Strathspey Steam Railway

Steam locomotives still run through the Cairngorms here, which is rather brilliant if you grew up watching them disappear. The Strathspey Steam Railway operates heritage trains between Aviemore and Broomhill, hauling you through genuine Highland scenery on vintage track that's been running since the 1960s. You'll spend between two and three hours on a round trip, watching the landscape shift from birch woodland to open moorland while soot-covered engineers fiddle with gauges and whistles pierce the quiet.

It's family gold if your kids haven't yet developed a smartphone addiction. Adults who fetishise mechanical engineering get proper absorbed here too - the locomotives are meticulously maintained and you can sometimes tour the shed beforehand. Less thrilling for teenagers seeking theme park thrills, if I'm honest.

Bookings are essential during peak season (school holidays especially), and prices vary by journey length - expect around £15-25 per adult for a standard round trip. The railway operates year-round but frequency drops November through March, so check ahead before dragging out there in winter.

It sits perfectly alongside a stay at Dalraddy Holiday Park, only 3.4 miles away near Alvie. Use the railway as your anchor activity on a Cairngorms holiday, then spend other days walking proper mountains or poking around Aviemore's better outdoor shops. The setting alone - Highland vistas rolling past your window while you grip a cup of tea - makes this worth the detour.