Have you had any Easter holiday ideas yet? Thinking about the Easter holidays this year, it’s a wee bit of an awkward time – so early in the Spring season. It’s still an opportunity for some winter sports, but spring is on its way. If you’re travelling up to the Cairngorms National Park for this Easter holiday here are some ideas you might want to consider:
Experience the ultimate wild camping adventure with our exclusive hot tent camping setup, supported by Highland ponies. Hike through ancient pine forests, past serene lochs, and into breathtaking mountain landscapes. By night, enjoy the warmth of our cozy, heated tents and the luxury of hot showers—even in the heart of the wilderness! This UK-first experience is an unforgettable Easter holiday idea for families and adventure seekers alike.
👉 Book now and make Easter 2025 truly special!
Ever wondered what it’s like to sleep in a snowhole? This Easter, you can experience the thrill of a night in the Cairngorms, safely guided by Andy, Scotland’s most experienced snowhole expert. He’s built over 100 snow shelters in the past 20 years—so you’re in safe hands!
👉 Contact Andy for a private guided expedition.
Digging in for a night out on the mountain.
Join us for a guided summit hike and discover the awe-inspiring landscapes of the Cairngorms. Whether you’re an experienced hillwalker or just looking for a safe and enjoyable mountain experience, our expert guides will tailor a walk to your level.
👉 Enquire now about guided hikes.
Posing amid the grandeur of the Cairngorms scenery
From Highland Cows and red deer to reindeer and pine martens, the Cairngorms are teeming with wildlife. For young explorers, we can organize a range of exciting experiences, including:
👉 Contact us for a tailored wildlife itinerary.
If you’re lucky you’ll pass the wee herd of Heelan Coo next to the road for a photo shoot.
The Scottish red squirrel, photographed in the Boat of Garten woods.
No trip to Scotland is complete without sampling some of its finest whiskies! Visit the Speyside Cooperage to see the craftsmanship behind whisky casks, then explore a nearby distillery of your choice. If you’re an early riser, you might even catch a tour at Dalwhinnie Distillery! Glenfarclas Distillery or Tomintoul Distillery! Watch out for road closures around Tomintoul though in April and early May 2025.
👉 We also offer Mountains & Malts tours—ask us for details!
A cooper hard at work repairing casks at the Speyside Cooperage
There are a huge number of Munros accessible from Fraoch Lodge. There are Munros to climb almost from the doorstep in the Cairngorms National Park. You can also use Fraoch Lodge as your base and venture further afield. However, with Ben Macdui (2nd highest in Scotland) and Braeriach (3rd highest in Scotland), you shouldn’t need to travel far for a good workout. Do make sure you put your safety first though. This year (2018) with Easter being so early and a good covering of snow remaining, it would be a good idea to either take a local guide or make sure you have refreshed your snow skills before you venture into the hills. Contact us for a private guiding or instruction booking.
The hikers in the sunshine deep in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park (more snow than most of January). Taken April/May 2017.
Turn Easter into an adventure with geocaching or set up your own treasure hunt around the stunning Cairngorms landscape! And for a special Easter treat, our very own Rebecca is training in gourmet chocolate-making—so you could enjoy homemade chocolates straight from Fraoch Lodge!
👉 Stay with us for a delicious Easter experience!
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Spring may still bring chilly waters, but for the brave-hearted, Loch Morlich and Loch Insh offer fantastic opportunities for wild swimming, canoeing, and kayaking. If you’re new to wild swimming, pick up a guidebook or ask us for the best local spots!
Yes, you can still ski at Easter (some years)! The Cairngorm Mountain ski area often holds snow well into April, offering great conditions for skiing, snowboarding, and sledging. Equipment hire and lessons are available locally. Check how much skiing is available before you book. The funicular is running again but currently (04.03.25) there is extremely limited skiing on Cairngorm, no firm base and warm weather.
Get your heart racing with an exhilarating ride on the G2 Outdoor Zip Line, just outside Aviemore. Soar over the forest canopy for an unforgettable thrill—perfect for families and adventure lovers.
Make the most of Easter 2025 with a stay at Fraoch Lodge, your home away from home in the Cairngorms. Whether you want an action-packed adventure or a relaxing retreat, we’ll help you create the perfect itinerary.
📍 Book your accommodation at Fraoch Lodge now! 📩 Contact us for custom holiday packages and guided adventures.
there are trails all round the area plus several centres with purpose-built tracks like Laggan Wolftrax and Glenlivet Bike Trails. Bikes can be hired from Mikes Bikes or Bothy Bikes in Aviemore.
Enjoy the wild parts of the UK out on your bike
with G2 on the Alvie Estate.
