Thinking of coming to Grantown?
Many of you will have been here before and will know of the warm highland hospitality, the beauty of StrathSpey and the special ambience of this wonderful place.
For those of you who have not yet ventured this far, I have added this page to the web-site to tell you about Grantown on Spey, (often referred to simply as, 'Grantown' ), and the surrounding area and to help you make your own travel plans and decisions.
One of many summer events in Grantown.
Grantown is a small Victorian town with a permanent population of about 2500. This number tends to swell during the summer months with visitors from near and far. There is much to do in and around Grantown - besides the fishing that is.
Grantown is situated within the largest and newest National Park in the U.K.; The Cairngorms National Park. The Authority which is charged with running 'The Park' has its headquarters in Grantown.
Mountain biking, hill walking, bird / wildlife watching and golfing are just a few of the many outdoor activities which you could try. Of course, many people come here just to relax.
The town itself has many small restaurants, coffee shops, bars and hotels. There are a couple of small supermarkets with plenty of gift shops too. There is now a very good Indian restaurant which opened in The Square late in 2007 - (this replaced the not so good one further down the High Street which has since closed!). There's even a specialist whisky shop. If you're worried about your health, there is a small 'cottage' hospital, dentist and chemist.
If you or your partner are fanatical about golf, your needs are catered for. Grantown has two 18 hole courses and there are two other courses within 5 miles at Nethybridge and Boat of Garten. There are other courses within a 15 minute drive at Aviemore and Ballindalloch.
Golfing at one of Grantown's two courses.
In 2002, the town's people managed to buy Anagach Woods adjacent to the town. This is a special woodland of about 1000 acres which is known to have important populations of Capercaillie, Red Squirrel and several other threatened and endangered species of birds, animals, insects and plants. You can spend endless hours just wondering through these woods on the numerous paths and tracks. The wood is now managed by Anagach Woods Trust. Have a look at:
Grantown hosts a whisky festival during the last weekend of April. Have a look at:
Grantown also hosts a traditional music festival, 'Strathspey in May', at which many well know local and international performers entertain and hold workshops over a full week.
Harley Davidson enthusiasts rally August 26th 2006.
For a more detailed look at Grantown, have a look at:
Aviemore, a more commercial tourist type small town, is only 14 miles away. It is ideally placed for access to the Cairngorm Mountains, Loch Morlich and Loch Insh water sports centres and the Funicular Railway. If you want to find an outdoor / hill walking / climbing shop then go to Aviemore - there are loads of them.
The beaches and costal town of the Moray Firth are just a short drive away. You may know that the Moray Firth is famous for many things including the fact that it is home to the world's most northerly population of Bottlenose Dolphins. There are daily boat trips to see them which sail from Inverness Harbour.
On the subject of Inverness, I understand that it is Europe's fastest growing city. As the city serves the whole northern half of Scotland, you can find just about everything there. Naturally, there is a Marks & Spencer's store together with all of the other typical High Street names.
Elgin is about the same distance from Grantown as Inverness. It is a very pleasant town with a more relaxed feel.
Of course, you wouldn't come to Speyside and fail to visit a whisky distillery, would you? Grantown is surrounded by them - in fact there is even an official whisky trail!!
Wondering where you are going to stay?
You must be staying in Grantown or its immediate vicinity to be eligible to fish our waters. With this in mind, Grantown has ample accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets. There are many hotels, guest houses and B & B's. There is also a top-quality camp-site which has won a David Bellamy award for its wildlife. This Camp-Site won the Scottish Camp Site of the Year 2007 award and it has previously won other awards for its clean loos! (Check out www.caravanscotland.com )There is also a wealth of self-catering accommodation available in Grantown.
The local tourist office staff will be delighted to assist you find the accommodation that suits you. The telephone numbers of the local tourist offices are detailed below.
Grantown ....(seasonal)....... 01479 872773.
Aviemore....(full time).....01479 810363.
or
How do you get here?
Grantown is situated about 34 miles south-east of Inverness which benefits from a quiet, pleasant and stress less airport.
There are now daily flights to Inverness from all parts of Britain. There are several car-hire operators at Inverness Airport. Have a look at:
www.hial.co.uk/inverness-airport.html
If you fancy travelling by train, then head to Aviemore station which is on the main line from Inverness to the south. There are direct trains to and from London and the south. Aviemore is about 14 miles from Grantown and there are always taxis available. Car-hire is also available in Aviemore for which you will have to check:
www.google.co.uk/advanced_search?hl=en
For your train enquiries, have a look at:
If travelling here by car, then take the A9, ( a fast trunk road ), to just north of Aviemore. Thereafter, take the A95 to Grantown on Spey. Have a look at: