Aultlarie Railway Halt

A crumbling Victorian railway station in the middle of nowhere - that's Aultlarie Railway Halt, and it's precisely the sort of place that stops you dead on a Highland drive. The platform and station building sit abandoned beside the old Strathspey line near Newtonmore, a genuine relic from the days when trains threaded through every glen in Scotland.

There's not much to actually do here, mind you. You pull over, walk around the overgrown platform, peer at the weathered stonework, take a photo or two. The romance is in what it represents - a working Victorian railway station where passengers once changed trains en route between Perth and Inverness. Now it's derelict, slowly being reclaimed by moss and time.

It appeals most to railway enthusiasts and history buffs who can read the landscape and imagine it busy again. Casual tourists often find it a bit underwhelming after the hype. Allow fifteen minutes if you're passing, half an hour if you're genuinely interested in the architecture and the Highlands' transport heritage.

The site is free and accessible from the roadside. Visit in spring or early autumn when the light's good and the place isn't dripping wet. Newtonmore itself is close by if you need supplies or a cup of tea.

If you're based at Invernahavon Caravan Park a few miles away, it's a decent quick detour on a larger Highlands circuit. Don't make it your main attraction for the day - treat it as a five-minute pause between bigger activities.