Landmark Forest Adventure Park

If you're visiting the Cairngorms with children, there's a fairly good chance Landmark Forest Adventure Park will make it onto the holiday itinerary.

Set amongst the pine forest at Carrbridge, around seven miles north of Aviemore, Landmark combines water rides and climbing challenges with dinosaurs, optical illusions, forest trails and plenty for younger children too.

There are more than 20 attractions, so our first piece of advice is simple: don't try to squeeze Landmark into a spare couple of hours. Make a day of it.

Start with a little strategy

There is a lot packed into Landmark and children of different ages are inevitably going to have different priorities.

For the thrill seekers, the Wild Water Coasters are one of the park's biggest attractions, with three increasingly adventurous rides to choose from. There are also climbing challenges, high ropes and SkyDive for those who prefer their family days out with a little more adrenaline.

Younger children have plenty of their own attractions, including play areas, mini diggers, ride on cars and Dinosaur Kingdom, while Wonderwood and the Bamboozeleum are good ones for everyone to explore together.

Have a look at the park map before you arrive and pick out a few things everyone really wants to do. Anything else you manage to fit in is a bonus.

Don't miss the forest

It would be very easy to visit Landmark for the rides and overlook the fact that you're spending the day in a beautiful old pine forest.

The Ancient Forest Adventure takes you through the trees, with information about the wildlife and ecology of the woodland along the way.

There's also the original Treetop Trail, which gives you a completely different perspective from amongst the branches, and the newer Red Squirrel Trail takes you around eight metres up into the forest canopy.

Despite the name, a red squirrel appearance isn't guaranteed, but keep your eyes open. You're in exactly the sort of woodland they love.

Prepare to get a little wet

The Wild Water Coasters have been a Landmark favourite for years and are probably one of the attractions children will be talking about before you've even arrived.

There are three to choose from, ranging from relatively gentle to the considerably more alarming Falcon, which includes a rather dramatic drop.

You don't need swimwear, but this is Scotland and you're combining water rides with Highland weather, so we'd probably have a spare layer in the car anyway.

And perhaps don't volunteer to go first!

Dinosaurs, tropical creatures and rainy day escapes

One advantage Landmark has over a completely outdoor attraction is that there are places to retreat when the Cairngorms weather inevitably decides not to cooperate.

Dinosaur Kingdom has more than 20 prehistoric giants hiding amongst the trees, while Wonderwood plays with optical illusions and generally makes you question whether your eyes are working properly.

The Tropical Hot House offers a complete change of climate, with tropical plants, birds and other creatures to discover.

These are also useful attractions to have up your sleeve if everyone needs a break from climbing, running and repeatedly asking to go on the water rides again.

What about younger children?

Landmark isn't only for bigger children.

There are dedicated areas and attractions for little ones, including Kids Zone, Ant City and rides aimed at younger visitors. Some of the larger attractions have age or height restrictions, so if you're visiting with children of very different ages, it's worth checking these before you arrive.

The vast majority of the park can also be explored with a pushchair.

Rather than promising younger children particular rides in advance, we'd have a quick look at Landmark's current attraction information first and see what's suitable for their age and height.

Stop for lunch or bring your own

There are places to eat inside the park, with the choice varying depending on the time of year.

You can also bring your own picnic, which can be particularly handy with younger children or if you'd rather spend as much of the day as possible exploring.

There are picnic areas around the park, so on a good day we'd be tempted to bring something with us and find somewhere amongst the trees.

Bringing the dog?

Here's a useful one if you're holidaying in the Cairngorms with your dog: dogs are welcome in much of Landmark.

They need to be kept on a lead and under close control and can't accompany you on the rides or enter certain attractions, including the Tropical Hot House and Red Squirrel Trail.

That does mean you'll need to think about how your group tackles the attractions if you're bringing a dog, but it's a much easier proposition than a full day out where the dog can't come at all.

We'd recommend checking Landmark's current dog information before your visit.

Visiting outside summer?

Landmark isn't only a summer day out, but the experience does change with the seasons.

The big outdoor rides and some of the climbing attractions are seasonal. During the winter months a smaller selection remains available, including Dinosaur Kingdom, Wonderwood, the Tropical Hot House, NetworX and the forest attractions.

If there's a particular attraction your children have their hearts set on, check that it's operating before promising them anything.

Nobody wants to break the news about a closed water coaster in the car park.

Good to know before you go

Allow plenty of time. Most visitors spend more than five hours at Landmark, and with more than 20 attractions it's easy to see why.

The park is largely accessible by wheelchair and pushchair, although the nature of some attractions means they aren't accessible to everyone. Landmark also operates a system to support visitors who may find queuing difficult and has detailed accessibility information available online.

We'd recommend booking tickets online before you visit and checking the current opening times and seasonal attractions at the same time.

Comfortable shoes are a good idea, as are layers. And possibly a degree of bravery if somebody persuades you onto the Falcon.

Plan your visit to Landmark Forest Adventure Park

Make a day of it

The real appeal of Landmark is the variety.

One child can be desperate to tackle the climbing challenges while another wants to find the dinosaurs, and the adults can quietly enjoy the fact that much of it takes place amongst one of the Cairngorms' beautiful pine forests.

Give yourself the day, don't try to do absolutely everything and let everyone choose a couple of must dos.

And if the children insist on another go on the Wild Water Coasters just as you're preparing to leave, we'd probably consider that a successful day out.

Last updated September 2026