The Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore

Excellent traditional pub near river, mpdernised just enough. Homely and has good beer

Being slightly away from the central part of Aviemore, at the end of a quiet back road, it could be easy to miss this pub, but that would be a great pity. I would rate it as the best one in the village, narrowly ahead of the Cairngorm Hotel Lounge Bar, which it scores over simply by being more spacious and, therefore, less crowded. It has a very attractive old, irregularly shaped bar, dimly lit with fairy lights on the ceiling and candles on the tables. There is a section set aside for dining, but food is served throughout. There is also a canopied outdoor seating area and a beer garden next to the car park across the road. The adjacent bunkhouse is run by the pub, so it inevitably gets some business from the tourists staying there. Like most of the pubs in Aviemore, it sells a good selection of the locally brewed Cairngorm ales, namely Trade Winds (costing £3.60 a pint), Autumn Gold and Stag. Deuchars IPA and Caledonian Brewery's Thistly Cross cider are also on hand pump, with Symonds cider, Guinness and Fosters, Sagres and Three Hop lagers available too. The name refers to the old bridge over the nearby River Spey. This is definitely worth making the effort to find if you're in the area.

Official site of the Old Bridge Inn, includes menu - www.oldbridgeinn.co.uk

Official site of the Old Bridge Inn, includes menu - www.oldbridgeinn.co.uk