The Balavoulin, Aviemore

This is a large, modern, L-shaped bar/diner with lots of seating both inside and in the beer garden at the front. There are at least six TVs, which were showing a variety of different sports, and a pool table and dart board in one corner. There is a good selection of real ales on hand pump, including their own MacKenzie's Highland Ale (at £3.40 a pint), Cairngorm Trade Winds, Loch Lomond Brave Hop, Orkney Dark Island and something called Ka Pai which I'd never seen or heard of before. Also on draught are Belhaven Best, Belhaven Black, Twisted Thistle IPA, Thistly Cross cider and Innis and Gunn, Tennent's, St. Mungo and West Brewery lagers. There is also an impressive array of whiskeys on the gantry behind the bar. Despite the excellent range of drinks available, though, I found the place rather ordinary and characterless.

Now called Mackenzies Inn