Springwatch this year - Simon in Scotland. Do you know the area?

[roisin]

Next summer we plan to spend a week or so touring that area - Cairngorms + Lochs up nearer Inverness.

Does anyone know the area? I'm looking for recommendations for accommodation - hostels or nice B&Bs or similar.

But also places to go/things to do/see.

We are keen bird/wildlife-watchers and also keen walkers.

there is a mnetter nr there,but can't remember who !

Yes, I think so MaryAnn, I just can't remember who.

Anyone else?

Reindeer herd on Cairngorm!

I love that Habbibu - I really fancy doing the trek. Have you been?

Been up a couple of times - IL's live about 10 miles from Inverness. It's fab - reindeer friendly nosy beasts and views pretty spectacular. Nice walk up to the herd too. Will take dd soonish, I think.

www.craigellachiehouse.co.uk/ in Carrbridge which is about 25 miles from inverness, and 7 miles from aviemore.

Landmark is there

Have you stayed there Wallace?
Have you been to Landmark? I've already picked up on that, but I've yet to convince dh!

This is quite a good place - dd loves it... Also you can watch whales not far from IV, ~I think

We have a week in Aviemore every Easter for ski-ing. Things to do - walking, cycling, water sports on Loch Morlich, mountain train up Cairngorm, would HIGHLY recommend the Highland Folk Museum - fantastic day out and FREE!

Yes, our kids love the Black Isle Wildlife Park too!

go here

more info about glen strathfarrar

my brother has been and recently recommended it to one of my SILs and her bf, who came up from London - I haven't been yet, but it sounds magical, also a great chance to see a bit of the ancient Caledonian forest that once covered the whole of Scotland... before sheep arrived.

my sil saw a herd of deer and were very impressed with the beauty of the glen.

Burn o Vat is nice if you are in that area...

Lovely area

Try this website. Accommodation I can't help with but I know good places to eat if you're staying in Strathspey

Landmark is fab, the highland wildlife park is great, also the steam railway, reindeer, funicular railway, walking/cycling opportunities abound, riding, for bad weather there's the museums, ceramic painting, the funhouse soft play.

Top place to visit

I haven't stayed there, but it is owned by friends

Landmark is great, but quite expensive to get in. Mumsnet should do a discount!

We stay at Silverglades in Aviemore which is lovely.

Tortoiseshell - is that the place if you drive up from Aviemore town itself towards the ski lift you go past it in the valley?

I quite like the look of that for a few days, but dh is grimacing at the idea of a 'holiday village'.

No, that's High Range! Go through Aviemore from the ski road, towards Inverness. Just at the end of the village, you turn right, signposted Dalfaber, go across the steam railway line, turn right again, follow the road round. It is much less of a 'holiday village' although obviously there are lots of bungalows to rent. Last easter, we had the steam railway going LITERALLY next to our garden fence which they boys thought was fantastic - they woke up to a steam engine just outside their bedroom window. There is a nice walk into Aviemore (1/4-1/2 mile), and lovely views of the mountains. And you can use the Dalfaber facilities - swimming pool etc.

We stayed at High Range once when I was a kid, and the only thing I remember was that the cooker didn't work properly and my mum set fire to the apple sponge!

Actually, I don't think you are thinking of High Range - there are some cabins down by the river Spey - is that the one you mean?

This area is great www.rothiemurchus.net/

Well, what I am actually just vaguely thinking of is memories from a (disappointing) skiing trip to Aviemore nearly 20 years ago!

I couldn't find a map on their site, and was too lazy to bung their postcode into google maps! I will do that now.

Does anyone know what time of year the scottish midges become less vicious/less active?

In the last two years on Mull (early August) we have barely seen a single midge, despite dire predictions. Even walking through damp woodland at dusk they were not to be seen.

But Springwatch certainly seemed to have a lot of them this time.

Ah, 20 years ago was the end of the 80s, which was a CLASSIC decade of ski-ing, the 90s were ok/rubbish and 20s have been disappointing or fantastic (2001 and 2008 being amazing years!).

I really would recommend Silverglades - it doesn't feel like a holiday village at all, and there are lots of privately owned houses as well, so it isn't like butlins! And you're close to the centre of Aviemore, and the steam train (if you have boys) is a real bonus! We have stayed there every year since I was about 11, before that we stayed at Dalfaber before it became time shares.