//
Town in Highland, Scotland
Photo: Angela Tuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Kingussie (pronounced "King-YOO-see") is a town in Speyside in the central Scottish Highlands, with a population of 1470 in 2020. The Spey valley here broadens into a "strath" as it emerges from the hills, and turns north. Its name is from Gaelic Ceann a' Ghiuthsaich, "head of the pine forest", as with an elevation of 817 ft (249 m) it's on the tree line. The main road and railway from the south here descend from Drumochter Pass into Spey valley.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
This was built in 1719 over earlier castle ruins to quell any repetition of the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. But back they came in 1745: a first siege (the first set-to after the arrival of Bonnie Prince Charlie in Scotland) was easily rebuffed. They returned in 1746 in their retreat towards Culloden, this time with heavy artillery so the garrison surrendered. After their defeat at Culloden the Jacobites tried to re-group here, but the Prince ordered his troops to disperse and save themselves, so they wrecked the place and scarpered. The Hanoverian government reinforced other forts in the aftermath but abandoned this one, so it remains a ruin.
Open air museum of rural highland life from 1700 to the 1950s.
This started in 1972 with a focus on local species, but in 2007 broadened to include mountain and tundra species from around the world. It's run by Edinburgh Zoo.
A network of purpose-built mountain bike trails, with a café, shop and bike hire.
formerly Tipsy Laird
Good standard of Indian food.
Delightful little cafe, BYOB.
formerly the Silverfjord
Convenient for the station, it was refurbished in 2024 with new owners.
Trad hotel in village centre, needs a refurb but mostly good reviews for comfort, less so for catering.
21-room hotel which reopened in 2025 following refurbishment. Jacobite Bar & Grill serves British cuisine. The Wolf Sports Bar has mains from £15.
Comfy welcoming hotel.
Lovely house, friendly owners and dogs. Six bedrooms share four bathrooms. They also offers pitches for campervans and tents (from £15).
Excellent small hotel with top-class restaurant.
Convenience supermarket in Kingussie.
By road
Newtonmore and Kingussie are just off the A9, which runs from Edinburgh and Stirling via Perth, continuing north to Aviemore and Inverness.
By bus
Most of the buses along the A9 bypass Kingussie, but Citylink / Parks Bus M91 runs once a day from Edinburgh.
The town and Ruthven Barracks can easily be explored on foot, but you need wheels to visit the surrounding countryside.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Inverness, Highland · Regional · INV
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Kingussie and United Kingdom.
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Check eligibility, the £20 fee, application steps, and transit rules.
7 min read
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to global tourist taxes and access fees. Compare entry fees in Venice, Bali, Bhutan, Kyoto, and Edinburgh, and learn how to pay them.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Travel tipsA complete guide to taking the Eurostar from London to Paris. Learn about check-in times, border controls, baggage limits, ticket tiers, and booking tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.