Great for nature lovers Boat of Garten PH24 Review

Boat of Garten is a small village on the edge of the Caledonian Pine Forest. It is about 15 minute drive to Aviemore and 10 minutes to Carrbridge. It has two cafes (both serve excellent coffee and cakes!), two shops (one includes a post office), a hotel and numerous guest house/self catering establishments. The village has a fantastic community centre which holds weekly classes (such as a toddlers group, yoga etc) but also hosts events such as a travelling cinema, interesting talks and ceilidhs. There is a golf course which has a stunning aspect as it looks onto the Cairngorms and the river Spey, infamous for its fishing, runs through the village. The Strathspey Steam Railway also has a station in the village.

The village is attractive to tourists who like to walk in the pine forests and visit the local RSPB Loch Garten reserve to see Ospreys and Capercaillie. There are limited attractions if you are not a nature lover or like to bike/hike, but plenty of other attractions can be found in nearby Aviemore or Carrbridge.

Transport links are limited to a bus service and car as the railway runs sporadically and is designed as a tourist attraction rather than a transport mechanism.