Kingussie And Grantown On Spey

Kingussie

The quiet village of Kingussie (pronounced King-yoosie) lies 12 miles southwest of Aviemore and makes a pleasant alternative as a place to stay. The Tourist Information Centre (Tel. 661297) is housed in the Folk Museum (see below) and has the same opening hours.

Phone code: +44 (0)1540 Population: 1,500

Sights

The main attraction here is the excellent Highland Folk Museum which contains a fascinating collection of traditional Highland artefacts, as well as a farming museum, an old smokehouse, a water mill and traditional Hebridean 'blackhouse'. During the summer there are also demonstrations of spinning, woodcarving and peat-fire baking. Info - Tel.0154-661307, Apr-end Sep, Mon-Sat 0930-1730, Oct Mon-Fri 0930-1630, winter guided tours only, £2 adult, children and concessions £1.

Another worthwhile attraction is Ruthven Barracks, standing on a hillock across the river. This former barracks was built by the English Redcoats as part of their campaign to tame the Highlands after the first Jacobite rising in 1715. It was destroyed by the Jacobites in the wake of defeat at Culloden to prevent it from falling into enemy hands, and it was from here that Bonnie Prince Charlie sent his final order which signalled the end of his doomed cause. Access is free and the ruins are particularly attractive at night when floodlit.

At nearby Kincraig village, between Kingussie and Aviemore, is the Highland Wildlife Park, which has a captive collection of rare native animals including wildcat plus European bison and over 60 red deer. Info - Apr, May, Sep and Oct daily 1000-1800; Jun-Aug 1000-1900; Nov-Mar 1000-1600, park tours £9.50, concession £8.50, children £6.75, Tel.01540-651270.

Those who mourn the loss of the hit TV show, One Man and His Dog, will be excited at the prospect of visiting the Working Sheepdogs Show at the nearby Leault Farm, where you can see demonstrations of dogs rounding up a flock of sheep. Info - Daily. Tel. 651310.

Sleeping

The Osprey Hotel, Ruthven Rd, Tel. 661510, www.ospreyhotel.co.uk, is a comfortable little hotel with a very good restaurant (expensive). The Scot House Hotel, Newtonmore Rd, Tel. 661351, www.scothouse.com, is another good choice and also offers great food (lunch cheap; dinner midrange to expensive). There are several good guesthouses, all on Newtonmore Rd, including: Arden House, Tel. 661369; Avondale House, Tel. 661731, walsh.lorraine@talk21.com; and Homewood Lodge, Tel. 661507, homewood@kingussie.ndirect.co.uk There's also B&B at Glengarry, Tel. 661386, www.scots98.freeserve.co.uk, on East Terrace; and Greystones, on Acres Rd, Tel. 661052, greystones@ lineone.net

There are several decent hostels in the area : The Laird's Bothy, Tel. 661334, is on the High St next to the Tipsy Laird pub; Bothan Airigh Bunkhouse, Tel. 661051, is at Insh, a few miles east of Ruthven Barracks on the B970; Kirkbeag Hostel, Tel. 651298, is in Kincraig, between Kingussie and Aviemore; and at Balachroick House in Glen Feshie, near Kincraig, is Glen Feshie Hostel, Tel. 651323. In Newtonmore, a few miles west of Kingussie on the A86, is the Newtonmore Independent Hostel, Tel. 673360, hostel.newtonmore@dial.pipex.com; and at Laggan Bridge, 8 miles further west on the A86, is the Pottery Bunkhouse, Tel. 01528-544231, attached to the Caoldair Pottery.

Eating

The Osprey Hotel and Scot House Hotel both have very good restaurants, but the outstanding place to eat in this area is the award-winning The Cross, Tel. 661166, on Tweed Mill Brae, a private drive leading off Ardbroilach Rd. This restaurant with rooms (for dinner, B&B) is expensive but well worth it. Open Mar-Nov & Christmas; closed Tue. The Tipsy Laird pub serves good meals and real ales; and La Cafetière is a nice café.

Transport

Kingussie is on the main Inverness to Perth/ Glasgow/ Edinburgh routes. All Perth-Inverness trains stop here and most Citylink buses. For rail enquiries, Tel. 0345-484950. There's also an infrequent school bus service run by Highland Country Buses between Kingussie, Aviemore, Newtonmore and Dalwhinnie.

Grantown-on-Spey

This genteel Georgian holiday town is 15 miles northeast of Aviemore and attracts the more mature tourist by the coach-load. Everything here is geared towards fishing, and anyone wishing to get kitted out in proper style should get themselves down to either Mortimers or Ritchies on the High Street. The Tourist Information Centre, Tel. 872773, is also here, open April to October daily 0900-1800.

Phone code: +44 (0)1479 Population: 3,250

Sleeping and eating

As you'd expect in such a respectable place, there's a wide range of upmarket accommodation and a number of very good places to eat. The best places in town are all on Woodlands Terrace: Culdearn House, Tel. 872106, www.culdearn.com; and Ardconnell House, Tel. 872104, enquiry@ardconnel.com, both of which offer excellent food.

Garth Hotel, Castle Road. A charming characterful 17th century hotel, formally an inn. Friendly, helpful staff and good food. Recommended. Late Rooms Availability for Garth Hotel in Grantown-on-Spey

At Dulnain Bridge, a few miles southwest of town, are the elegant Auchendean Lodge Hotel, Tel. 851347, www.auchendean.com; and the handsome Muckrach Lodge Hotel & Restaurant, Tel. 851257, muckrachlodge@sol.co.uk, both of which have superb restaurants.

The Tigh na Sgiath Country House Hotel is well recommended. Late Rooms Availability for Tigh na Sgiath Country House Hotel near Grantown-On-Spey

There are lots of other very good guesthouses and B&Bs to choose from, as well as the Speyside Backpackers, Tel. 873514, an independent hostel, also known as The Stop-Over, at 16 The Square.

Self Catering Cottages in Kingussie

• KINGUSSIE - Inverness-shire Sleeps 4
• DRUMGUISH (by Kingussie) - Inverness-shire Sleeps 6
• KINCRAIG (Near KINGUSSIE) - Inverness-shire Sleeps 10
• KINGUSSIE - Inverness-shire Sleeps 5
• Feshieway Sleeps 6

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