- Abernethy Forest National Nature Reserve
Camping in Abernethy Forest National Nature Reserve
99% (50)
Top-rated campgrounds
99% (50)
Top-rated campgrounds
Camper favorites in and near Abernethy Forest National Nature Reserve
Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.
Stories from the community
D
Duco
September 2025
2 nights at Aberdeenshire Airstream
The Airstream is an absolute beauty and an amazing place to stay. A nice bbq allows for some outdoor cooking and when inside, the record player sets the mood. A nice walk to the moors with amazing views of the Cairngorms can be done right from the doorstep.
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C
Cathy
August 2025
7 m Class A
Cairngorm Glamping 🩷. This is a beautiful place to stay, with friendly, chilled hosts. Tucked in among the hills of Upper Donside, the view towards the Lecht is lovely … morning or evening. The surrounding countryside is magical. The site has several fields set up for tents / vans / Motorhomes, with or without services.
The animal park is very sweet, with goats who seem to spend all day teasing each other and an adorable donkey who wants to talk to everyone 🥰 … the zip-line park was popular with kids of all ages and there’s a food bothy if you don’t feel like cooking.
Shower and toilet facilities are clean and well located. They never seemed to be “busy” even though we were there before and during Lonach Gathering weekend.
Grey and waste water services are well placed for Motorhome access.
As a Scot who lives overseas, I love that places like Cairngorm Glamping exist. They showcase the scenery and provide camping access to areas of countryside that might otherwise be missed by visitors.
Just wish we’d had time to stay longer … but will return! 🥰🩷🙏
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Jordan
August 2025
Tent
Very pleasant, peaceful area with a good view & amenities
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Stephen
August 2025
Tent
With kids
Fantastic, friendly hosts, spectacular views and breakfast was delicious! Kids loved the animals and we would have happily stolen Bru!
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e
evelyn
August 2025
Tent
With kids
It would take less time to write what didnt stand out.
This is the best, most well kept Campsite we have been to. The fields are really well kept with the most beautiful surroundings. Good Big pitching spaces. Facilities kept clean and always stocked. The Little Critter is a bloody brilliant idea, you can buy feed and go into the first pen and feed the goats, llama and alpaca. There is also a donkey, ponies and a horse, and some chickens.
The owners have 4 amazingly friendly dogs. So beautiful and love attntion. 2 of them stay in their garden an want you to throw the ball. Theres a wee shop if you need summit last minute.
The washing stations for dishes and the showers etc all have hot - YES - HOT water. There is a massice connect 4 game, swing sets, quiditch poles, a flying fox, an inground trampoline, a sandpit with toys, bikes and go karts all available for the kids and older kids etc. picnic tables.
They also provide off the ground fire pits, (there is no time that you have to put it out or get to bed, just be respectful) If you need wood you can take it and pay the next day.
Hot rolls and coffee are available in the morning to buy.
Robert and his wife and team are all absolutely lovely and nothing is too much. Robert even helped to move my sisters car off a ledge when she missed some signs saying to not turn 🫣😁.
The best part as if all of the above was not enough.... NAE MIDGES ❤️ Thank you so so much for an amazing wee break away.
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c
claire
August 2025
Tent
With kids
Beautiful place, kids loved the animals and the play park
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Nicole
July 2025
Tent
With kids
Lovely campsite, great for the kids, my own kids made friends playing on the zipline, loved saying hello to the animals and the bikes they could play on was a nice touch, facilities where nice and we overall had a great time.
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Abby
July 2025
Tent
Everyone here was super kind and funny. The campsite was in a beautiful area with a gorgeous view and beautiful farm animals surrounding the pitches. Would really recommend and definitely going back.
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Peter
July 2025
Tent
With kids
Great campsite with lots of amenities. Plenty of space for the kids to run around.
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l
lez
July 2025
Tent
With kids
Everything went well from start to finish great welcome to the site , lovely little hide away if staying for 1 or 2 nights even a week plenty to do and see around the area and excellent facilities to boot , and great scenery around the site defo be back
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fey
July 2025
5 m Class B
With kids
Alles war wunderbar!
Wir waren total überrascht, wie schön es dort war. Besonders wie kinderfreundlich es dort ist.
Ein riesiger, wunderschöner Ort in den Highlands mit lovely handsome critters :), unendlich wunderbaren Spielmöglichkeiten, netten Nachbarn und sauberen Sanitäranlagen.
Genau das richtige nach einer langen Fahrt mit Kindern.
Wir würden gerne zurück kommen!
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Helen
July 2025
6 m Class B
With pets
Great campsite - definitely dog and family friendly! Lots of amenities.
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I
Ian
July 2025
Tent
Beautiful location, with nice sheltered, shaded pitches and good facilities including decent showers. Grigor was very helpful and gave me plenty of tips for local places to visit. Thanks
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Michael
July 2025
7 m Class B
Lovely to be in a secluded area surrounded by mountains, animals and lots of space. Simple well kept facilities.
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Erin
June 2025
5 m car
Lovely family campsite, gorgeous views and plenty of amenities and essentials on site
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A
Allison
June 2025
7 m Class A
With pets
A great campsite. We did not need to use the bathroom facilities as we were in a motorhome.
Lovely and quiet which is exactly what we were looking for.
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s
spetnaz187
May 2025
5 m Class B
Very good site very welcoming and helpful after a breakdown nearly made us have a very late arrival would highly recommend good facilities and clean enjoyed our stay
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Andrew
May 2025
Weekend Trip to Aberdeenshire Airstream
Stuart really put thought and effort into making the Airstream and area into an amazing place to stay. With a deck, gas BBQ, firepit and lots of spots to sit outside it makes for a very relaxed time away. The area is very quiet but there is lots to see and do that's not very far.
Truly a great host, it was a pleasure to stay there.
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Camping in Abernethy Forest National Nature Reserve guide
Tips for snagging a campsite
- Booking at least four weeks in advance is recommended for all campsites and caravan parks in the Cairngorms. In summer, it is one of Britain’s most popular destinations, so travelling without a reservation will leave you disappointed.
- Wild camping is legal anywhere within the Cairngorms, but as Abernethy Forest National Nature Reserve is a vital refuge for wildlife—and co-managed by NatureScot and the RSPB—it is prohibited here.
- If travelling without a booking, arrive early to try and beat like-minded travellers coming spontaneously from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dundee.
When to go
Abernethy’s pinewoods buzz with life, no matter what time of the year you visit. In spring, the woodland is carpeted with wildflowers and breeding birds, while summer sees the arrival of butterflies and hovering dragonflies. Autumn is many campers’ pick because of the crayon-like colors of the birches, as is winter, when the forests and lochs sparkle with frost and—if you’re lucky—a fresh cover of snow and ice.
Know before you go
- The nature reserve’s helpful visitor centre is open year-round, weather permitting, while the toilets are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Birdwatchers unite at the Osprey Centre, home to Britain’s healthiest number of the birds of prey. It is situated on Loch Garten within the nature reserve.
- Full-on adventure is the mantra in the Cairngorms, and if you need to shift up a gear from Abernethy Forest’s quiet pathways, visit Cairngorm Mountain for gnarly mountain biking, hiking, climbing and winter sports.