Things to do before you come

This all depends on your reasons for coming and what you would like to do during your visit.

• If you are visiting on holiday and would just like to visit Clan Grant sites when you get an opportunity then this website is perfect for you. It shows numerous Clan Grant sites on our convenient mapping system allowing you to consult it before you come and while you’re here, so you can find the sites nearest you.
• If you would like to plan your holiday around Clan Grant related sites, to know more about where your ancestors came from, how they lived their lives and what made them leave, then you will need to do a bit of homework before you arrive. This can mean noting down as much of your family history as you can, which can uncover specific sites to visit or provide you with information to start you off when visiting. This website can provide a great starting point for planning your trip but if you’re looking for more specific information about your particular family connection, you should consult the research sites highlighted in this website.
• If you are planning a specific research trip, homework is essential before you travel as well as making prior contact with some of the research sites highlighted in this website. Often specific information is not on public view, or on hand at these sites and a prior request can ensure it is available for you when you arrive. The more information you can collect before you arrive the better. This can be very rewarding when you discover records of great great grandparents, find out where they lived and add another branch to your family tree.

Getting here

An ideal destination for those planning a trip based around visiting Clan Grant sites and possibly researching your Clan roots is Grantown-on-Spey, a town in Inverness-shire built and established in 1765 by James Grant of Grant (The Good Sir James).

By Air

People arriving in Scotland by air will generally arrive at one of our four airports, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow. Inverness is the nearest airport to Grantown-on-Spey; a journey of 50 minutes by car. Inverness however is the smallest airport and may not offer as many suitable international or domestic arrival flights. Aberdeen is the next biggest and is an hour and 45 mins drive away.

The largest airports are Edinburgh and Glasgow and offer the widest choice in international or domestic arrival flights. Driving from Edinburgh will take 2 hours and 40 mins, or 3 hours from Glasgow.

By Road

For those travelling up to Scotland from England there are a number of possible routes, but the aim should be to get onto the A9 heading north. The A9 starts just north of Stirling and heads northwards through the middle of Scotland and eventually ends at Inverness.

You should allow enough time for this journey. It is a 4 hour drive from Gretna Green at the Scottish Border with England to Grantown-on-Spey.

For those heading north on the A9, the key turning point off the A9 is at Aviemore onto the A95. You will see signs to Aviemore on your right. Aviemore is situated just off the A9 with two adjoining junctions, one to the north and one to the south. The first junction signpost says Aviemore is 1.5 miles away (ignore this one). The junction you are looking for is the second junction north of Aviemore where you will see signs for the A95, Keith, Carrbridge and Grawntown-on-Spey.

Turning off the A9 there is a very short section of road which leads to a T junction. Take the road to the left. You will see Grantown-on-Spey mentioned on the sign.

About 11 mins (9 miles) along the A95 you will come to a roundabout with Grantown-on-Spay signposted to the left. Grantown-on-Spey is just half a mile down this road.

Accommodation

Scotland is a popular worldwide destination for visitors and prides itself on its friendly and welcoming places to stay. As such, there is a wide range of accommodation to suit your needs and Budget.

The main types of accommodation are B&Bs, offering as the title suggests a room with breakfast each morning, Hotels offering additional meal options as well as facilities, and Holiday Homes, where meals are on a self-catering basis within your own private house.

This website suggests possible places to stay in and around Grantown-on-Spey, but there is a vast choice and so another possible source for finding accommodation is the Visit Scotland website.

Getting around

Getting around can be difficult without a car or a mini-bus. There are bus services, but due to the remote location of many of the Clan Grant sites, it would not be possible to visit most of them by bus. A train service runs through Aviemore to Inverness but does not pass through Grantown.

In terms of travelling by car or mini-bus, this website provides details for a number of different vehicle rental providers, most of whom offer people carriers and mini-buses for larger groups. There are also taxi services for specific journeys and chauffeur companies for those who want to travel in style.