Kingussie
CEANN A' GHIÙTHSAICH
Kingussie (pronounced King-you-sea, from the Gaelic Ceann a' Ghiùthsaich, meaning “head of the pine wood”) is the capital of Badenoch. Situated in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park beside the famous River Spey, this small highland town is a great place to enjoy sports of every kind such as cycling, skiing, golf, fishing, water-sports, and walking. It is famous for its Shinty team which has the distinction of having appeared in the2005 Guinness Book of Records as the most successful club team in the world, after Kingussie’s First team won the league for a record 20 years in a row. For the uninitiated, the game of Shinty is similar to hockey, but with a lot more contact! It is still played on a regular basis.
For art lovers there is the Iona Gallery, the only community run art gallery in the whole of the Cairngorms National Park, and well worth a visit. Just across the Spey from Kingussie are the iconic Ruthven Barracks, and the RSPB nature reserve at Insh Marshes. One of the most important wetlands in Europe, this is a “must see” for keen bird watchers. Four miles up the road is the RZSS Highland Wildlife Park, home of the only captive Polar Bears in the UK, Amur tigers, the incredibly rare and illusive Scottish Wildcat and many other endangered species.
Kingussie has cafes, restaurants, hotels, guesthouses, and self-catering accommodation to suit all budgets. To find out more follow the links:
www.kingussie.co.uk
www.kingussie-golf.co.uk
www.kcdc.co.uk
www.theionagallery.co.uk