Local Information & Activities in the area
The area around us : There are numerous general tourist attractions
in the area. (Check the Boat of Garten village website www.BoatofGarten.com for current events - the end of May every year sees the Highland Festival
taking place and there is a Winter Festival between Xmas & New
Year including a Hogmanay Ceilidh.)
For all the family: There is plenty to do in and around Boat of Garten, especially for those who like the outdoor life. The forest walks around the village are fantastic. You can bike or walk to the Osprey Centre to watch the birds, or simply enjoy the scenery. There are water sports on offer at Loch Morlich and Loch Insh (windsurfing, canoeing, river trips and much more). Alternatively you could try your hand at clay pigoen shooting, horse riding or fly fishing at Rothiemurchus Estate. There is even a new paintballing centre in Aviemore.
Just up the road you can pop in to the Speyside Heather centre (near Grantown on Spey - 10 minutes from Fraoch Lodge), the Highland Folk Museum (in Newtonmore & Kingussie, 20 minutes from Fraoch Lodge), the Working Sheepdogs (in Kincraig, 15 minutes from Fraoch Lodge), the Landmark Centre (in Carrbridge, 10 minutes from Fraoch Lodge) or the Highland Wildlife Park (in Kincraig, 15 minutes from Fraoch Lodge).
There are also numerous castles and other areas of interest - Culbin
Sands, Ballindalloch castle, Cawdor Castle, Balvenie castle and the
whiskey trail (Glenfiddich, Glenlivet etc).
For the mountain biker/cycle touring: The area provides some of the finest biking in the UK along the very extensive tracks in the pine forests of Abernethy, Glenmore, Rothiemurchus and Inshriach.
The no. 7 Sustrans route from Inverness to Newcastle runs past the front door.
For the Skier/Snowboarder: We are 20 minutes drive from Cairngorm ski slopes, 45 minutes from The Lecht, and an hour from Aonach Mor. During the winter months, the Cairngorms can provide some superb ski touring on the plateau.
For the Canoeist: There are many options with the rivers Spey, Feshie, Dulnain, A'an, Pattack, Tromnie, Findhorn and Falls of Truim all within easy reach. Canoes can also be hired locally with paddling on both lakes and rivers providing canoeing of all standards.
For the wildlife enthusiast: The area also possesses some unique wildlife, which includes Red and Roe deer, Capercaillie, Red and Black grouse, Ptarmigan, Golden eagle, Ospreys, Scottish Crossbill, Red squirrels and Britain's rarest mammal the pine martin. (see wildlife page for full details.)
Boat of Garten also has its own badger hide run by Alan Bantick. Evening views of the badgers can be arranged by contacting Alan at allanbantick@hotmail.com Alan also runs some of the regular wildlife talks in Boat of Garten village hall. These talks take place every Monday evening between the beginning of April & the end of August
For the Mountaineer: see walking routes page
The A9 gives excellent access to both the Southern Highlands and the stunning north west mountain districts like Torridon and Assynt.
The Speyside Way now runs through the village and almost past our front door.
For the casual walker: There is a plethora of walking options around us. From our backdoor step you can walk through the woods and along a section of the Speyside Way to Aviemore, first passing down Kinchurdy Road (known locally as "Millionaire's Row").
There is also Abernethy Forest, containing Dell Woods - one of the most beautiful sections of ancient Caledonian Forest in the country.
Also there are the lesser hills offering spectacular viewpoints. These
include Meall a'Bhuacaille, Carn Eilrig, which from the north is extremely
prominent looking like a pyramid... and many others.
(See walking routes page for full
details).
Links to events taking place this year:
The Outsider - Located in Rothiemurchus forest near Aviemore, The Outsider is a ground breaking environmental festival, new for 2007. Offering a superb range of outdoor opportunities and activities, as well as world class live entertainment on several stages, The outsider is a must for all those who love the outdoors and life!
Highland 2007 - the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture. Highland 2007 is a year long celebration of the unique and special nature of Highland culture. By showcasing traditional and contemporary Highland culture at its best, Highland 2007 will promote the area asa great place to live and to visit.
