If you are looking for somewhere with a good chance of snow this Christmas, but don’t want to travel overseas, then Aviemore, in the heart of the Cairngorms is a great option.
Edged by the Rothiemurchus Forest, the town is a gateway to the Cairngorms National Park.
It is the perfect base to explore a stunning part of Scotland with dramatic mountain scenery, pine forests, lochs and wildlife on its doorstep. Aviemore is also an ideal base for winter sports activities in the mountains.
Its proximity to the Cairngorms makes it a popular festive holiday destination with a good chance of a white Christmas, with snow recorded on 76 days throughout the year – almost 21 percent of the year.
The nearby Cairngorm chairlift is the snowiest place in the UK, according to the Met Office. Even when it’s not snowing, the mountains are usually covered in a sheet of white throughout the winter months and it is little surprise the area is home to the only free-ranging herd of reindeer in the UK.
The Met Office states the weather station at Aviemore itself records 66 days of snowfall each year. This high amount puts it above other “snowy” places like the Shetland and Orkney islands.
Reindeer were introduced to Scotland in 1952 by Swedish Sami reindeer herder, Mikel Utsi. Starting with just a few reindeer, the herd has now grown in numbers over the years and is currently at about 130 by controlling the breeding.
The herd lives on 2,500 hectares of hill ground between 450 and 1,309 metres and stays above the tree line all year round regardless of the weather conditions.
To get in the festive mood people can travel on a Santa Train on the Strathspey Railway between Aviemore and Broomhill or attend the Christmas markets that take place every year.
There is also the Santa Run that takes place each year at nearby Nethy Bridge.
Outdoor ice-skating is available at Loch Insh and skiing, snowboarding on the mountains, and cosy lodges where you can stay.
Aviemore is the top winter destination in the UK. It is ideally situated just off the A9, 30 miles south of Inverness.