UKH

We are off to Aviemore for a few days in half term (next week). It looks very much like skiing will no be a go-er so, what are peoples' recommendations for a few days in Aviemore as a family of four (10 & 8yo).

- Reindeer Sanctuary - Any Good?

- What walks would fell wintery and exciting but not too full on for the kids?

- etc?

Any ideas much appreciated!

There are brilliant and not too challenging mountain bike trails round Glenmore Forest and Loch Morlich.

Highland Wildlife Park is great.

It is a good area for family biking. Rothiemurchus etc Laggan.

Was looking back at half term photos from when I took one of my sons up there maybe 7 years ago - I think he was 12. We had a day skiing at Glencoe which was ok, but it was too windy for Nevis Range to open the next day. We drove over to Cairngorm to try there instead - it was open but we were getting blown over in the car park! One of those days you feel its a bit cheeky them even selling lift tickets. Anyway, we went to Bothy Bikes in Aviemore and hired MTBs. Just like CathS said, there are beautiful trails from Aviemore through the woods, we went up to Boat of Garten, no ospreys around, but lovely quiet trails in pine woods. Not technical unless you search out bumpy bits. 

Also I think there is a newish-ly bolted sport crags with easy grades now somewhere near Aviemore? I think instructors bolted it for when there wasn't much snow for doing winter courses so clients could still do some climbing. Maybe worth checking out to see if some family top roping is possible?

It's a beautiful drive over to the Lecht if there's a chance of any more snow that way.

You’re thinking of comic crag behind Kingussie.

Lecht isn’t looking great at the moment either.

Not so much an adventure, but the highland folk museum is excellent 

It's also not too far to Inverness where you could go dolphin spotting.

https://www.moraydolphins.co.uk/inverness.html

A walk or cycle up to the green lochan and Ryvoan bothy is lovely. 

I don't know if it runs in winter, but there is a heritage steam train to Boat of Garten and then you could walk back to Aviemore on the Speyside way.

some free left field ideas 

There are some fixed orienteering courses and smart phone courses if you need to burn off the kids energy:

https://www.scottish-orienteering.org/get-involved/pocs/

no idea if they are any good,

Should you be doing a wet day drive and if heading to  Toumintoul, the Knock Earth House (very low key ; fenced off square of grass in a farmers field with a sign board, you probably can still get inside, which would never be the case down south); might appeal to the youngsters, and then you get to buy a bottle in Toumintoul (ok that bits not free).

if you have never stood under a huge wind turbine it’s a bizarre, hypnotic and belittling experience. Several wind farms beyond Grantown.

Way too early in the season. Highly unlikely you'd see them.

Seconded, although sadly now so popular via Instagram that it's ruined for me.

Seconded.

Also the Uath Lochans gives a lovely walk. As does the round of Loch an Eilein. Also walk in to Feshie bothy, have lunch and walk back.

Get Komoot and use it to research how to create your own walks. I find it very useful.

All, thanks so much! Added to the list:

• Highland Folk museum (I love a museum!)
• Mountain biking
• Highland Wildlife Park 
• Green lochan* and Ryvoan bothy (*is this An Lochan Uaine)
• Climbing at Comic Crag (I'm keen but might be a hard ell to the family if chilly)
• Reindeer Sanctuary

• Strathspey Railway

• Dolphin Spotting (this might be a back up I think!)

I initially thought that, but I looked up the site to see what they said and it says you can see them any time 🤷

It would. 

Yes

OK, so perhaps not to everyone’s taste but spotting the brightly painted plastic cats that are distributed around Newtonmore might keep the kids amused for a while. Embarrassingly my wife loves them.

If the weather is bad you could go to Inverness 

"The Ledge climbing Gym"

Mor entertaining than it sounds. I’ve still no idea where they all are.

A walk up Craigellachie gives a great views.  Meall a'Bhuacaille perfectly feasible for kids in decent weather this time of year.  If they are going OK, could descend to Ryvoan and back via the lochans.  Cafe at the start/finish, which is good incentive.

You generally don't see them on the boat trips these days. The boat trip is a boat trip that trades off the old times when the pod came into the inner Firth. It's a nice boat trip though. You probably see more otters as there are a lot here on the Firth. 

The best place to see them is at Chanonry Point (near Fortress) around the changing of tides (roughly). It's also nice to explore the Beach at Rosemarkie, or walk to Chanonry Point from Rosemarkie on the beach (prob 1 mile each way). Enjoy. 

If you're going to visit Chanonry Point and Rosemarkie then it's well worth looking at the Fairy Glen just above the village. Paths might be muddy but the falls are pretty and you might have better luck seeing the little people than the dolphins?

Loch insh water sports centre is great for kids, artificial ski slope, ice rink, maybe some water sports available, two good play grounds, lots of good walks and nice loch side cafe as well.

Frank Bruce sculpture trail worth a visit, can be fun for kids trying to find the different sculptures and work out what they are.  

Utah lochans good for family walk as well as creag bheag hike from kingussie.

Landmark centre up by carrbridge might also be worth a visit.  

And could do decent point to point walks with bus home, like to kincraig (strathspey way) via the coffee yurt which is fun place for kids to visit and finish at suie bar or kingcraig post office cafe.

Worth noting that several of the forests south of Aviemore (including those round Utah Lochans and Feshiebridge) are currently closed due to storm damage. 

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/news-releases/stay-safe-and-avoid-storm-da...