Here in the Cairngorms we have a brilliant selection of campsites dotted all over the National Park offering fantastic facilities on site with mountain, loch, river and woodland views. These can get busy in high season so it is best to book in advance if you can. If you can’t get a booking we take a look below at some overnight parking areas which welcome motor homes for a small fee or donation.
Castle Roy, Nethy Bridge
Castle Roy is a 12th century fortress built by the Clan Comyn on a small glacial mound to the north of the village of Nethy Bridge. It has space for three motorhomes to park overnight but no facilities. They simply ask for a donation to the Castle Roy Trust towards the upkeep of the castle in the boxes on site or through their website online. Murdo their friendly highland cow will keep you company and the village of Nethy Bridge has a farm shop, hotel and the excellent Nethy House Cafe who serve breakfast.
Glenshee Ski Centre
Glenshee Ski Centre has 6 electric hookups for campervans at £12 a night. And then a huge car park where they welcome campervans at £5 a night. Glenshee is a beautiful spot on the SnowRoads to park up for the night and has a great cafe for breakfast, or if you get there late afternoon, tea and cake!
Kingussie Camping & Motorhome Aire
This is a fairly new site to Kingussie and is well placed for exploring Badenoch the Storylands. The site is close to all facilities with cafes, pubs, shops and showers within a short walk. There are 5 Motor Caravanners Club certified location pitches on grass as well as 11 Aire Overnight Parking pitches on hard standing. In the height of summer there is a further pop-up campsite that takes tents, motorhomes and caravans down by the River Spey in a seperate field about 500m away.
Cairngorm Mountain Motorhome Site
The Cairngorm Motorhome site is set at the foot of Coire na Ciste with stunning views over Glenmore, Loch Morlich and through the Rvoan Pass. This secure new facility opened in 2022 and welcomes motorhomes and campervans with an onboard toilet. There are 45 individual pitches, a code locked entry system as well as key facilities (excluding showers & toilets) including a water feed and disposal points for grey water, chemical waste and refuse you will have everything you need for an overnight stay. Booking is essential for this site due to the gated entry.
Balmoral Castle Car Park
Parking is available in the car parks next to the A93 at Crathie a short walk from the castle gates across the River Dee. An overnight ticket is £10 and there are ticket machines which take cash or card. There are no facilities here.
The castle and grounds are open to visitors April until 16th August 2023 10am-5pm, and are a wonderful place to visit.
Ar-Dachaigh Croft Campers, Carrbridge
This is a great spot in the centre of Carrbridge which acommodates 3 motor homes beside a house. They have electric hookups and water available but no other facilities. You can walk to the nearest public toilet 5 minutes away as well as a cafe, pub and explore the village with its 18th century packhorse bridge. The very popular Landmark Forest Adventure Park can be found here too which is a brilliant family day out.
Tomintoul Bowling Club Caravan Site
Tomintoul Bowling Club Caravan Site is set in Tomintoul, ‘the highest village in the Highlands’, with stunning views towards the Lecht hills. This is a great stop over on the Snowroads scenic route and is open all year round. There are 8 pitches here with a toilet, fresh water and electric hookups available but no waste disposal. During busy times it is best to book ahead.
. Tomintoul was officially recognised in November 2018 as one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights, with Tomintoul and Glenlivet being awarded gold tier ‘Dark Sky Park’ status by the International Dark-Sky Association. Find out about the dark skies here.
Grey Waste Disposal Points for non residents
There is a charge for this which varies from site to site.
Top Tips for Campervanning in the Cairngorms
- If you’re “wild” campervanning, make use of our many Park campsites, such as Braemar Caravan Park and Camping Pods in the Invercauld Estate, which allow you to use their waste disposal facilities for a small charge. This makes it easy for you, while enjoying your campervan holiday, to also leave no trace and help us protect and sustain our beautiful natural environment
- Use camping stoves, or your van’s own facilities, to cook rather than setting up an open fire, which risks damaging the environment, particularly the ancient Caledonian Pine trees
- Check out the varied towns and villages and local community paths in the Cairngorms National Park, which are full of fantastic cafes, restaurants, pubs and visitor attractions to explore
- If you are not using a formal campsite overnight park in a safe place off-road; avoid passing places, local business car parks, local resident parking and busy spots. Please take note of any signs, especially those saying overnight parking is not permitted
- We have world class access rights in Scotland. Check out your rights and responsibilities with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC), see here
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