Aviemore Youth Hostel

Situated just nine miles from the Cairngorm mountain funicular and snowsports area, Aviemore Youth Hostel makes for a great base for outdoor activities or for visiting the local Landmark Forest Adventure Park, Highland Wildlife Park or Loch Garten RSPB. The whole area is teeming with wildlife – the hostel has a large lounge with stunning views of the Cairngorms and surrounding woodland from where you can watch red squirrels at play – and nearby you can visit the only freely grazing reindeer herd in the UK, at Glen More. The hostel also hosts a Scottish Natural Heritage visitor centre, including a peregrine nestcam – what other accommodation can offer intimate feeding time with a bird of prey?

As for hostel facilities, there are multi-share dorms and private rooms, wifi, a well-equipped self-catering kitchen and a spacious dining area that serves alcohol.

Aviemore itself is Britain’s most popular skiing resort, but the area also offers a huge range of year-round activities, including hillwalking, climbing, mountain biking, pony trekking, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, watersports and fishing.