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.
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