Cairngorms: Britain's largest national park with reindeer and ancient pinewoods

In north-east Scotland, Cairngorms National Park stretches across around 4,528 square kilometres – according to Wikipedia, the largest national park in the United Kingdom. It was established in 2003 as Scotland's second national park after Loch Lomond and The Trossachs (2002) and was enlarged in 2010. Around 18,000 people live in the park. Its mountains define it: 55 summits are Munros, Scottish mountains over 3,000 feet, or just over 914 metres, high.

Its forests are especially precious: the park holds more than half of Scotland's surviving Caledonian forest, including the largest single area, stretching from Glen Feshie to Abernethy. Wildlife includes capercaillie, golden eagles, ptarmigan, dotterel, red deer and mountain hares. A particular feature is a semi-domesticated reindeer herd of about 150 animals. Ospreys also breed at the Insh Marshes. Overall, according to Wikipedia, the park is home to many rare plants, birds and animals.

The park is classed as an IUCN Category V protected area, with some nature reserves within it at Category II. According to Wikipedia, it contains 19 Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas, 46 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and nine national nature reserves. Around 1.9 million tourism visits were recorded in 2018. In winter the region is also a ski destination: three of Scotland's five ski resorts – Cairn Gorm, Glenshee and The Lecht – lie within the park.