This section should give some idea of where the various farms etc referred to actually are.  I have included a map of the area, clicking the link will open the map in an extra window so that you can have it open and read the text at the same time. It will need to be closed after.

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To start off with Chapelton and the area around Boat of Garten. There is not a whole lot of "The Boat" as it is affectionately known. It has the advantage of not actually being on the main A95 road. This means that whilst being just off the main road it does not have heavy traffic thundering through 24/7.

 

In the village centre is the all-important Boat Hotel, purveyor of comfortable accommodation, excellent food and a warm welcome. It is also the local Boozer so its bars and restaurants are rightly popular.

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The hotel is next to the railway station, this is the Strathspey heritage railway from Aviemore to Grantown. As well as the steam trains they actually do operate a proper schedule throughout the year. If it is the tourist off season the trains still run but not with a steam engine all of the time. They have a little diesel railcar that can provide the public service side of the operation. Also if you live locally and are using it as public transport, you do not have to pay the tourist price for a ticket.

 

The rest of The Boat is made up of a few shops a couple of restaurants ( including the spectacularly good Andersons Restaurant about 200 yards up the road from the Station) and lots of guest-houses.  Whilst there are quite a few houses that are holiday lets, there are still plenty of people actually living in the Boat to keep it alive as a proper village.

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At  the hotel & station the road into the village does a right angle turn left then down a slope where you can either cross the Spey on the bridge that replaces the ferry boat at Garten, or carry straight on past a huge sawmill and timber yard and back onto the A95. The sawmill you will here more about later as this was my Uncle George's timber business.