The Snow Roads

The Snow Roads follow the A93 and A939 through the Cairngorms National Park. The road climbs over the Cairnwell Pass, about 670 m up, then drops into Deeside and over to the Spey. It is a good two-day drive with whisky, castles and open moorland, and it avoids most of the traffic you get on better-known Scottish routes.

The stops

1. Start

   Blairgowrie

2. Viewpoint

   Cairnwell Pass

   Top of the pass, about 670 m

3. Town

   Braemar

   Highland games village with a castle

4. Worth a look

   Balmoral Castle

   Royal estate near Crathie; open to visitors in season

5. Town

   Ballater

   Deeside town with good places to eat

6. Viewpoint

   Cock Bridge

   Start of the Lecht road across the moors

7. Viewpoint

   Lecht Road summit

   High point of the A939 over to the Spey

8. Town

   Tomintoul

   One of the highest villages in the Highlands

9. Town

   Grantown-on-Spey

   Finish in Strathspey

10. Finish

    Grantown-on-Spey

Where to stay

• Night 1

  Ballater

  Ballater Caravan Park · village hotels

When to go

May–Oct; the Cairnwell section can close in snow

On the road

Highest main road in the UK; winter closures and ice are common, so check Traffic Scotland