Every August for the past 5 years we’ve gathered a group of friends and family and canoed down the Spey from Kingussie to Loch Insh – taking the best part of the afternoon. Each trip has been quite unique, and this one was no exception. Due to heavy rainfall the water level was higher than usual, so we decided to put the 6 Canadian canoes into the water a bit down river of Kingussie, avoiding some tricky rapids and obstacles in the water – like fallen trees! Some of our group were very experienced, and some were complete novices or young children – but everyone had a wonderful journey.

Our tradition has been to salute the place where the Tromie river enters the Spey by toasting it with a wee nip of whisky from the small Drumghuish Distillery that sits on the peaty banks of the Tromie. As we’d entered down river of this point this year, the trip began with a toast, and went on to become a very relaxed and friendly party, often just drifting down stream with the current and the wind behind us – all rafted up and enjoying a good blether. After arriving at Loch Insh and having a welcome cup of tea at the Boat House restaurant, the party reconvened at The Post House for a wonderful three course dinner made up of everyone’s signature dishes all put together round the huge long table in the Dining Hall.

If anyone coming to stay here wanted to have a river trip like this, we would be happy to help you arrange it – and can even provide excellent caterers for the evening meal should you wish it!

In 1995 the Kingussie Post Office was closed down and a new one was opened on the High Street. This building came on the market just as we had moved to the area and were looking for a property to develop into a house for our family. There was no planning permission to convert it into housing, and we couldn’t apply for it until we’d bought the property, so although we loved the idea of it, we were in a quandary!

In early 1996 we decided to take the plunge and buy the place, hoping we’d get the planning permission. Thankfully it all went through and we were able to get on and start the development – trying to keep as much of the original layout as we could and preserving lots of features as well. The main change we made was to construct a split level floor over half of the enormous 40 foot sorting office, making a sixth bedroom upstairs, and a cosy sitting area with a huge fireplace.

After many years as a family home and the scene of some great gatherings, The Post House has now entered a third phase as a self-catering house – an ideal place for large groups, two families sharing or extended families.

Prior to the 18th Century the land which is now Kingussie lay at the head of an immense pine forest, hence the name Kingussie (pronounced King-you-sea derived from the Gaelic Ceann á Ghuibhsaich which means the head of the pine wood). During the last 200 years the forest has been progressively destroyed.

The original and main site of settlement in this area was at Ruthven on the opposite bank of the river Spey to Kingussie.

The Duke of Gordon decided to build a new village at Kingussie near the Parish church of St Columba built in 1792 to replace one at Ruthven . “The Duke of Gordon. ……will give every degree of encouragement to Tradesmen, Manufacturers and Shop-keepers who may be inclined to settle there.” ran an advertisement in four issues of the Aberdeen Journal from 21st of January 1799 to 11th February 1799. Attempts were made to establish tweed and linen textile manufacture making use of the local waterpower.

The opening of the Highland Railway in 1863 transformed Kingussie from a small hamlet into a prosperous town that steadily gained a reputation as a healthy, holiday resort. In 1867 the village became a Police Burgh, thus creating the only town in Badenoch.

1909 saw the construction of the United Free Church – the time when there was a breakaway movement from the Free Church and in 1932 the Catholic Church and house were built. 1909 also saw the opening of the Kingussie Post Office on Spey Street (it is now housed on High Street) and the Parish Church Hall (now the Iona Gallery).

No history of Kingussie would be complete without a mention of Am Fasgadh , the Highland Folk Museum. It is one of the most important of its kind in Scotland. Founded in Iona by Dr I F Grant who had with great foresight started a collection of artefacts used by our forebears. A decision was taken in 2008 to rehouse the artefacts at a purpose built building to be situated in the Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore. www.highlandfolk.com

For an extended version of this historical record visit the Kingussie website.