Living the High (Land) Life: Why Aviemore Should Be On Your 2025 Travel Bucket List

By Lauren Regan.

I'm setting off from Newcastle upon Tyne to drive to Aviemore, a bustling ski town tucked away at the base of the Cairngorm mountains in the Scottish Highlands, and it's starting to snow.

We're from Northumberland and used to a bit of snow. I'm sure a light dusting will make it #magical in photos. But an hour or so into the four-hour drive, my aunt calls to say that "they're starting to close the snow gates and it's really getting quite deep…" How bad can it get we laugh, while I secretly wonder if we have enough snacks left in the car to last being stranded on a mountain road, or whether the Sheepadoodle snoozing in the backseat would be pretty tasty once you got through all that fur… Undeterred, we keep going, and a few hours later, we arrive at what can only be described as a winter wonderland.

We're staying at one of my favourite places, Inshriach Shepard's Hut, a Swedish-inspired shepherd's hut, sharing a field with horses a few miles outside Aviemore. After parking up outside the onside gin distillery (which boasts the accolade of Shed of the Year 2015), we're met by the owner, Walter, who points us in the right direction of the Shepards Hut, helpfully lets us borrow a sledge for our stuff and gives us some top tips for getting the fire roaring when we arrive. The hand-built Shepard's Hut is about a 15-minute walk from the farmyard, across glistening untouched snowy fields, past some rather curious sheep, and into a clearing in the trees.

While rustic (no electricity and hot showers and flushing loos are back down in the farm yard), the cabin has been beautifully crafted. It stays toasty and insulated all year round, even with the shin-deep snow still drifting down outside. It's perfect for anyone looking to escape to nature and explore the majesty of the Cairngorm National Park with a cosy bed at the end of the day. The farmyard itself is a treasure trove where you'll find an old hen house transformed into a gin distillery (where you can pick up a bottle of Inshriach gin to take home), a farm shop, and a ladies waiting room has been named Shed of the Year.

From the Shepard's Hut itself, you'll unlikely see any other guests and the River Spey is just a short stroll away (there's also a hidden sauna for those looking to warm up after a dip in the river). This place is full of surprises, and you feel like you've stepped off the grid and into your own world. Without giving anything away, make sure you take a peek under the floorboards and keep your eyes peeled for the midnight badger that often makes an appearance nearby…

Overnight, the temperature dropped to a balmy -10 degrees (not that you could tell with the fire roaring in the cabin and the fleecy blankets you'll find for just such an occasion), and the following day, we woke up to a fresh blanket of snow. Hiking boots and thermals on, we set out to explore everything else that Aviemore and the surrounding area have to offer. The first stop was Route 7 café for breakfast (a spread that was so good we returned the next morning too). Their Scottish breakfast warms you right up, and the café is dog friendly, too, so the whole family can get involved.

Aviemore is an outdoor adventurer's dream, offering everything from skiing to hiking, mountain biking, husky dog sledging, and many watersports. Visit the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre and they will take you to visit Britain's only free-ranging herd of reindeer in their natural environment, upon the Scottish hills. If you have time and can manage a 30-minute hill walk over rough terrain, this is by far the best way to meet, feed, and get in amongst the herd up on the mountainside.

You'll be spoilt for choice with hikes around the area, but my favourite is the loop of Loch Morlich, which takes you across a white sandy beach and around the glistening shore. With the cold snap, the loch is frozen, and ducks are skidding across the solid surface, with the dramatic mountain range undulating in the background. As we finish the loop around the loch (which is 3.5 miles and takes just over an hour and a half), the sun is starting to go down behind the Cairngorms, and their snowcapped peaks are reflected in the frozen waters of the loch below. It's breathtaking.

No trip to the Scottish Highlands is complete without a hearty meal and a glass of red wine in a proper pub, so after a quick change, we head out for a moonlit stroll across the fields and are picked up by a taxi in the courtyard to take us down to the Old Bridge Inn in Aviemore which was recommended for its cosy atmosphere and exceptional menu. It's one of those places where you don't feel out of place pulling up a table in the corner for a game of cards (don't ask who won) or people watching by the fire.

Aviemore isn't short of places to eat and drink, and in most places, you'll find a mix of friendly locals and visiting adventure seekers. After a whisky nightcap to warm the cockles for the walk home, we hopped back on a taxi and 10 minutes later were back in the farm yard, ready to make a slightly wobblier but decidedly warmer walk back to the Shepard's Hut.

In the darkness of the national park, there are more stars than I've ever seen, and looking up, we start to see colours dancing across the night. After initially thinking that the nightcap was a mistake, the colours get brighter and fold across the sky as the highlands put on a full Northern Lights display to guide the way back to our home for the night.

We all live busy lives, and technology makes us more contactable than ever; a digital detox in the highlands is a perfect way to reset, reevaluate, and reconnect with nature. Next time I might visit in the summer.

Lauren Regan is the founder and creative director of MOLE. A PR and creative communications consultancy working with clients across the UK, North America, and Canada. 

www.wearemole.com  |  [email protected]