The high plateau of the Cairngorms is a backdrop to every view, and ever-changing throughout the day as sun and shadow move across these high hills. These high places lie at the core of the Cairngorms National Park which, at 3800 sq km, is the largest in Britain and was established in 2003.

At a lower level, the area is also a stronghold of the ancient Caledonian pinewoods - the descendants of the natural forests of old. As well as high mountain tundra and rocky passes, moorlands and forest, there are also extensive marshlands and lochs, whose best-known visitor in summer is the osprey - and one that is quite easy to spot, particularly around the Boat of Garten area.

This is an area which has a huge range of activities for visitors right through the year. A chain of attractive little towns and villages along the river valley, from Grantown-on-Spey upstream to Dalwhinnie, make good bases to discover the huge choice of walking at all levels, the winter skiing at Cairngorm, watersports and golf, plus the equally wide range of visitor attractions, which even includes the world's highest distillery, and a steam railway with, arguably, the best views of any preserved railway in Britain.