Aviemore has a community ice skating rink again and you can also use the all weather rink at Loch Insh
you could take the public bus to Boat of Garten (5 miles) or Nethybridge (8 miles) and walk back to Aviemore stopping in the Old Bridge Inn for a pint on your return.
and paddle the Spey;
canoe with the Moray Firth dolphins or kayak/canoe on Loch Ness.
Water based options might not be as appealing as you think, but water is surprisingly warm in the winter.
a tour to Loch Ness is a popular option for our guests at Fraoch Lodge
and check out the Findhorn Foundation or visit the Kimberley Inn for lunch and walk along the white sands of the beach.
and try out ice skating.
unfortunately the Aviemore pool at the Macdonald’s resort is not currently available to the public for swimming.
and tour a distillery plus visit the Cooperage
Always a wet or cold day option – a distillery visit or whisky tasting.
or Johnston’s wool mill in Elgin if Knockando is closed. Tours are every hour until 3 or 4pm and are free of charge.
where you can experience the whole wool story from shorn fleece to completed material.
Get crafty if you’d like some time and space to knit, ask Rebecca for recommendations
If you like to see reindeer, you should come to Aviemore, particularly in the winter which is their natural habitat.
and/or the Highland Folk Museum
Traditional village which is part of the Newtonmore Highland Folk Museum
New website for the Cairngorms National park highlighting selected experiences within the park – cairngormsnationalpark.co.uk
A visit to Scotland wouldn’t be complete without catching a glimpse of the ginger-fringed and friendly Highland coo! These lovable and docile creatures are a famous picture-postcard icon of our country, but they’re more than just a pretty face. Being the nature enthusiasts that we are and regularly having the chance to see these beauties roaming freely, we thought we’d answer some regular coo FAQs!
They’re a far cry from the short-haired black and white dairy cow, and that’s because these hardy souls evolved to put up with the wind, rain, snow and sub-zero temperatures that come with living outdoors through a Scottish winter. Though the classic ginger fringed cow is the star of many selfies, they actually come in a variety of colours – blonde, black, brown and a mixture! They have two coats, one longer outer coat to protect them from the elements, and a downy undercoat to keep them cosy. While most cattle would take warm shelter in harsh weather conditions, our highland coos are comfortable setting up for a night in an open shelter (called a fold). Their famous fringe (called a dossan) and long eyelashes protect their eyes from the weather and pesky midges.
Check out VisitScotland’s Coo Cam and say hello to Thelma, Louise, Cairistiona, Breagh and Janima from Kitchen Coos and Ewes in Dumfries and Galloway and Swanston Farm in Edinburgh.
Both male and female highland cows have horns. Although they look intimidating, they’re used to forage for food or to dig through the snow in winter – so a very tough look for a far more innocent use! You can tell a male and female coo apart by their horns. Male horns will generally come out parallel to the ground and turn up or forward slightly at the ends. Females have longer, thinner horns which have much more of an obvious curve.
First recorded in the Scottish Highlands (as early at the sixth century!) – they were named after their origins. Nowadays you can find the Highland Coo dotted all over Scotland, including the islands! VisitScotland have created a handy guide of all the places you might spot a Highland coo as and when COVID restrictions allow, from the northern tip to the borders of the country. Your safest bet would be the Highlands, and for the true rural Scottish wildlife experience we highly recommend setting up base in the Cairngorms and taking a few days to explore. Our Highland Wilderness Trips are famous for sights of deer, rare birds, badgers and of course the gorgeous Highland coo too!
If you’re keen to see a coo our recommendations would be to join us on a visit to Lynbreck Croft (to be included on the Highland Family Adventure and Cairngorm Discovery tours) or check in with Rothiemurchus estate on their coo tours for your rest day activity. There are also coo viewing opportunities when we do to Harris (Western Isles Wilderness), Skye (Superlative Skye), Knoydart (Wild Knoydart) and Torridon (Classic Torridon) – so almost everywhere we go!
One of the local residents observes the tourists disdainfully from his/her comfy abode.
If you love the Highland Coo/Cow we highly recommend following Lynbreck Croft on Facebook.
Family Adventure Holidays in the Cairngorms
It’s very easy to be complacent about your surroundings when you live permanently in a beautiful place. The scenery becomes mundane and the choice of things to do “boring” because they are options open to you every day. When visitors arrive, it’s different. They don’t have the option of postponing their activities to next week; next month or next year. They want to enjoy themselves now and see and do as much as they possibly can. Here in the Cairngorms you’re almost spoilt for choice no matter what age you/your kids are. The beauty of our natural environment here in the Cairngorms is perfect for a family adventure holiday.
“It’s always wet.”
“It’s so cold.”
