| Cairngorms National Park | |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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The Linn of Dee on the River Dee near Braemar. Linn is the Scots word for waterfall. |
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| Location | Cairngorms, Scotland, Moray, Aberdeenshire, Highland, Angus, Perth and Kinross |
| Area | 4,528 km² |
| Established | 2003 |
| Governing body | National Park Authority |
The Cairngorms National Park (Scottish Gaelic Pàirc Nàiseanta a' Mhonaidh Ruaidh) is a national park in north east Scotland, established in 2003. It was the second of two national parks established by the Scottish Parliament, after Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, set up in 2002. The park covers the Cairngorms range of mountains, and surrounding hills. Initially the largest national park in the British Isles, in 2010 it expanded into Highland Perth and Kinross.[1]
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The Cairngorms National Park covers an area of 4,528 km2 (1,748 sq mi) in Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highland, Angus and Perth and Kinross Regions. The Cairngorm Mountains are a spectacular landscape, similar in appearance to the Hardangervidda National Park of Norway in having a large upland plateau. While the Hardengervidda National Park is recognised as a category 2 national park under the IUCN categories (no activity that has a lasting impact on the natural environment is permitted) the Cairngorm National Park is a category 5 protected landscape (sustainable development area) that has farmed and managed landscapes in which tourism is encouraged. Aviemore is the busy and popular holiday destination most people have heard of but Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore and Kingussie are worth spending some time in as you enter the park from the south. Highland Wildlife Park and Dalwhinnie Single Malt lie within the National Park.
Before the National Park was established in 2003, Scottish Natural Heritage conducted a consultation exercise, considering the boundary and the powers and structure of the new park authority. One option presented for the area included Tomatin, Blair Atholl, Aboyne and Glen Shee, making the park twice as big as the Lake District National Park. The area finally chosen was smaller than expected, but still the largest in Britain. It involved the boundary areas of Carrbridge, Laggan, Dalwhinnie, Grantown-on-Spey and Ballater. Many groups and local communities felt that a large area of highland Perth and Kinross should form part of the park and carried out a sustained campaign.
On 13 March 2008 Michael Russell announced that the National Park would be extended to take in Blair Atholl and Spittal of Glenshee.[2] There was also controversy surrounding the construction of the funicular Cairngorm Mountain Railway on Cairn Gorm, a scheme supported by the new National Park Authority. Supporters of the scheme claimed that it would bring in valuable tourist income, whilst opponents argued that such a development was unsuitable for a protected area. To reduce erosion, the railway operates a "closed scheme" and only allows skiers (in season) out of the upper Ptarmigan station.
On 4 October 2010 the Park extended into Highland Perthshire and Glenshee.[3]
The National Park Authority shares statutory planning functions with the four local authorities[4] within the national park boundary.[5]
(All in the Marr committee area.)
Only the heads of the Angus Glens are within the park: they only contain one village.
(All in the Badenoch and Strathspey committee area, nearly the entire area of which is in the national park.)
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