Planning the perfect day in the Cairngorms

Lou Reed famously sang about his perfect day being drinking Sangria, going to the zoo and then the movies. But have you thought about what yours looks like in the National Park?

The old adage goes ‘fail to plan, plan to fail’ and this wisdom also applies to creating the ‘perfect day’ on holiday. 

While it’s often tempting to kickback, relax and go with the flow entirely, a little bit of planning will definitely pay off. This is particularly true in Covid times, when it’s important that you keep on top of the guidelines, as well as what services and attractions are open (check out https://status.visitcairngorms.com/ for details of what’s open and to what extent).

The first thing that will help you most ensure you have the perfect day is to clarify what, exactly, this looks like for you. When you put your feet up at the end of the day, how do you want to feel? What will signify to you that you’ve had the perfect day? For example, do you want to feel like you’ve achieved something, or pushed yourself out of your normal comfort zone by the end of the day? 

See our infographic below for suggestions of what will make your perfect day, based on how you want to feel at the end of it.

Other tips to ensure you have a perfect day in the Cairngorms

• Be ready for 4 Seasons in one day; any seasoned summer visitor never goes out without a raincoat or warm layer but also sun cream! 
• Book tickets, where required, in advance, especially at the moment when services are running slightly differently to normal 
• Plan new experiences because research shows this can make a holiday seem like it’s lasting longer because your brain is having to slow down to process the new information
• Research also shows that the activities which boost your happiness the most are relaxing, socialising, exercising, spiritual activities, eating and romancing
• Plan a special event, outing or activity at the end of your holiday as this will make the holiday stay fresh in your memory for longer

How to design the perfect day

• Think about how you want to feel at the end of it
• Set an intention at the beginning of the day in line with this – how you approach your morning often sets the tone for the whole day 
• Keep this vision in your mind, but also be flexible as the day goes on
• At the end of the day, remind yourself of what went well and what you enjoyed