The location of the Bynack More development really stood out

After years of travelling from Yorkshire to the Highlands for walking holidays, retirement finally gave this keen hillwalker the chance to make a long-time dream a reality, with a top-floor apartment in Aviemore offering the perfect base for adventure and escape.

I’m based in York and for the past decade I have regularly been making the trip up to Scotland, mostly for walking holidays and to take on as many of Scotland’s 282 Munros. I have a love of the outdoors and hillwalking have always been a big part of my life. After retiring five years ago, I found myself feeling increasingly restless. Once we’d made the decision to downsize our family home, the idea of a place in Scotland didn’t seem so far-fetched anymore. Life felt too short to keep putting it off and my wife, knowing how much I loved the Highlands, was incredibly supportive.

Aviemore had been on my radar for a while. I love the Cairngorms, and the transport links are excellent as I can drive or even take the train up from York. I’d been keeping an eye on various developments, not really expecting anything to come of it, and then I saw the Tulloch Homes apartments being built earlier this year - everything happened very quickly from there! The home became ours in May 2025, and the timing just felt right.

The location of the Bynack More development really stood out. It’s just a five-minute walk from the main street in Aviemore, where you’ve got everything you need, yet the site itself is tucked away and incredibly peaceful. Our apartment is on the top floor, and the views were a huge selling point.

This is actually the first time I’ve ever bought a new build. I’ve always lived in older properties, so it was a nice change to have something brand new, clean, and neutral - a blank canvas with no strange smells or questionable wallpaper to rip out. The white goods were already fitted and integrated, so it was easy to move straight in. There’s a dedicated bike storage area which is helpful for my outdoor gear.

Anne, the sales consultant, kept me updated and informed throughout the process, and everything was very relaxed and straightforward, which I appreciated.

I plan to spend around 10 to 14 days a month here, depending on the time of year. We’ve got five grown-up children, all still based in England, so we won’t be relocating permanently. This is our home away from home.

The Highlands are a dream for someone like me. I’m a keen cyclist and walker, and I’ve even developed a growing interest in birdwatching and wildlife so it’s a brilliant area for all of that, even in the rain. I’ve met a few people through walking over the years and even caught up with some of them locally for dinner. There’s a nice friendly atmosphere here, and it’s been great meeting the neighbours.