Strathspey

Strathspey lies in the Scottish Highlands where the River Spey carves a broad valley between Upper Craigellachie near Aviemore and Lower Craigellachie below the village of Craigellachie. The region includes towns such as Aviemore, Boat of Garten, Grantown-on-Spey and Aberlour. Administratively it spans Moray and Highland council areas, with Badenoch above and Speyside below. The valley’s fertile land and ready water supply once drew settlers and later whisky makers. The area is best known for Speyside whisky, one of Scotland’s most important malt-producing districts. Seven working distilleries form the Scotch Malt Whisky Trail alongside a historic distillery and the Speyside Cooperage. Barley from local farms, water from the Spey and access to Garmouth’s port made the valley ideal for distilling. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival celebrates this heritage every year. Even the strathspey dance takes its name from the valley. Visitors find a landscape of pine forests, riverbanks and gentle hills around Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey. The Strathspey Railway offers short heritage train rides through the countryside. Grantown-on-Spey, regarded as the valley’s capital, is twinned with Notre-Dame-de-Monts in France. The valley has also produced notable figures such as Fr. Allan MacDonald, a leading voice in modern Scottish Gaelic literature.