Discover the Cairngorms National Park with your dog

tails from the trails with our roving reporter, Emma Pemberton

A few weeks ago, our roving reporter Emma set off for the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands, accompanied as always by dogs Merry and Coal, with spare human Sam tagging along too. We caught up with Emma to hear how they navigated the mountains, forests and lochs of Britain’s largest national park – and what made this trip so special.

What made you choose the Cairngorms for a dog friendly holiday?

Our visits to the Cairngorms are starting to feel like an annual pilgrimage – we’ve been every year for the last 5 years because we always have such a wonderful time (dogs included). Usually, we book to come back on the day we leave, because it makes leaving more bearable!

For dog owners, the Cairngorms have literally hundreds of walks to explore, most of which can be safely managed with a dog. The variety of river, forest and mountain walks is just incredible. They’re also one of driest parts of the Highlands, meaning fewer midges and less chance of getting caught in the rain!

We’ve also found that the Cairngorms (and lots of parts of Scotland in general) have a lot less stiles than we find on our local walks in North Yorkshire. You don’t appreciate a stile free walk until you’ve had to carry a 30 kg Labrador over a ladder one.

How did you plan your trip and choose where to explore?

We chose to visit in September because the weather is usually milder (not too hot for the dogs), while still being pleasant enough to spend the day outdoors. Normally, we do a bit of research before we go to make a ‘long list’ of places we want to explore, which we then choose from on a day-by-day basis depending on where the weather forecast is best.

Walkhighlands is our go-to online resource, which offers detailed route descriptions and an all important ‘bog factor’ rating. We also like to use walking guidebooks which we can carry out on the walk with us – the Pocket Mountains guide for the Cairngorms has 40 walks which should be manageable for most people.

We based ourselves near Tomintoul in Moray, a location we like because it’s well located for being able to get around most of the national park in an hour or less, which gave us maximum flexibility for chasing the better weather.

What’s your favourite walk in the Cairngorms?

It’s impossible to narrow it down to just one! The landscape of the Cairngorms is so varied, and there really is something for everyone.

My top three would be the forestry trail up Farleitter Crag at the Uath Lochans, the circuit of Loch Muick and the more strenuous route up Meall a’Bhuachaille at Glenmore Forest Park. Ask me on a different day though and I might change my mind.

My favourite from this trip was a brilliant little hill called Creag Choinnich. It’s located close to Braemar and can be walked (up and down) in about an hour, but has wonderful views over Braemar and the surrounding glens. I’m here for minimal effort and maximum views!

What’s the most challenging hike you’ve done with the dogs in the Cairngorms?

Lochnagar, for sure! Located on the Balmoral Estate, Lochnagar is one of the 55 Munros (Scottish mountains over 3000 feet) in the Cairngorms. For a mountain, Lochnagar is actually quite straightforward terrain-wise, but there’s no quick way to the top so you need to be prepared to be on your feet all day. The views are incredible though and it’s definitely up there as one of my all time favourite mountains.

Fun fact: Queen Victoria made it to the top of Lochnagar on a pony on one of her excursions fromBalmoral. The Gaelic name for the summit is Cac Càrn Beag, meaning ‘small pile of poo’, which Victoria took issue with and insisted that the mountain be known by the name of the loch below the peak: Lochan na Gaire.

Did you find any dog friendly pubs or cafés you’d recommend?

We don’t get the chance to eat out much, as Coal (our Labrador) struggles in busy places, but we did actually find a nice, really quiet café tucked away on the Glenlivet Estate.

BikeGlenlivet serves breakfast all day, as well as a range of sandwiches, toasties and burgers – what more could you want? Its remote location means it’s pretty quiet and mainly frequented by mountain bikers hitting the trails here, but non-bikers are very welcome.

Expect hearty hot food, generous portions and great value. We’re just sorry we didn’t find it at the start of the week – we’d have been in for breakfast everyday.

Did you visit any dog friendly visitor attractions?

Being Scotland, we did get a few rainy days, and we’re not too proud to admit that we don’t like to get soggy! When this happens we’re happy to go for a drive to a castle or a beach, so that we don’t have to be out in the rain for as long.

This time we visited Elgin Cathedral (free for Historic Scotland and English Heritage members) where we were really impressed with the masonry on display. If you visit, see how many skull and crossbones you can count (I spotted at least 10).

What tips would you give others planning a dog friendly holiday in the Cairngorms?

My first tip would be, if you’re thinking about it, do it! We love the Cairngorms and it’s become a non-negotiable that we visit every year.

Secondly, I’d recommend thinking about what you want to do while you’re there, and book accommodation based on that: the national park is huge, and if all the walks you want to do are in the Aviemore area, you might find the 90 minute drive from Braemar a bit long and tiring to do every day.

Finally, While the Cairngorms are very beautiful in the snow, winter hiking and driving can be sketchy, and should only be undertaken if you are confident and prepared. There can snow on the mountains in the Cairngorms as early as September and as late as May, but at lower levels you can expect snow from November to April.

We visited in January a few years ago and while it was a proper winter wonderland, we much prefer driving on the Snow Roads when there isn’t any snow on them!

If you’re ready to pack your bags, the Cairngorms are waiting. Whether you’re planning your first trip or returning for the fifth time like Emma, this stunning national park has something for everyone.