The Cairngorms are the biggest national park in Scotland. It is a beautiful expanse of forests, lochs, mountains and villages, which makes it the perfect place for a peaceful holiday.

I’ve been to the Cairngorms precisely 20 years apart, in 2006 and 2026. Both holidays were punctuated with good food, beautiful walks and a visit to Balmoral Castle. Some things clearly stick.

I was disappointed not to find the restaurant or pub which sold large Yorkshire puddings stuffed with Chicken Korma and Chilli Con Carne that I had found 20 years before in Aviemore. But things change, I guess. Or I was the only person buying these, which is also possible.

We got really lucky with the weather, a solid 20 degrees all week and a mix of sunshine and light showers. This was particularly welcome given that Scottish weather is not exactly renowned for making promises it intends to keep.

For us, this was the disconnect and recharge holiday. The opportunity to explore somewhere new, walk some wonderful trails and spend a week surrounded by forests, lochs and mountains.

If you are looking for things to do in the Cairngorms, there is plenty to keep you occupied. But equally, this is somewhere where doing very little is a perfectly respectable holiday activity.

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Visit Highland Wildlife Park

Highland Wildlife Park is run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and is a genuinely unique experience. It has far fewer animals than many traditional zoos, and its focus is very much on conservation and Scottish wildlife.

One of the things I liked most was that it does not feel like you are simply ticking animals off a list and they all had a lot of space to roam. The park is home to species from Scotland and around the world, but there is a particular emphasis on conservation work, including the protection of the Scottish wildcat and apparently Red Squirrels. RZSS also runs the Saving Wildcats conservation programme from the Highland Wildlife Park.

Scottish red deer and red squirrels are also among the wildlife you might encounter. It probably goes without saying that we did not see a Red Squirrel. This is the Highlands, not a supermarket. You cannot simply turn up at 11.15 and expect the red squirrels to have arranged themselves nicely for photographs.

The park is spread over a large area, so give yourself plenty of time. It is one of those places where the drive around is part of the experience, rather than simply a way of getting from A to B.

The Highland Wildlife Park costs £23 for adults and you can buy them in advance from here.*

Visit Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle was one of the constants between my two Cairngorms trips. Twenty years apart, and we still ended up here.

Balmoral has been the Highland home of the Royal Family since Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought the estate in 1852. The current castle was built in the 1850s, after the original 16th-century tower house was deemed too small for the royal family.

It is a brilliant day out, particularly if you like your history with a healthy dose of scenery. The estate sits in a spectacular Highland setting, and there is plenty to explore beyond the castle itself, including the gardens and wider estate. Oh and we actually saw a Red Squirrel here. I mean I think it was there for the tourists, but still. A. Red. Squirrel.

There is also now the option of interior tours during the 2026 season, which makes the visit rather different from the one I remember from 2006. General admission includes the Ballroom and exhibition (which do not take very long to go round), while the gardens and estate provide plenty of space to wander.

One word of warning if you are planning a visit. Balmoral’s public opening is seasonal and changes around the Royal Family’s annual stay, so check the official website before setting off rather than assuming you can just turn up whenever you fancy it.

In addition to the castle, there is the town of Balmoral to explore. We only found the church, but it was pretty from the outside.

Explore the Highland Lochs

We were lucky enough to be staying near Loch Insh, which gave us the beautiful scenery and isolated week we had been looking for.

There is something particularly good about a Scottish loch. You can walk beside one for hours and somehow convince yourself that you have completely escaped modern life, yet still catch all the Pokemon you want or track your steps. Lock Insh made a great loop to walk round and past.

We also stayed near Rothiemurchus, which made it easy to head out for a peaceful 12km circular walk.

The area around Rothiemurchus is particularly good for walking, with forest trails, mountain views and the chance to spot some of the local wildlife. It is the sort of landscape where you can set out with a vague plan, take a wrong turn and still feel like you have had a successful afternoon.

