Badenoch

Badenoch is a historic region in the Scottish Highlands, roughly in the western central Highlands. It lies within the modern Highland council area and is commonly regarded as the western component of the historic district known as Badenoch and Strathspey. The landscape is mountainous and rugged, featuring glens, forests, and river valleys that have long shaped human settlement.

Historically, Badenoch formed part of the Gaelic-speaking heartlands of medieval Scotland and has links to the broader histories of the Highlands and Moray. In the late modern era it has been encompassed by administrative boundaries that place it in the Highland council area; in cultural terms it remains associated with the Badenoch and Strathspey region.

The area is home to several well-known settlements, including Aviemore, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Grantown-on-Spey, and Dalwhinnie, which serve as hubs for tourism and outdoor activity. The Cairngorms National Park lies nearby and the local economy relies on tourism, outdoor recreation, forestry, and crofting. Distilling is also associated with the region, notably the Dalwhinnie Distillery.

Gaelic linguistic and clan heritage persists in local place-names and traditions, reflecting a long-standing cultural presence in the Highlands. Today Badenoch is recognized as the western half of the Badenoch and Strathspey area, a focal point for visitors exploring the Cairngorms and surrounding countryside.