Affordable accommodation in Aviemore or Carrbridge

[yorkie]

Affordable accommodation in Aviemore or Carrbridge - any ideas?

 

[Blindtraveler]

What do you define as affordable, roughly and when do you needit? Prices vary a lot up there due to the snowsports in the winter and early spring. At a guess though I'd say your looking to combine a Bike ride or 2 with a trip on the Strathspey.

 

[yorkie]

£35 per person would be reasonable, but Aviemore seems really expensive! (Some places with poor reviews want £130 for a room)

We seem to have found somewhere suitable in Carrbridge though.

The plan is to stay in Aviemore (if affordable), do the Strathspey Railway to Broomhill, then cycle to Forres (Dava Way).

The next day we want to cycle from Dufftown to Carrbridge, after a trip on the Keith & Dufftown. In order to do this, it looks most viable to take the bikes on a train to Keith and lock the bikes up in Keith, take the train back to Elgin, stay a night in Elgin, take the bus to Dufftown and do a return trip on the Keith & Dufftown (bringing the bikes back on the return journey).

Then get the train back from Carrbridge the following day.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Carbridge does indeed sound your best bet then. If it were just a streight out and back without the Elgin and Keith legs I'd have said stay in Inverness but not possible with your geographicly very sensible. plan. The 1 option that is very good if a little tired is the Nethybridge Hotel, just a short ride from Broomhill station.

 

[me123]

£35 per person would be reasonable, but Aviemore seems really expensive! (Some places with poor reviews want £130 for a room)

We seem to have found somewhere suitable in Carrbridge though.

The plan is to stay in Aviemore (if affordable), do the Strathspey Railway to Broomhill, then cycle to Forres (Dava Way).

The next day we want to cycle from Dufftown to Carrbridge, after a trip on the Keith & Dufftown. In order to do this, it looks most viable to take the bikes on a train to Keith and lock the bikes up in Keith, take the train back to Elgin, stay a night in Elgin, take the bus to Dufftown and do a return trip on the Keith & Dufftown (bringing the bikes back on the return journey).

Then get the train back from Carrbridge the following day.

Some hints for your short time in Elgin, if it's of any help.

There's a lovely little bar called the Drouthy Cobbler, a small bar down a side street, but very friendly and welcoming, with an excellent range of wines, spirits, local whiskies and locally brewed beers and ales. If there are any whisky enthusiasts amongst your group, I'm sure you'll already be considering a distillery visit, but Gordon & MacPhail have a fantastic selection of whisky as well. They'll do tastings if you're interested in that.

For dinner, I'd recommend Akash for a good Indian, or Pattaya for a good Thai.

Don't know much about accommodation in Elgin, but have suggested to people in the past to use the West End Guest House, which is centrally located, very comfortable and offers an excellent breakfast. However, there's just the one twin room by the looks of things, but it is in price range at approx. £75. There is a Premier Inn on the East End of the town, but it is sightly out of the way for the city centre and seems to fill up quickly. It seems to get good reviews, but I've got no experience of it. I think you would get better value at a local B&B.

Enjoy your time in Moray, it's a beautiful and friendly part of the world. [/elgintouristboard] Get in touch if I can be of any help with your trip.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Top tip - Make sure you minimise your time in Ketih if possible, it's quite possibly the most boring town in western civilisation. Had about three hours there in aggregate (IIRC) over last summer whilst doing the K&DR and I don't think I have ever been more bored on my travels in my life. I'm not knocking it as a place since it's tiny and you really couldn't expect anything amazing, I'm just saying I wouldn't factor in any time to explore the place. Had a look around the Strathisla Brewery shop on the way back to the mainline station but there wasn't much else going for it.

(I will concur with me123 though, Moray and indeed the wider Inverness-Aviemore-Aberdeen triangle is a beautiful part of the world. Can only wish had time to visit it again soon.)