Indoor activities

While making the most of the outdoors is a priority for many people who live in and visit the Cairngorms National Park, this region is also full of brilliant activities to tempt you indoors. We are in Scotland after all, where the weather often pays no heed to your outdoor plans. When getting under shelter is the best option all round, there's a range of options to suit every whim.

Indoor sports and leisure

Get your heart rate up in one of the many public and private leisure centres spread across the National Park. Go swimming, book a climbing wall or badminton court, challenge your friends and family to a game of squash, or skate around an ice rink. For younger children, there are several soft play options.

If all this sounds like a little too much effort,​ take a trip to the cinema instead, or book an escape room to challenge your brain rather than your muscles.

There are also several beauty, massage and spa businesses in the National Park, with the mountains providing the perfect backdrop for pure relaxation.

Museums, castles and visitor centres 

The National Park has a long and fascinating history, and its stories are shared by a great selection of museums, castles and visitor centres. Learn about life in medieval Scotland, travel through Highland history at an open-air museum, or take a trip on a steam railway and discover how this industry was key to the growth of business and tourism in the National Park.

Art galleries and craft studios

The landscapes and light in the Cairngorms are a catalyst for creativity. Several of the region’s towns and villages have galleries displaying the paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics and crafts they inspire.

If you’re the one feeling creative, there are ceramic painting studios where you can while away the hours with a paintbrush in your hand, and workshops in almost every craft and art medium you can imagine, including jewellery making, printing, knitting and fused glass.

• Distillery tour Liam Anderstrem

  

  
• Highland Folk Museum James Stevens

  

  
• Art galleries Mahri Prince / Rachel Keenan

  

  

Distillery tours

Visiting one or more of the National Park’s distilleries is a worthwhile endeavour, no matter the weather. Learn about the craft and art of a good dram while admiring the landscape that provides whisky’s essential elements.

Cafes, pubs and restaurants

Filling yourself up on locally sourced food, great coffee, and regional beers and ales is a wonderful way to journey around the National Park, and there’s no shortage of places that will welcome you in to do just that.

Shopping

There are countless brilliant independent shops across the Cairngorms’ villages and towns. These provide a great opportunity to meet knowledgeable sellers and while away the hours with some relaxed browsing.​