The Highlands – people and their passions
Scotland’s Highlands and islands are renowned for their natural beauty, rich history and opportunities for outdoor adventure. The magnificent Cairngorms National Park is a not-to-be missed highlight all year round with its soaring mountains, vast forests and ancient ruins. But there is also a wealth of things to see and do indoors, giving visitors, particularly in autumn and winter, a chance to see an alternative side to this splendid place.
Highlands-based artist and painter Ann Vastano, of the Old Post Office Cafe Gallery in Kincraig, points visitors to the evenings of traditional music, storytelling and poetry, the Storylands Sessions, run by Merryn Glover and Hamish Napier in the Badenoch area. She’s also a fan of places such as The Bookmark, a cosy bookshop in Grantown-on-Spey, where the knowledgable owner Marjory Marshall stocks all the latest bestsellers, champions local writers and has sections dedicated to Scottish history and the Cairngorms. “There are so many people here who are passionate about what they do,” says Vastano. “And they want to share that passion with visitors.”
