs, bubbling brooks, and thriving wildlife.

Path from a farmhouse to the forest

The Cairngorms is the most arduous area in the United Kingdom in terms of mountain heights, trail distances, and the severity and changeable of weather.

Covering an area of 4,528 square kilometres, it is the largest national park in the British Isles and home to seven mountains including Scotlands highest, Ben Nevis. It is also the most arduous area in the United Kingdom in terms of mountain heights, trail distances, and severity and changeable of weather.

Birdsong, sunshine, and not a soul in sight on a forest trail near the Allt Chomhraig River.

With its large area of upland plateau, the majestic landscape here is similar in appearance to Norway’s Hardangervidda National Park.

A peaceful loch

The river flowing through Baileguish

The Cairngorms sees approximately 1.8 million visitors each year, but you’ll hardly notice this as you walk along remote woodland trails, across quiet poetic moors, or hike up a rocky hill or mountain. If you love unspoiled nature and want to escape urban life, this is definitely a place for your bucket list.

The river flowing through Baileguish