Rothiemurhcus is also home to a lovely farm shop and cafe. The cafe had some delicious, stodgy food, but the the service was SLOW. Like really slow. But given they have a monopoly so they can do what they like, you accept it. Plus you are not likely to be in a hurry it doesn’t matter.

Visit Cawdor Castle

Cawdor Castle makes a good addition to a Cairngorms itinerary, particularly if you are heading towards Inverness.

It is probably best known for its connection with Macbeth, although the real history is considerably more complicated than the play suggests.

I am always a sucker for a castle, particularly one where you can wander through rooms and gardens and imagine the people who have lived there over the centuries.

The gardens are also worth allowing time for. If you are already in the area, it is an easy way to add a little more history to a trip that can otherwise become very focused on mountains, forests and walking boots.

Spend Some Time in Inverness

Inverness is the obvious place to head if you want a break from the countryside.

It is small enough to explore without needing a military-grade itinerary, but there is enough history, food and culture to fill a day.

We headed into the city during our stay, partly because it seemed rude to spend a week in the Highlands and not visit its capital.

The Inverness Castle Experience

They asked us if we really wanted to go in.

It should have been a warning.

We went in anyway.

The Inverness Castle Experience is one of those attractions where the marketing and the actual experience are perhaps having a small disagreement. Firstly, you need to really understand – it’s a castle experience, not a castle. This is an important distinction. If you think you’re going in for chain mail and shooting arrow windows you are very much mistaken.

It is actually a series of sometimes odd videos, exhibitions that don’t make a lot of sense and semi-immersive options. It takes you through the history of Scotland, the clans and witch trials.

I am glad we did it, if only because it gave us something to talk about afterwards. Not every attraction needs to be the highlight of your holiday. Sometimes the things that are a bit weird, slightly underwhelming or unexpectedly entertaining are the ones you remember.

The Inverness Castle Experience is £26 for an adult, there is more information about it (and some reviews) on Tripadvisor here.*

Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

The Inverness Museum and Art Gallery is exactly the sort of museum I have a soft spot for. It is a classic local museum, a little old-fashioned, slightly random and not going to win any awards for flashy interactive displays. But that is rather the point.

It is free to visit and the collections cover everything from Highland geology and Pictish archaeology to local history and Jacobite memorabilia.

The bit I found most interesting was the information about the Jacobite rebellions. Inverness and the surrounding Highlands were at the heart of the 1745 uprising, which ended with the Jacobite defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The museum has a particularly strong Jacobite collection, including weapons, portraits, letters and other objects connected with the movement.

It is not the sort of museum where you need to set aside half a day, but if you are already exploring Inverness, it is worth popping in. It felt like a proper local museum rather than something developed for Instagram.

Explore the town of Pitlochry

Pitlochry is one of those Highland towns that feels almost purpose-built for a leisurely afternoon. We used it as a halfway place to meet my friend who lives in Edinburgh (a bonus of being in the same country for a week). We walked around the loch, which was a lovely way to see the surrounding scenery without committing to one of the more serious Highland hikes. After working up an appetite, we stopped for lunch in town before doing what you really have to do in Pitlochry, wandering around the shops.

And there are plenty of them. Independent shops selling whisky, woollens, shortbread, tartan and an impressive amount of Scottish-themed tat. I have absolutely nothing against Scottish souvenirs, but there is a point where you start wondering how many fridge magnets featuring Highland cows one household really needs.

That said, it is part of the fun. Pitlochry is touristy, but in a fairly charming way, and it makes a good stop if you want a change of pace from hiking and driving through the Highlands.

Take Your Time

The best thing we did on this trip was not trying to do too much.

The Cairngorms are enormous, and it is very easy to construct an itinerary that involves driving somewhere every morning, walking all afternoon and then driving somewhere else for dinner.

You do not have to.

Pick a loch. Find a walk. Visit a village. Eat something good. Sit outside if the weather behaves itself.

Repeat.

That was really what this trip was about for us. After years of holidays where we have tried to squeeze as much as possible into every available hour, it was refreshing to have somewhere beautiful to explore without feeling that we had to conquer it.

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