Craigellachie National Nature Reserve
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Overview
The Craigellachie NNR offers fantastic panoramas of Aviemore and the surrounding Cairngorms National Park. Spring sees the dense birch woodland bursting into life with flowers like lesser celandine, delicate dog violet and wood sorrel. It also sees the arrival of migrant songbirds like the wood warbler, but you are more likely to see and hear the more common willow warbler. In summer the reserve is busy with butterflies, dragonflies and day-flying moths, including the rare Kentish glory and Rannoch sprawler, and as the season changes to autumn, the woodland turns to a rich palette of colours. Look carefully on the woodland floor for fungi and in the trees for autumn migrants heading south for the winter. In winter the sweeping vistas of the surrounding snow-capped Cairngorms are unmissable, and in the early morning you may glimpse red and roe deer.
Location
AVIEMORE, PH22 1QD
About the area
Apart from the Orkneys and the Shetlands, Highland is Scotland’s northernmost county. Probably its most famous feature is the mysterious and evocative Loch Ness, allegedly home to an ancient monster that has embedded itself in the world’s modern mythology, and the region’s tourist industry.
Places to eat nearby View all
Nearby places to stay
View all (8)
Nearby places to stay
Cairn
The Cairn is conveniently located in Carrbridge, in the Cairngorms National Park, as well as being close to Landmark Forest Adventure Park, which is within walking distance. This proper...
Nethybridge Hotel
This popular tourist and coaching hotel enjoys a central location amidst the majestic Cairngorm Mountains. Bedrooms are stylishly furnished in bold tartans while traditionally styled da...
Grant Arms Hotel
Conveniently located in the centre of Grantown-on-Spey, the Grant Arms Hotel offers spacious public areas and has retained traditional character. The restaurant is a popular venue for d...
Loch Ness Lodge
Loch Ness Lodge enjoys a prominent position overlooking the loch of the same name, and all of the individually designed bedrooms have great views. Bedrooms are of the highest standard, ...
Rocpool Reserve Hotel
Rocpool Reserve is a beautiful townhouse hotel in a great location in a residential area close to the city centre. A high level of personal service is offered, and bedrooms provide luxu...
Ness Walk Hotel
Ness Walk is a 15-minute walk from the city centre. The hotel is built around a 19th-century house with a newer building blending in to give guests the best of both worlds. Bedrooms cat...
Glenmoriston Town House Hotel
Bold contemporary designs blend seamlessly with the classical architecture of this stylish hotel which is situated on the banks of the River Ness. Delightful day rooms include a well-st...
Heathcote B&B
Only a few minutes' walk from the Eden Court Theatre and the centre of Inverness, Heathcote B&B is ideally situated for touring, whether you're searching for the Loch Ness monster or do...