It is a wee bit cooler here than in the balmy climate of London and the South Coast. If it wasn’t we wouldn’t have the snow in winter, the reindeer living here year round; nor the polar bears in the Highland Wildlife Park as well as the Amur Tigers. (Both the polar bears and the Amur Tigers are cold climate dwellers.) However, we also have a drier climate than the west coast of Scotland and Glasgow and also can be a lot drier than in the Midlands.
If Wimbledon had been played in our local tennis club this year, we wouldn’t have had the same rain delays as at the All England Club. In fact this year, despite the moans of gardeners in England, it looks as if our own garden is going to be the most productive it has been for a long time. Plums, apples, strawberries, red currants and raspberries are all coming along nicely ready for the prime summer holiday season. (Rhubarb has been a bumper crop and is already transformed into Rhubarb Crumble ice cream and Rhubarb and Vanilla jam.)
There’s many a parent gets stuck after the birth of their child. The challenge of just surviving the day is too much to allow for anything else in their lives. The baby is the central focus of their lives and all previously enjoyed pass-times take a back seat. Unfortunately this can then give rise to a lot of resentment as time passes on and the new mother takes on the identity of “Mum” but feels that she is losing her own identity.
Everyone needs something to look forward to and as the old saying goes “a change is as good as a rest”. Perhaps a wee break from routine would re-energise the whole family.
Enjoy the Strathspey steam railway during your visit.
Fortunately young children (pre-school and early primary school age) are for the most part a lot more adaptable than their parents give them credit for. The majority of them will still sleep when they are tired (even in the most unlikely of places). They’ll still eat when hungry and a new environment will be stimulating enough to entertain them. That’s them sorted. The trick then is to pick somewhere to take them which appeals to you as a parent but will not introduce more hassle to your life. So somewhere which is family friendly but not just in name.
There are self-catering cottages which pride themselves on being family friendly because they offer the use of cots, high chairs etc. To my mind this is not enough to be a family friendly facility. At Fraoch Lodge we have a variety of books and toys for wee ones along with a large garden for them to explore complete with a sandpit, garden tools, a digging area, a toddler trampoline and a slide; complete with personal guide (if desired) in the shape of the resident child, Gregor.
We can also offer the whole family or just the parents a chance to eat “out” while in. In other words, we can cater for you while the kids sleep upstairs, so you won’t need a babysitter, but equally can relax with a glass of wine and not have to cook yourselves. Or alternatively we can cook for the kids first and yourselves later or cook for the whole family together.
When you come to Boat of Garten you don’t even need to go far to entertain the kids:
Foraging for mushrooms in the Caledonian pine forests.
What a week of Guided winter walking in Scotland – almost 4 seasons in one week! From full whiteout blizzard to stunning views for miles from the summit of Braeriach, enhanced by a broken spectre with 2 silhouettes in the middle.
From conditions like this:
To glorious views like this:
The weekend at the beginning of the trip offered the worst of the weather, but unfortunately if you have to get back to work … maybe next time those who couldn’t stay on will be treated to views similar to those from Braeriach at the end of the week.
“Thank you again for a very enjoyable week. Andy’s knowledge of the mountains and of the geology, flora and fauna, together with the welcoming and homely atmosphere and Rebecca’s cooking makes for a great combination”
These are just a selection of some of the points which have made the week so memorable and will hopefully serve as talking points when everyone gets home.
Group:
included
– a diverse group of individuals (including one couple) united by a common interest.
We saw a vole and it didn’t just pop out and disappear; it stayed and snuffled around searching for food. We have a really good view of it.
Sightings of ptarmigan became quite common place as the week went on. The first was exciting but by the end of the week, we’d had at least 5 sightings. Ptarmigan sightings were exciting for one of our guests whose young grandson (under 10 years old) is a keen birdwatcher, so it was something he could share with him.
We spotted golden eagle and mountain hare in the white winter plumage.
Many a hiker would love to be treated to a broken spectre. It adds a certain “je ne sais quoi” to the day and provides a talking point. Everyone wanted to see the pics (and it certainly proved popular on our social media.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPhU-QVhzFg/?taken-by=scotmountainholidays
Panoramic photos courtesy of Claire Grogan
Check out our Facebook album for a fuller collection of the photos taken during our trip.
Lentil loaf – a great vegetarian recipe to have up your sleeve for parties/dinners with friends.
Other food: Recipes going live shortly:
Beetroot brownies
Banana and fruit loaf pudding
Grasmere gingerbread
Raspberry and pine nut bars
Tear and share tomato and cheese bread
A great group who enjoyed the variety of walking options during the week and did perhaps feel that they accomplished more in the week than they would have done without Andy’s guidance.
