Cairngorms National Park, Scotland
A day’s adventure around the mountains
Our one day drive took us 6 hours in a loop (with some photo stops) from Edinburgh around Cairngorms National Park and back. There was no specific destination in the park, we just wanted to do a scenic drive through the highlands.
The Drive
We drove up the A9 and down the A939 Old Military Road. It was spectacular. We started out on a sunny day in Edinburgh, then drove through some rain around Perth, then some snow in the mountains of the national park. This drive had a bit of everything and it all made for some incredible photos and fun scenic driving.
Lunch Pit Stop
Normally I wouldn’t write about a lunch stop on a day trip, but this was one of the friendliest and cutest places in our whole Scotland trip. The Wee Puffin is a small little cafe/restaurant in Grantown-on-Spey. The food was outstanding, the interior is filled with little puffin paintings and drawings that are (for the most part) for sale, and the owner was extremely friendly and helpful and even gave us a tip on a hidden scenic point on the way back. I had the haggis burger and would suggest you do too. There is no better place than the Scottish highlands to enjoy one and this place made it to perfection.
More In Scotland
We took some other day trips around to some national parks, historic towns, and major cities too. Check those out before planning your trip as well. Let us know your favorite spots in the comment section.
