The Numerous Delights Of Grantown-on-Spey – Highland
Grantown-on-Spey, Highland is situated in the Council Area of Highland in Scotland. The Scottish Gaelic name is Baile Ur nan Granndach. The town of Inverness is only about 60km by road. Grantown lies on a plateau next to the river Spey. To the South of Grantown, the beautiful mountains of Cairngorm stretch into the distance.
Grantown-on-Spey isn’t a very large town – the population in 2001 was only 2166.
Grantown lies about halfway between the Cairngorm Ski areas and Lecht. For it size, there’s a number of unusual attractions. The town boasts a lovely 18 hole golf course. The Grantown Heritage Museum has exhibits of a high standard and can keep the family occupied for quite a few hours. And then there’s the marvelous Revack Estate with its outstanding gardens, an orchid house, lovely nature trails and also an adventure playground. It’s the perfect place to take the whole family for a day of fun and to just enjoy nature.
Grantown is the perfect alternative to Aviemore as a base from where you can explore the amazing Strathspey area. During winter months many visitors come to snowboard or ski here. You can also do white water rafting, rock climbing, wildlife watching or just go for leisurely walks in the beautiful countryside to enjoy what nature has to offer.
Grantown is of course situated very close to the nerve center of the Scottish Distillery Trail. In the course of a short 120km drive, you can visit no fewer than 8 distilleries on the Speyside Whiskey Trail. Each one of them is different. There are large commercial enterprises and then there are the pocket-sized little family run places where you can get personalized tours and enjoy some serious whisky tasting.
As far as the culinary side of life is concerned, Grantown has more than its fair share of eating places. Whether you are simply looking for a hot cup of tea with scones, or you want a quick lunch or a traditional pub meal, you will quickly find a place to suit your needs. And when night falls and you want to take your partner to a smart candle-lit dinner, there’s no shortage of establishments catering for those needs either. There’s quite a couple of restaurants on High Street and many more within a short drive from town.
The renewed interest in traditional Scottish cooking has spurred numerous new restaurants offering dishes such as haggis, lamb, venison, salmon and Scottish beef in and around Grantown. You’ll also find interesting dishes prepared from local produce – such as whisky. Many of these restaurants are owned by award winning chefs, so the quality of the food is of a very high standard. Nearly all the hotels and guest houses in Grantown have their own restaurants as well, with great food at affordable prices.
As far as accommodation is concerned, Granton-on-Spey – Highland offers something for everyone. There are camping sites and smart hotels; there are guest houses and self catering units, and for the budget conscious travelers there are even a couple of hostels.