The Various Attractions Of Grantown-on-Spey – Highland
In the heart of the Highland Council area of Scotland lies the beautiful little town of Grantown-on-Spey, Highland. With the nearly unpronounceable Scottish Gaelic name of Baile Ur Nan Granndach, one would expect the town to be something special – and indeed it is. It’s located on a plateau next to the river Spey, with the beautiful Cairngorm mountains stretching into the distance towards the South. Inverness is a short 60km drive away.
This is of course no mega-city. With a 2001 population of only 2166, the town has a surprising amount to see and to do for its size.
The town is situated more or less midway between the ski area of Cairngorm and Lecht. For its size, amenities are good and there’s a lot to see and do. A town of this size wouldn’t normally have a top quality 18 hole golf course. And the Grantown Heritage Museum is also of an unusually high quality with enough interesting exhibits to keep your family entertained for hours. The landmark Revack Estate with its beautiful nature trails, lovely gardens, an orchid house and even an adventure playground is the perfect place to take the family on a Sunday for a day of fun in the sun.
Grantown is the perfect alternative to Aviemore as a base from where you can explore the amazing Strathspey area. During winter months many visitors come to snowboard or ski here. You can also do white water rafting, rock climbing, wildlife watching or just go for leisurely walks in the beautiful countryside to enjoy what nature has to offer.
Grantown is of course situated very close to the nerve center of the Scottish Distillery Trail. In the course of a short 120km drive, you can visit no fewer than 8 distilleries on the Speyside Whiskey Trail. Each one of them is different. There are large commercial enterprises and then there are the pocket-sized little family run places where you can get personalized tours and enjoy some serious whisky tasting.
There’s a large number of lovely places to enjoy a meal in and around Grantown-on-Spey. Whether you just want to enjoy coffee and scones, have a quick lunch, enjoy a traditional pub meal or a suit-and-tie dinner, you are bound to find exactly what you were looking for. There’s quite a few eateries on High Street and many others within a short distance from town.
The revival that traditional Scottish dishes are enjoying has resulted in many restaurants offering exotic foods such as haggis, venison, lamb, Scottish beef and salmon. You will also find many a menu offering dishes made from local produce – such as whisky. Quite a few of these restaurants are owned and managed by award winning chefs, so expect a very high level of quality. Virtually all the guest houses and hotels have their own restaurants where you can get good food at very affordable prices.
There’s enough accommodation in and around Grantown-on-Spey – Highland to satisfy all tastes and budget ranges: from camping sites to hotels, from guest houses to self catering units, with even the odd hostel or two thrown in.