Visitors Information Page
Welcome to the Cairngorms National Park Authority Visitors page.
The Cairngorms National Park is the largest in Britain, covering 3,800 kilometres of beautiful and unspoilt countryside. Over 16,000 people live and work in the towns and villages throughout the area and every year thousands of visitors travel here to enjoy the fabulous scenery, from wild moorlands and soaring mountain peaks to spectacular rivers and tranquil lochs.
The Park has something for everyone - whether it’s simply admiring the ever changing views of the spectacular mountains, or walking with a Ranger-led group learning about the plants and animals in native pine woods. For the more energetic there are plenty of opportunities to go mountain biking, canoeing or climbing. The area also has a rich cultural heritage with castle, fortified houses and estates all happy to welcome visitors. For further information on the ranger services throughout the Park, please click here.
Hundreds of countryside events will take place during August and September, including outdoor activities, guided walks and talks. For details of the Cairngorms Countryside Events events taking place during July and August, please click here.
And you don’t need a car to explore the Park! Use the Cairngorms Explorer to find out how you can travel around by bus, train, bike or on foot. It offers detailed timetable information including community transport schemes, taxis, the National Cycle Network and popular walking routes. You can view a digital version of Cairngorms Explorer here or you can download individual pdf files of the content.
The 501 Heather Hopper connects Ballater and Grantown-on-Spey, going right through the centre of the Cairngorms National Park. It runs twice a day in the summer, connecting with the 502 service to Aberdeen and Aberfeldy, and the 503 service to Aberdeen and Perth. Why not take the bus over, have a leisurely lunch in Tomintoul or Ballater and return the same day? Or use it one way and walk part of the way back? The 2008 timetable for the 501 Heather Hopper is now available here.
Whatever you choose to do, we hope you enjoy your visit.
