Grantown on Spey, about 13 miles off the A9 and about 20 miles south of Inverness, is a very popular traditional wee town in the heart of the Highlands, offering the best of both worlds, local facilities and glorious countryside round about.
The same can be said of Viewfield Cottage, a most beautifully presented detached, traditional cottage, tucked away in a secluded lane, yet within a few minutes' walk of shops, restaurants and pubs. It has parking for two cars, and a charming enclosed and quite private garden to the front (furniture), just right for relaxing after a day's walking, cycling or sightseeing.
Inside, it has been furnished with great skill and flair to provide the cosiest and most comfortable of Highland homes. The cheerful living room has a multi-fuel stove to augment the oil CH, the kitchen is modern and well equipped and there are three excellent bedrooms, an en suite double and two twins, and a further family bathroom with separate shower. Perfect, then, for a family holiday, a group of friends or simply a couple wishing to escape on their own.
As you can gather from its name, the town is on the Spey, one of the great Scottish salmon rivers, and one of the great whisky rivers as well: Speyside malts are famous worldwide, and you are well placed here for the Whisky Trail, which boasts a dizzying array of distilleries, all offering tours and samplings.
Those looking for activities will find they are close to Aviemore and the Cairngorms, offering superb climbing and walking in summer and ski-ing in winter, and with a funicular going up the Cairngorm itself, you have no excuse for not getting to the top one way or another. You can enjoy all manner of watersports in a heavenly setting at nearby Loch Morlich, with clay pigeon shooting, cycle tracks and off-roading also available on the Rothiemurchus Estate. The Landmark Park near Carrbridge also offers lots of family activities and fun. There are also excellent golf courses at Grantown, Boat of Garten and Nethybridge.
Steam buffs will enjoy the Strathspey Highland Steam Railway which runs between Aviemore and Broomhill, with an extension to Grantown currently under construction.
The area is a veritable paradise for lovers of wildlife, being a stronghold of the red squirrel, increasingly rare birds such as eagles, black and red grouse, the ptarmigan, the capercaillie, and even the elusive wildcat. Boat of Garten has the distinction of being the first place in Scotland to which osprey returned to breed in the 50s after dying out here 100 years ago, and they have returned ever since.
And no stay in the area would be complete without a visit to Inverness, or the glorious beaches of the sunny Moray Coast.
Bed linen, towels, £15 of electricity and the first £20 of oil CH are INCLUDED in the rental. Sorry, pets are not accepted and smoking is not permitted within the cottage.
