If you have time on your visit, make sure to pop into the farm shop at Rothiemurchus. They have a lovely selection of products and produce from local makers, and lovely decorations at this time of year. The Barn next door is great for a spot of lunch or a coffee and cake after a chilly walk.
Make sure to get a table by the huge stove. The term “staycation” gets thrown around a lot, especially in the post-Covid years. Last weekend, we headed on one of our own.
Being close to the National Park is one of the things that drew my boyfriend, Aidan, and me to Inverness, where we now live. We have the city buzz but in under an hour we can be in the hills with no-one else in sight. When we first moved, we spent almost every weekend on walks and hikes, but we got busier and the novelty wore off.
This winter, we are determined to get a little bit of that excitement back. What better time to do it, too, as it is arguably one of the most spectacular times of year to spend time in the area, with snow on the hills and crisp blue-sky days making your breath dance in the breeze. We arrived at The Boat Country Inn in Boat of Garten, our home for the weekend, on Friday night.
The warmth of the fire hit us as soon as we entered in from the chill. The decor is everything you want from a Highland hotel – it has the tartan carpets, leather sofas and rich colours, but it still feels modern and fresh. Our double room was cosy, with views out over the Strathspey Railway line and on to the mounta.