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| Cairngorms National Park | |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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 The Linn of Dee on the River Dee near Braemar. Linn is the Scots word for waterfall. |
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| Location | Cairngorms, Scotland, Moray, Aberdeenshire, Highland, Angus, Perth and Kinross |
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| Area | 3,800 km² |
| Established | 2003 |
| Governing body | National Park Authority |
The Cairngorms National Park (Scottish Gaelic Pàirc Nàiseanta a' Mhonaidh Ruaidh) is a national park in north east Scotland, established in 2003. It was the second of two national parks established by the Scottish Parliament, after Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, set up in 2002. The park covers the Cairngorms range of mountains, and surrounding hills. Initially the largest national park in the British Isles, there are plans to expand the park into highland Perth and Kinross.
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The Area
The Cairngorms National Park covers an area of 3,800 km² (1,467 sq miles) in Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highland and Angus Regions. The Cairngorm Mountains are a spectacular and unique wilderness. Recognised as a Special Area of Conservation, the area is managed to protect the natural environment while encouraging enjoyment through activities and family attractions. Aviemore is the busy and popular holiday destination most people have heard of but Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore and Kingussie are worth spending some time in as you enter the park from the south. Highland Wildlife Park and Dalwhinnie Single Malt lie within the National Park.
The Area is a hotspot of ice climbers especially in the northern corries. It even has the world's hardest ice climb "the hurting" grade XI.
National Park Boundary
Before the National Park was established in 2003, Scottish Natural Heritage conducted a consultation exercise, considering the boundary and the powers and structure of the new park authority.[citation needed] One option presented for the area included Tomatin, Blair Atholl, Aboyne and Glen Shee, making the park twice as big as the Lake District National Park.[citation needed] The area finally chosen was smaller than expected, but still the largest in Britain. It involved the boundary areas of Carrbridge, Laggan, Dalwhinnie, Grantown-on-Spey and Ballater. Many groups and local communities felt that a large area of highland Perth and Kinross should form part of the park and carried out a sustained campaign.[citation needed]
On 13 March 2008 Michael Russell announced that the National Park would be extended to take in Blair Atholl and Spittal of Glenshee.[1] There was also controversy surrounding the construction of the funicular Cairngorm Mountain Railway on Cairn Gorm, a scheme supported by the new National Park Authority. Supporters of the scheme claimed that it would bring in valuable tourist income, whilst opponents argued that such a development was unsuitable for a protected area. To reduce erosion, the railway operates a "closed scheme" and only allows skiers (in season) out of the upper Ptarmiga station.[citation needed]
Settlements within the national park
The National Park Authority shares statutory planning functions with the four local authorities[2] within the national park boundary.[3]
Aberdeenshire
(All in the Marr committee area.)
Angus
Only the heads of the Angus Glens are within the park: they do not contain any villages. The Glens and only the settlements in the National Park:
Gateway to the Glen: Braemar and Blairgowrie
- Braemar
- Spittal of Glenshee (Expected from 2009)
Gateway to Glen: Alyth
- Auchavan
- Glenprosen
Gateway to the Glen: Kirriemuir
- Runtaleave
Gateway to the Glen: Kirriemuir
- Clova
- Wheen
Gateway to the Glen: Clova
- Braedownie
- Glen Lethnot
Gateway to the Glen: Brechin
- Glen Esk (Northern settlement in the Park)
Gateway to the Glen: Edzell
- Auchronie
The Angus Settlements in the Cairngorms National Park:
- Auchavan
- Runtaleave
- Clova
- Wheen
- Braedownie
- Auchronie
Highland
(All in the Badenoch and Strathspey committee area, nearly the entire area of which is in the national park.)
- Aviemore
- Boat of Garten
- Carrbridge
- Dalwhinnie
- Dulnain Bridge (Moray and Highland are separated by the bridge, so falls into both categories.)
- Drumochter
- Grantown on Spey
- Kingussie
- Laggan
- Nethy Bridge
- Newtonmore
Moray
Perth and Kinross
- Blair Atholl (expected from 2009)
- Spittal of Glenshee (expected from 2009)
Sights
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- Blair Castle
- Cairngorms
- Highland Wildlife Park
- Aviemore
- Waltzing Waters
- Loch Morlich
- Carrbridge
- Golf
- Cairngorm Ski Centre
- Cairngorm Funicular Railway (Cairngorm Mountain Railway)
- The Lecht Ski Centre
- Glenshee Ski Centre
- Spey Railway Line
- Ben Macdui
- Dalwhinnie Single Malt
- Pass of Drumtocher
- River Garry
- Cairngorm
- Loch Laggan
- River Spey
- Monadhliath Mountains
- Caledonian Forest
- Red Squirrels
- Forest of Atholl
- Loch Ericht
- Glenmore Forest Park
- Glenmore Lodge
- Reindeer
- Roe Deer
- Red Deer
- Sika Deer
- Ptarmigan
- Capercaille
See also
- Blair Castle
- Caledonian Forest
- National parks of Scotland
- Scottish Highlands
- SEARS (Scotland's Environmental and Rural Services)
- Tourism in Scotland
- World Heritage Sites in Scotland
References
- ^ "Cairngorms National Park". Scottish Government. 13 March 2008. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/03/13145812. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
- ^ Planning
- ^ Map
External links
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Coordinates: 57°05′00″N 3°40′00″W / 57.0833333333°N 3.66666666667°W
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