For so long the Mecca of those who enjoy the great outdoors, Aviemore is delighted to be staging the seventh Aviemore and the Cairngorms Walking and Mountain Festival from 8th to 14th May 2010.

Nearly all of the events taking place within the beautiful scenery of the Cairngorms National Park.

The Cairngorms National Park area has a wealth of experienced outdoor activity operators offering a huge range of activities and experiences to members of the public. With this in mind we are offering the services of some of the area’s operators as part of the Mountain Festival section. This will include mountain biking, kayaking, white water rafting, climbing, canyoning, and more. The programme can be found on a link from the Other Info page and also at the bottom of each page.

A full evening programme of events will include mountain related talks, films, a Ceilidh Supper and the chance to enjoy some of the best of that famous Highland Hospitality!

This is a time of year when the area usually enjoys extremely good, sunny weather and the rivers run fast and clear with the snow melt off the mountains. It is also a time when the trees and shrubs show off their summer finery in a bold display of vivid greens while the abundant wildlife is hectic (and often noisy) with its annual rituals of housekeeping and preparing for a season of rearing and feeding it's young.

Aviemore nestles in the broad expanse of the Strath of the mighty River Spey, between the stunning beauty of the mountains in the Cairngorm massif and the haunting magic of the Monadhliath mountains - both with their caps of spring snow. Crystal rivers and lochs sparkle from the shadow of the Caledonian Pine Forests while the moors and peat hags cast their own special spells.

So come and enjoy the best of British countryside with fine walks, through magnificent scenery. Our programme offers plenty for everyone - short leisurely strolls through forests and along river and loch banks to more strenuous hill walks to the remaining snowfields at over 4,000 feet high. These include Ben Macdui, Braeriach and also many of the local munros (mountains over 3,000feet).