The Cairngorm Brewery – a Tasting Paddle and Lunch
A few hours, from Aviemore station and back.
The route
The Cairngorm Brewery has been making ale in Aviemore since 2001, and its shop has a small tap room where you can try three halves of your choice on a tasting paddle.
It's an easy walk out to the brewery from the station, then back into the village for a long, warming lunch at the Cairngorm Hotel, so nobody has to drive.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The day
Aviemore
A late morning and lunch on foot in Aviemore. Walk out to the brewery for a taste of its ales, then stroll back into the village to eat by the station.
About three hours
The Cairngorm Brewery
An attraction
It's about 25 minutes' walk from Aviemore station to the Cairngorm Brewery on Dalfaber Drive, north-east of the village centre, on pavements and paths all the way. The brewery doesn't run tours of its brewhouse any more, but its shop has a tap room serving its ales on draught, and a tasting paddle lets you choose three halves. Look out for Black Gold, which the brewery says was named Overall UK Supreme Champion in 2009. The shop and tap room open Monday to Friday from 11am to 5pm and Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and they're shut on Sundays. Dogs are welcome. Because this one is all on foot, nobody has to skip the ale to drive.
25 min on foot
The Cairngorm Hotel
Lunch
Walk about 25 minutes back into the village to the Cairngorm Hotel at 77 Grampian Road, opposite the station, where the restaurant and bar serve lunch from noon until 5pm. Walk-ins are welcome and you can reserve on 01479 810 233; there's a kids' menu, and dogs can come into the restaurant. If it's full, the Winking Owl further along Grampian Road, a pub with the Cairngorm Brewery's ales, serves food all day from noon. Over Christmas and New Year, check before going.
If it rains
Rain only touches the two walks, on pavements and paths: the tap room and lunch are both indoors.
Route 7 Café, a café in Aviemore.
Cairngorm Café, café at the ski centre.