The advantage of the Cairngorms with kids in tow is that the walking opportunities are almost endless at all levels depending on your child’s level of interest and energy. Almost every village in the Park has had a network of paths put in with the support of the National Park to give both locals and vistors extensive opportunties to explore through the woods, across the moorland, around the lochs etc. And if you want to do a wee bit more of an adventure you could try one of the Treasure Trails or try the permanent orienteering course at Glenmore.
There’s as wide a range of walks to do with the kids as you have time for here in the Cairngorms and the majority of the walks are circular so you don’t have to retrace your footprints. Walks vary in length but the majority are aimed at being no more than a half day’s activity so you could also do something else with the rest of the day – visit a castle, see Dolphins, go to Landmark Forest Adventure Park, go for a wild swim or a swim/slide in the swimming pool, try another activity, visit the polar bears and tigers at the Wildlife Park ….. The plethora of opportunities mean that we have trouble understanding why anyone would only want to spend one night with us; but perhaps not everyone is into the scenery and the outdoors.
Treasure Trails have produced a series of mystery/adventure stories where you solve the clues/puzzles along your walking route. The trails are available all over the UK, even in the Cairngorms National Park. We have a stock of the local trails here at Fraoch Lodge so if you want to spice up a local walk instead of just admiring the scenery and seeing what nature you can spot (giant anthills, ripe bilberries, raspberries, mushrooms, red squirrels etc) you can try one of these trails or purchase your own from http://www.treasuretrails.co.uk/scotland-northeast/things-to-do.html There are trails available in Aviemore, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Forres & Grantown on Spey among others – all of which are easily accessible from our base in Boat of Garten.
Loch an Eilean – voted Britain’s most popular picnic spot. The Loch is a very attractive spot with a ruined castle on it. The path around the loch is a forest path. There are rocks and tree roots along the way but then that’s nature. The root is not really suitable for push chairs but can be managed by relatively young children. Full details are available on the link provided.
Craigellachie Nature Reserve – a lovely wee walk for all the family which passes a wee lochan and can be extended up the hill if the enthusiasm is there.
Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie – Just a wee stretch of the legs, but in season the break can be extended to include either a loop through the forest or visit to the RSPB visitor centre (open Apr – Aug) to see the Ospreys.
Farleitter Crag and Uath Lochans – This route must be access by car as there is no public transport down Glen Feshie.
There are several way marked routes in the woods behind Fraoch Lodge and they are all marked out. You can even see the Capercaillie statue made from wood with the help of the pupils at the school. We also have a woodland ranger who leads walks and produces a blog for the village (on the website). The walks have a minimal charge associated with them but are extremely informative. Examples of the routes are: The Salmon trail – or the Red Squirrel trail.
Further details:
Walks around Boat of Garten woods – no transport required as these can all be accessed from our front door
Information about the Boat of Garten area
The Speyside Way (sections)
1. Boat of Garten to Aviemore – This is a lovely section of the Speyside Way which if done from Boat to Aviemore means you’re facing the Cairngorm Mountains the whole way and if you’re lucky the steam train will puff past you as you walk. The route comes into Aviemore past the Spey Valley Golf Course and Cairngorm Brewery before getting close to the centre of Aviemore.
2. Boat of Garten to Nethybridge (or extend to Grantown on Spey) – the main problem with extending the walk through to Grantown on Spey is the number of gates you have to go through along the way – but you never know that could turn it into more of an adventure for the kids. There are also several fixed information points through Balliefurth Farm explaining a little more about the countryside and the bonus is that you’ll come down to Grantown past Spey Valley Smokehouse where you can view the workers producing packs of smoked salmon to be distributed across the country.
Anagach Woods in Grantown on Spey – http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/anagach-woods.shtml
Glenmore to Aviemore – can be accessed by bus. Ask for details while staying at Fraoch Lodge.
Ord Ban – http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sub2000/ord-ban
Carn Eilrig – see Andy for route description and full details. May be for older kids or for a bike/hike combination.
Meall a’Bhucaille – http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/meallabhuachaille.shtml
Cairngorm – from the ski car park to the summit. Children from age 5 or 6 can probably manage this walk on a fine day. The bonus is that they or all of you can summit your/their first munro without actually climbing up 3000ft.
This is by no means a comprehensive list. A great many other options are available. Andy will be very happy to discuss with you as many options as you wish when you come to stay. He’ll then be able to tailor all his suggestions to your experience, ambitions and weather.
For some other options which you may like to read about before you visit, you could always try the Walk Highlands website. We have worked closely with Helen and Paul Webster who run the site. They too are experts on the walking opportunties in this area as they live in Grantown on Spey.
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