The Local Area
Ravenscraig is a superb guest house accommodation base for a variety of activities in and around Aviemore and the Highlands of Scotland.
Activities to enjoy in this beautiful and unique region of Scotland include fishing, golfing, skiing, walking, hill climbing, bird watching, touring, Highland gatherings and much more.
Please select your choice from the menu on the right.
Eating Out in Aviemore
Aviemore is an important tourist destination in the Highlands and this is reflected in the huge variety of 'eateries' to suit all pockets and tastes.
Within a few minutes walk of our Aviemore Guest House, you will find Traditional Scottish fare, Indian, Chinese, fish and chip, Italian, even an Australian themed restaurant.
For traditional good Scottish food we recommend the Cairngorm Hotel (it serves traditional ales including Aviemore Breweries produce)
The Old Bridge Inn which is down by the river Spey is a favourite - the menu is constantly changing and there is often live music playing. www.oldbridgeinn.co.uk.
A couple of minutes walk away you will find The Skiing Doo serving great steaks, pasta and burgers. And with the Doo Below (the downstairs bar) offers a great après ski atmosphere.
For more special occasions The Rowan Tree Hotel about a mile out of the village.
Slightly further afield...Anderson's Restaurant in Boat of Garten (5 miles away) comes highly recommended by Nick Nairn himself.
The Cross in Kingussie (10 miles south of Aviemore) has been awarded two AA rosettes and is a favourite of ours.
We have a selection of the menus in the guest lounge to help whet the appetite
Skiing, Snowboarding & Winter Climbing in Aviemore
Aviemore is Scotland's number one ski and snowboarding resort with a full range of facilities and instruction for both sports. The Cairngorm Mountain, in the heart of the National Park, has been providing skiing for more than forty years, and with the addition of the new funicular railway in 2001, is still competing as a major winter sports destination. www.cairngormmountain.org
We are very fortunate in that we have a second excellent ski resort close by. The Lecht is just 40 minutes drive from Aviemore and operates 14 lifts. More information can be found on www.lecht.co.uk
Winter Sports - Accommodation in Aviemore
The Ravenscraig Guest House is well placed for access to the numerous ski shops in the village offering hire, instruction and lift passes. The ski bus to the hill stops right outside and runs hourly if you do not wish to take the car.
We also have a very useful drying room and a ski/board store.
For up to date information and prices visit:
If you fancy trying cross country skiing 'Full on Adventure' are hiring the equipment at Rothiemurchus and offering instruction too.
Ski touring/mountaineering is also becoming very popular in the area. Having tried it myself last year I can thoroughly recommend it - what a wonderful way to explore the stunning Cairngorms. G2 Outdoors offer instruction and guides. See the link below. A great place to hire the equipment in the village is Mountain Spirit www.mountainspirit.co.uk
Winter Climbing in Aviemore
Winter climbing is a growing sport and the Cairngorms offer ideal conditions for all abilities. There are a few businesses in the area offering courses and on-to-one training.
Guest House Accommodation for Walking in the Scottish Highlands
Walking
Visit www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms for more information on all levels of walking.
Tim Hall is an experienced local guide who offers walking and wild camping trips into the Cairngorm Mountain and elsewhere in the Highlands. www.outinthehills.co.uk
We can highly recommend Hillwalk Scotland -a small personal company that can arrange self guided walks along the Speyside Way or the West Highland Way www.hillwalktours.com
Macs Adventures is an excellent Scottish company operating small group and independant walking, mountain biking, cycling and adventure holidays in Scotland, the UK, Europe and Worldwide:
Wildlife in the Highlands of Scotland
There must be a very good reason for the programme Spring Watch to be based here in the Spey Valley ....The Spey Valley is teeming with wildlife, apart from the interesting variety of birds, you may also spot a red squirrel from the breakfast room.
There is a badger watch in the local area held on evenings throughout the warmer months...badgers are not the only creature to be spotted...pine martens often put on a show.
Mornings are the time to spot the rare and very strange capercaillie, and if you can rise early enough, there are 'watches' from the hides at Abernethy during the season.
Reindeer roam freely on the Cairngorm Mountain and you can feed them in their natural habitat www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk
If you want to be sure of spotting something then a visit to the Highland Wildlife Park is for you. Animals whose natural habitat is the Tundra can be found there...from bison to tigers, monkeys to otters. www.highlandwildlifepark.org
Birdwatching
We are lucky to be in the centre of a wonderful area for birdwatching. There are 6 RSPB reserves easily accessible by car, amongst them, the famous and important wetland habitat of Insh Marshes.
