Loch Morlich — Glenmore Campsite and Cairngorm Wilderness Staging

Glenmore Campsite sits in the ancient Caledonian pines of Glenmore Forest Park, right on the shore of Loch Morlich with the Cairngorm plateau visible from your pitch. It’s a proper managed campsite with toilets, showers, and a small shop on site, which makes it unusual for this part of Scotland. Capacity is significant — this is a popular spot in summer — but even then the forest swallows the noise and the sandy beach on the loch is one of the best wild swimming spots in the Highlands. Fire restrictions apply in dry periods; check with the site.

The site is run by Forestry and Land Scotland and requires advance booking in peak season (July–August). Access from Aviemore on the B970 is easy and paved all the way — any vehicle gets here without drama. From this base you can push up to the Coire Cas car park for high-altitude Cairngorm access, or run the forest roads west toward Rothiemurchus. Winter use is limited to hardier setups — the site operates year-round but facilities reduce off-season.

Lochside pines, sandy beach, Cairngorms out the door.