Cairngorms

The Cairngorms fringe gives way here to Speyside, where whisky and quiet countryside go hand in hand. Dufftown, Craigellachie and Archiestown sit among the distilleries, small and unhurried, while Keith and Fochabers offer a slower pace with solid market-town charm. Elgin, the largest of the group, provides the shops, restaurants and historic sights suited to a longer stay or a base for exploring further afield.

Along the coast, Lossiemouth, Findhorn and Hopeman bring sandy beaches, dunes and fishing-harbour views, ideal for bracing walks and watersports. Buckie retains its working harbour character, less polished but genuine. Forres sits between coast and glen, a handy stop for those splitting time between Speyside's distilleries and the Moray shore, whether the trip leans towards whisky trails, seaside days or a mix of both.

The Cairngorms and Speyside cover a lot of ground, from whisky country around Dufftown and Aberlour to the mountains further south, so where you base yourself depends on what you're here for. Aberlour and Dufftown suit those following the Malt Whisky Trail, with distillery-adjacent stays like Cardhu Country House and The Gables Whisky B&B putting you close to the stills, while Elgin offers a wider choice for those wanting a town base with easy roads out in all directions.

Styles range from working farm stays such as Lettoch Farm to country house comfort at Minmore House and The Mansion House Hotel, with Darroch Learg representing the more formal end near the hills. For simpler, personally run B&Bs, Abbeyfield, Bankhouse, Ravenscraig and Dunvegan give a good spread of options across the smaller towns, generally at a gentler price than the country house hotels.

The northern edge of the Cairngorms region runs down to the Moray coast, and the days out here have a different flavour to the hills and glens further south. Around Lossiemouth, Findhorn and Burghead, wide beaches and sheltered bays draw paddleboarders and surfers, with outfits such as Blue Coast Surf & Paddle, New Wave Surf School and North 58 Sea Adventures offering ways onto the water without your own kit.

Inland, Elgin, Craigellachie and Fochabers hold the region's more traditional attractions: the Speyside Cooperage Visitor Centre explains the craft behind the whisky casks, the Fochabers Folk Museum and Moray Motor Museum cover local history and machinery, and Logie Estate near Forres gives a taste of the working countryside behind the coast.

Between the two, there's a natural split between a beach day at Findhorn or Burghead and a more sheltered, indoor visit inland, so it's worth planning around whichever town you're already passing through.

The obvious speciality is whisky. Dalwhinnie sits at the park's western edge and is one of the highest distilleries in Scotland; Tomintoul and The Glenlivet lie on the north-eastern boundary, and Royal Lochnagar at Crathie serves Deeside. Cairngorm Brewery in Aviemore covers the beer side, and its Trade Winds and Black Gold turn up on taps across the strath.

Local produce runs to venison, grouse, Highland beef, Dee and Spey salmon, raspberries and heather honey. The Rothiemurchus Farm Shop at Inverdruie is the best single stop for estate venison and Scottish larder goods, while H.M. Sheridan in Ballater is a butcher of real standing, holding a Royal Warrant and supplying much of Deeside.

For eating out, the Old Bridge Inn in Aviemore remains the dependable pub choice for a post-hill dinner, and the Mountain Cafe above the high street draws long queues for its baking and breakfasts. In Ballater, Fish Shop has brought serious seafood cooking to a village a long way from the coast. Braemar punches well above its size thanks to the Fife Arms, where the Flying Stag handles pub food and the Clunie does the fine dining, and the Bothy covers coffee and lunch for walkers. Village halls across the park host regular producers' markets through the summer, and both Ballater and Grantown-on-Spey have kept an unusually strong run of independent bakers, delis and grocers.

The northern fringes of the Cairngorms, around Elgin, Forres and the Moray coast towns of Buckie and Keith, offer a mix of touring caravan parks and glamping pods well away from the busiest tourist routes. Sites such as North Alves Holiday Park and Strathlene Caravan Park suit those wanting a base near the coast, while Keith Caravan Park sits handily for exploring Speyside's whisky country.

Further south towards Tomintoul and Dufftown, the ground climbs into proper Cairngorms scenery, and places like The Dell at Glenlivet and Tullochwood Lodges make the most of it, with hill views and a quieter, more rural feel. Duffus Estate Camping and Hillhead Hideaways cater to those keen on a simpler pitch among farmland and woods.

For something more sheltered, glamping pods and cabins such as Glampods, Hillside Havens and Macbeth's Hillock give warmth and comfort without losing the outdoor setting, and are worth considering for shoulder-season trips when a tent feels less appealing.

Self-catering is the mainstay of a Cairngorms holiday, and the choice runs from stone-built cottages tucked into old Speyside villages to modern lodges with hills on the doorstep. Names like Ben Aigan and Ben Klibreck hint at the mountain views on offer, while properties such as Isla Bank Cottage or Jebel suit those wanting a quieter base away from the main resorts.

Moray's fringes of the park bring a coastal flavour to the mix, with places like Salty Dog, Yardie View and the Scott Holiday Cottages collection at Dolphin View and Seabreezes putting you closer to the Moray Firth than the peaks. Others, including Aurora and Inverspey, sit further inland, better placed for walking, cycling or exploring Speyside's distilleries.

With this many cottages spread across the area, it's worth deciding first whether you want hills or coast at your door, then working out how much space and privacy suits your group.