natural wonder
Loch Morlich
Beautiful freshwater loch in the Cairngorms with a sandy beach backed by ancient pine forest and views to the Cairngorm mountains.
19 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomScotland
Grantown on Spey
Scotland, United Kingdom · Europe
About Grantown on Spey
Grantown on Spey works well as a base: 25 minutes from Aviemore, 19km from Loch Morlich.
Grantown on Spey is in Scotland, United Kingdom, with about 2,400 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Aviemore, about 20 km away.
Grantown-on-Spey (Scottish Gaelic: Baile nan Granndach) is a town in the Highland Council Area in Scotland. Historically part of the county of Moray, it is located on a low plateau at Freuchie beside the River Spey at the northern edge of the Cairngorm mountains, about 20 miles (32 km) south-east of Inverness (35Read more
miles or 56 km by road). It had a population of 2,328 in 2022.
The town was founded in 1765 as a planned settlement, and was originally called simply Grantown after Sir James Grant. The addition 'on Spey' was added by the burgh council in 1898. The town has several listed 18th and 19th century buildings, including several large hotels, and serves as a regional centre for tourism and services in the Strathspey region.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Grantown on Spey?
Within an hour or so of Grantown on Spey: Loch Morlich (19 km), Cairngorm Mountain Funicular (23 km), Loch an Eilein (24 km), The Lecht Road (A939) (26 km).
Are there any good drives near Grantown on Spey?
The nearest famous roads are The Lecht Road (A939), The Lecht (A939 Old Military Road) and Cairnwell Pass.
Where is Grantown on Spey?
Grantown on Spey is in Scotland, United Kingdom, about 20 km from Aviemore.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 2,440
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Scotland
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 57.3305, -3.6087
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Grantown on Spey
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Cairngorm Mountain Funicular
A funicular railway climbing high into the Cairngorms near Aviemore for panoramic alpine views and winter snowsports.
23 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Loch an Eilein
A serene Cairngorms loch with a ruined island castle, ringed by an easy ancient Caledonian forest walk near Aviemore.
24 km · about 30 min drive
famous road
The Lecht Road (A939)
The Cockbridge to Tomintoul road, Britain's most reliably snowbound route, a rollercoaster over the Cairngorms' eastern edge.
26 km · about 30 min drive
historic highway
The Lecht (A939 Old Military Road)
Notorious high crossing of the eastern Cairngorms on the 18th-century military road between Cockbridge and Tomintoul, climbing to 637m with roller-coaster gradients: often the first UK road closed by snow.
27 km · about 30 min drive
castle
Cawdor Castle
A turreted castle near Nairn built around a medieval tower, with a holly tree in the vault and gardens open in summer.
29 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
The Macallan Distillery
A Speyside distillery with a much-photographed turf-roofed visitor building set into the hillside above the Spey.
29 km · about 35 min drive
national park
Cairngorms National Park
The UK's largest national park in the Scottish Highlands with arctic-alpine landscapes and ancient Caledonian pine forests.
31 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Grantown on Spey
- 23 kmCairngorm Mountain FunicularA funicular railway climbing high into the Cairngorms near Aviemore for panoramic alpine views and winter snowsports.
- 26 kmThe Lecht Road (A939)The Cockbridge to Tomintoul road, Britain's most reliably snowbound route, a rollercoaster over the Cairngorms' eastern edge.
- 27 kmThe Lecht (A939 Old Military Road)Notorious high crossing of the eastern Cairngorms on the 18th-century military road between Cockbridge and Tomintoul, climbing to 637m with roller-coaster gradients: often the first UK road closed by snow.
- 40 kmChanonry PointOne of the best places in Europe to spot bottlenose dolphins from the shore, a spit on the Black Isle near Inverness.
- 51 kmCairnwell PassThe highest main road in Britain at 670m, where the A93 crosses the Grampians at Glenshee between Braemar and the ski centre. The famously steep Devil's Elbow hairpins lie just below the summit.
- 51 kmCairnwell Pass (A93, Glenshee)The highest public road in Britain at 670m, climbing the Devil's Elbow route through Glenshee to Braemar.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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