News

Cairngorms National Park celebrates 10th anniversary

02.09.2013

2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Cairngorms National Park, the largest in the UK. 

Its mountain massif contains five of the UK's six highest mountains, its highest being Ben Macdhui at 4296 ft, barely 100 feet lower than the UK's highest. Ben Nevis. 

Cairngorm means 'blue mountain' which refers to the distinctive granite forming the core of the massif. 

Its surrounding valleys contain a resident population of 17,000 people and an important aim of the park is the social and economic wellbeing of its people along with the protection of the large mountain core and the surrounding natural forest with its abundant wildlife.
 
The park attracts some 1.4 million visitors annually with its attractive villages and its winter sports facilities which include a mountain railway and numerous ski lifts. 

The southern boundary of the park was extended some 3 years ago, taking in a larger area of North Perthshire. 

This includes the historic settlement of Blair Atholl which provides an attractive gateway where there are long and challenging paths leading into the heart of the Cairngorm’s massif.

The Cairngorms has recently been put on National Geographic’s List of the World’s 50 Last Great places.

(From Mountain Protected Areas UPDATE No 79)

Read more:

http://cairngorms.co.uk/the-park/10th-anniversary

Photo: Flickr/SwaloPhoto