Loch Garten and the Abernethy Forest, Findhorn Valley and Spey Bay are other well known local ones.
Mountain Biking in Aviemore
Mountain biking is becoming more and more popular. There are miles and miles of cycling tracks around the Aviemore area including a newly built track leading from the Cairngorm Mountain back into the village, which takes you through the Glenmore Forest and Rothiemurchus estate. There are many shops that hire out bikes by the half-day, day or weekly and provide trail maps.
Here at the guest house we provide a lockable shed for bike storage and you will find a selection of maps and trails in the lounge.
We can highly recommend Cycle Wild Scotland for those individuals and groups wanting to learn more skills. Jules Fincham is based here in Aviemore and runs mountain biking courses to share his passion for the sport.
Guided electric bike tours are now available for those of us who want to experience the stunning scenery without al the effort of cycling uphill all day! Call Tim on 07889 083419
Another less strenuous option is a guided Cairngorm mountain bike descent -www.cairngormmountain.org
Visit www.bothybikes.co.uk for more information about local hire and trails in the area
Macs Adventures is a Scottish based company which operates small group and independant walking, mountain biking, cycling and adventure holidays in Scotland, the UK, Europe and Worldwide:
Visitor Attractions Around Aviemore
Aviemore is an ideal base for exploring and has a wide range of activities on the doorstep as well as over a dozen bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and pockets, and all within walking distance of the guest house.
We have information on all the local attractions in the lounge and are happy to help with the planning of your days out.
Below we have listed just a small selection of the places worth a visit whilst you are in the Cairngorm National Park
Strathspey Steam Railway
Runs between Aviemore and Broomhill. A must for train enthusiasts. There are speciality 'Thomas Tank' and 'Santa' weekends, and you can dine on the train on Wednesdays and Sundays (seasonal)
A 4 star attraction for the whole family. A great day out, with water slides, Tree Top Trails, climbing walls , adventure playground to name but a few. You can even watch the red squirrels in their native habitat.
A park where you can watch some of the native tundra animals; from bison, otters and grouse to the even more unusual tigers and monkeys.
A working, living, hands-on experience of Highland history
Ranger activities, land-rover tours, clay pigeon shooting, 4x4 driving, fish farm and much more
The train runs every 15 minutes all year round, taking you almost to the top of the Cairngorm Mountain where you can visit the exhibition, shop, viewing area and the highest restaurant in Britain.
As well as water sports you will find and interpretive trail through the woods, archery, play park, fishing, dry ski slope, restaurant and shop
A favourite with our family. Visit the reindeer in the centre and then walk a few minutes into the hills and feed the wild herd, hand to mouth, whilst you learn all about these incredible creatures in their natural habitat.
Aviemore's brewery making quality beers. Tours of the facility daily.
Pony Trekking
Available at Carrbridge, Alvie and Rothiemurchus...
Carrbridge Pony Trekking | Alvie Horse Riding
Rothiemurchus Pony Trekking & Hacking
Guest House Accommodation for Golf Courses in and Around Aviemore
Malt Whisky and Distilleries in the Highlands of Scotland
WHISKY This is Jonathan's favourite subject! Within easy driving distance (but designate a driver!) we have the world's largest malt whisky distilling area. The Spey Valley is the home of the annual spring 'Spirit of Speyside' whisky festival www.spiritofspeyside.com and the Malt Whisky Trail www.maltwhiskytrail.com Some of the finest whiskies in the world are proudly and lovingly produced in this 'neck o' the woods'. Once tasted, this amber liquid becomes a pleasure to be repeated and the tasting of different single malts and blends, a must.
Many of the distilleries have excellent visitor centres where you can learn all about the distilling process and sample the produce.
Castles in the Scottish Highlands
Cawdor, Ballindalloch, Urquhart, Blair Atholl, Brodie...to name but a few. Historical and cultural sites are in abundance in this part of the Highlands, giving a wonderful living testimony to the colourful history of the area.
History can also be experienced first hand at the Highland Folk Park in Newtonmore. This award winning centre encapsulates human endeavour and development in Highland life from the 1700's.
Another historical site worth a visit is Culloden, on the outskirts of Inverness (40 minute drive away). This is the site of the last hand to hand battle fought on British soil. A short lived but very bloody battle that changed the course of history. The site has become a place of pilgimage for many people from Scotland and further afield.
