The route passes through attractive villages with welcoming B&Bs, many with a range of accommodation choices. However, some are closed out of season, most are busy in season and advance booking is essential unless you intend wild camping for the entire route: see Budget options below.
The table lists the places where most people stay, with an extra night in Ballindalloch or Tomintoul if doing the spur. If you can’t find what you want in Craigellachie, be aware that Aberlour is only 2.1 miles beyond it and has more choice. Ballindalloch is the name of a former railway station, rather than a village, and in 2021 the only accommodation was at Cragganmore. At 19.5 miles the Aviemore to Newtonmore section is too long for a single day for many (perhaps most) walkers. The solution may be to split Grantown to Newtonmore into three sections by overnighting at Boat of Garten and Kincraig.
The best sources to start your search are Visit Moray Speyside and Visit Cairngorms. Try also VisitScotland then enter location and use map view or sort by distance. Or if you zoom in closely on Google maps you will find all the hotels, B&Bs, hostels and campsites in its database. Some people like to use airbnb.
Budget options: hostels and camping
For details of hostels in Aviemore and Tomintoul, visit Hostelling Scotland. Note that many hostels are open only in season.
For independent hostels and bunkhouses at Grantown-on-Spey, Nethy Bridge, Boat of Garten and Newtonmore, visit Scottish Independent Hostels.
Camping is available at commercial sites, and there are free campsites in Craigellachie and Ballindalloch with very basic facilities. The Smugglers Hostel, Tomintoul, allows camping in its garden and the use of hostel facilities at modest cost. Wild camping is free and legally allowed in Scotland if practised responsibly under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
