Cairngorms National Park
Cairngorms National Park, National Park in Scotland.
Cairngorms National Park stretches across Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highland, Angus, and Perth and Kinross, covering mountains, valleys, old forests, and waterways. The Scottish Highlands present steep heather-clad slopes, open moorland, and quiet lochs scattered between the summits.
The area became a national park in 2003, following Loch Lomond and The Trossachs as Scotland's second. Authorities have since protected the landscape while encouraging sustainable tourism in the Highlands.
The region maintains traditional Scottish Highland practices through whisky distilleries like Dalwhinnie, Royal Lochnagar, and Glenlivet offering tours year-round.
The park offers paths for walking and cycling, plus three ski areas for winter. Visitors should bring weather-proof clothing, as conditions in the mountains can shift quickly.
A free-roaming reindeer herd has lived in the area since the 1950s and can be seen on guided walks. Scottish wildcats and golden eagles also inhabit the park, though sightings remain rare.
Location: Aberdeenshire
Location: Moray
Location: Highland
Location: Angus
Location: Perth and Kinross
Inception: 2003
Address: United Kingdom
Phone: +441479873535
Website: https://cairngorms.co.uk
GPS coordinates: 57.08330,-3.66667
Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:23
Scotland offers visitors a wide range of historical sites and natural landscapes. This collection moves through castles that have watched over towns and valleys for centuries, through moorlands and mountains in the Highlands, along lochs, and to coastlines where the sea meets rock. It also includes museums, gardens, and places connected to the country's past. Among the sites are Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, two fortresses that rise above their cities. Loch Ness draws people who want to see the water and the hills around it. Eilean Donan Castle sits on a small island, surrounded by water and peaks. The Isle of Skye presents rough terrain such as the Cuillin Hills. Glen Coe is a valley enclosed by steep slopes. In Glasgow, the cathedral and Kelvingrove Art Gallery invite exploration. The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh provides calm within the city. The collection also takes in engineering works like the Falkirk Wheel and the Forth Bridge, and remote spots such as Ardnamurchan Lighthouse and Luskentyre Beach (about 1 mile or 1.6 kilometers long).
Scotland offers photographers a wide range of landscapes and historical sites. This collection includes coastal formations like Bow Fiddle Rock and Sandwood Bay, medieval fortresses such as Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, and mountains and glens like Glencoe and the Cairngorms. On the Isle of Skye you can find the Fairy Pools and Neist Point Lighthouse, while Glenfinnan Viaduct is known for its stone arches. Within Edinburgh itself are Arthur's Seat, an extinct volcano, Calton Hill with its monuments, and Dean Village, an old milling settlement by the water. The Kelpies near Falkirk are modern steel horse sculptures. Loch Ness stretches through the Highlands, and Eilean Donan Castle sits on a small island on the west coast. Along the shoreline are ruins like Dunnottar Castle on a rocky headland and Tantallon Castle overlooking the sea. Smaller places like Culross and Pittenweem show traditional architecture and harbors. The Clava Cairns are prehistoric burial sites near Inverness. On the northern coast is Smoo Cave, a cavern partly carved by the sea. Each location has its own light conditions and changes appearance with the seasons, from long summer evenings to low winter sun.
Inverness is a place where history and nature sit side by side. Medieval castles stand on the cliffs above the river, while ancient stone circles hidden in the countryside tell stories from thousands of years ago. You can walk through the city center and find Victorian buildings, churches, and markets all within reach of each other. Just beyond the city, you'll find Loch Ness stretching through the glens, forests reaching up into the Cairngorms, and quiet spots where you can watch wildlife or follow paths along the river islands. The region holds layers of Scottish history. You can visit the ruins of Urquhart Castle on the loch shore, explore the Bronze Age burial chambers at Clava Cairns, or stand on Culloden Battlefield where one of Britain's last major battles took place. Fort George remains one of the most complete 18th-century military fortresses you can walk through. In the city itself, Victorian architecture lines the streets, with the cathedral and castle both commanding views from high ground. For visitors, the mix of places to explore makes Inverness feel like a crossroads of different worlds. You can spend an afternoon in museums and galleries, catch a performance at a modern theater, or venture out to wild countryside within minutes. The landscape itself draws people—whether for boat trips on the loch, hiking trails, or simply the feeling of being in the Highlands.
Cairngorms
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Ben Macdui
1.4 km
Cairn Gorm
4 km
Cairngorm Mountain Railway
4.9 km
Braeriach
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The Devil's Point
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Corrour Bothy
4.7 km
Cairn Toul
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Glenmore Forest Park
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Sgòr an Lochain Uaine
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Coire an t-Sneachda
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Beinn a' Bhùird
10.1 km
Bynack More
7.8 km
Meall a' Bhuachaille
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Sgòr Gaoith
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Derry Cairngorm
3.5 km
Beinn Mheadhoin
3.6 km
Beinn Bhreac
7.5 km
Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve
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Beinn a' Chaorainn
5.5 km
Càrn a' Mhàim
5.2 km
Beinn Bhrotain
8.9 km
Monadh Mòr
8.1 km
Falls of Dee
4.8 km
Chest of Dee
11.9 km
Mullach Clach a' Bhlàir
13.2 km
Linn of Dee Bridge
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Loch an Eilein Castle
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