Tomintoul
Tom an t-Sabhail
Alert
Tomintoul, the highest village in the National Park, was a carefully planned affair, founded in 1775 to combat local cattle theft and illicit whisky distilling. Its instigator, the Duke of Gordon, designed the village in a grid layout, and the village’s attractive square and Victorian and Georgian buildings still show this organised structure.
Today, legal whisky production and above-board farming remain cornerstones of the community, alongside tourism. Tomintoul supports a healthy range of accommodation options, cafes, pubs and shops, and it has ten distilleries within 15 miles, including the eponymous Tomintoul Distillery. There’s a bowling club and primary school too.
As the last village en route to The Lecht (seven miles away) for those travelling from the north and west, Tomintoul is well-known to Scottish snowsports fans. It is also now a popular stop-off for mountain bikers heading to nearby BikeGlenlivet on the Glenlivet Estate, which has a range of flowy trails for riders of all skill levels.
Glenlivet Estate also has a visitor centre, educational services and an extensive network of walking trails. From these paths, it’s possible to spot black grouse, golden eagle, red squirrel – and, for those with a very keen eye and a lot of luck - wildcat, otter and pine marten.
As a designated Dark Sky Park, the area around Tomintoul is one of the best in the UK for stargazing. There are three car parks with astronomy information panels (one of these even has a hide with binoculars) in key spots surrounding the village, and the local Cairngorms Astronomy Group runs regular events.
Just outside of Tomintoul, to the north, is ‘Still’, an art installation commissioned to celebrate the creation of the SnowRoads, a 90-mile driving route through the National Park.
Tomintoul, the highest village in the National Park, was a carefully planned affair, founded in 1775 to combat local cattle theft and illicit whisky distilling. Its instigator, the Duke of Gordon, designed the village in a grid layout, and the village’s attractive square and Victorian and Georgian buildings still show this organised structure.
Today, legal whisky production and above-board farming remain cornerstones of the community, alongside tourism. Tomintoul supports a healthy range of accommodation options, cafes, pubs and shops, and it has ten distilleries within 15 miles, including the eponymous Tomintoul Distillery. There’s a bowling club and primary school too.
As the last village en route to The Lecht (seven miles away) for those travelling from the north and west, Tomintoul is well-known to Scottish snowsports fans. It is also now a popular stop-off for mountain bikers heading to nearby BikeGlenlivet on the Glenlivet Estate, which has a range of flowy trails for riders of all skill levels.
Glenlivet Estate also has a visitor centre, educational services and an extensive network of walking trails. From these paths, it’s possible to spot black grouse, golden eagle, red squirrel – and, for those with a very keen eye and a lot of luck - wildcat, otter and pine marten.
As a designated Dark Sky Park, the area around Tomintoul is one of the best in the UK for stargazing. There are three car parks with astronomy information panels (one of these even has a hide with binoculars) in key spots surrounding the village, and the local Cairngorms Astronomy Group runs regular events.
Just outside of Tomintoul, to the north, is ‘Still’, an art installation commissioned to celebrate the creation of the SnowRoads, a 90-mile driving route through the National Park.
Alert
Tomintoul
key
facts
Elevation
355m
Location
N
Location
Relevant alerts
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There is an ongoing wildfire situation at Glenmore within the Cairngorms National Park. Click here for all the latest. We would encourage members of the public to follow current guidance and be aware that the situation may change.
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Very high fire risk - 15 to 20 July
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has issued a very high wildfire warning impacting areas of the National Park on Wednesday 15 until Monday 20 July. If you are out and about in the Cairngorms National Park please observe the following guidance:
- Do not light any fire or barbecue, in line with the new fire byelaw
- Always ensure cigarettes are fully extinguished and take your litter (including glass) away with you
- Enjoy the outdoors responsibly - most wildfires are caused by human activity
- Stay alert - with dry vegetation and warm weather, fires can start easily, spread rapidly, and burn intensely
- If you see a wildfire, dial 999
For further updates on wildfire risk across Scotland, visit the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service website. To find out more about the fire byelaw, and to see your questions answered, visit our fire byelaw page here.
