01/11/2026
This is Grantown-on-Spey, a Highlands community of just 2,400 people, which has been ranked among the country's best places to retire 👵👴
The small town sits along the northern edge of the Cairngorm mountain range near the River Spey, around 35 miles outside Inverness and 80 miles from Aberdeen.
Travel experts at WorldAtlas named it among the country's best spots, calling it a "natural fit for retirees who want mountains and rivers built into daily life". ⛰️
The settlement was originally established in the 18th century by the Grant family and still retains its Georgian street layout.
"Heading north into the Cairngorms, Grantown-on-Spey has a planned Georgian layout that's stayed remarkably intact since the town's founding in 1765," the experts noted.
"The Grant Arms Hotel on the main square once hosted Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1860, and the Grantown Museum, housed in a former girls' school, traces the town's linen and tourism history."
Retirees can head straight out into the community-owned Anagach Woods, an expanse of pinewood trails covering nearly 1,000 acres between the town centre and the riverbanks.
"Anagach Woods, a network of marked pinewood trails on the town's eastern edge, gives retirees a ready-made walking or birdwatching routine," the report highlighted.
"Healthcare comes from the Ian Charles Community Hospital, an NHS Scotland facility serving Badenoch and Strathspey, and Grant House, an NHS Highland care home, sits in town as well."
Locals also gather every year for the Grantown Show, an agricultural event featuring a funfair, vintage vehicles, stalls, and an evening marquee dance.
For food and drink, the high street hosts independent spots like the family-run Wee Puffin, Po Pia Thai Cuisine, the Grantown Diner and Takeaway, alongside pubs including The Craig Bar and the Claymore Bar.
📸 Stromography, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
