Kingussie and Newtonmore: Badenoch

The upper Spey Valley curves round the northern end of the Cairngorm range. Centred on the two fine old towns of Kingussie and Newtonmore, Badenoch is an ideal centre for walks of all abilities.

The Spey Valley itself - much broader than most glens in the Highlands - offers fine low-level walking, whilst sweeping mountains line the horizons in all directions. North is the vast, bleak wilderness plateau of the Monadhliath, and southwest the A9 and railway carves its way out of the region through the Drumochter pass, the tenuous link to the cities of the south. West of Drumochter is another wilderness area, that of Ben Alder and it's satellites, whilst to the east rear the main bulk of the Cairngorms range.