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Aviemore store win is dedicated to ski tourer killed in Cairngorms accident last month





A winning team... Tommy Stalker, Martin Bell, John Convery, Angus Todd, Alex Reid, Hamish Burns and Iain Gemmill.
A winning team... Tommy Stalker, Martin Bell, John Convery, Angus Todd, Alex Reid, Hamish Burns and Iain Gemmill.

An Aviemore outdoors sports store has won a prestigious national award - and dedicated the accolade to one of their own team who tragically died in the Cairngorms last month.

Cairngorm Mountain Sports has been voted by those in the know as the ‘Independent Retailer of the Year’ in the The Great Outdoors Reader Awards 2025.

The store in the centre of Aviemore was commended in the same category last year and has now gone one step better.

Related article:

Backcountry snowsports club pays tribute to Aviemore skier who was ‘leading light’

Shop manager Martin Bell said: “This award has a special meaning to us all in the shop due to the recent passing of Sam Burns who we sadly lost last month in a tragic skiing accident.

“Sam was the nicest person you could meet, was always happy to help wherever he could and was an incredibly active staff member.

“He was such a strong part of the team and will forever be missed.”

Highly experienced skier Mr Burns (40) lost his life in mid-December in a fall whilst touring solo in icy conditions in the Northern Cairngorms.

Cairngorm Mountain Sports saw off the challenge of fellow nominees Arran Active (Brodick), Castleberg Sports (Settle), Crickhowell Adventure (Crickhowell), Ullapool Outdoors (Ullapool), Up and Under (Cardiff) and West End Outdoors (Glasgow).

Mr Bell commented: “It’s a great honour to be nominated by our customers and to actually win is fantastic news.

“All of our close team would like to thank everyone for their vote abd we look forward to seeing you in store soon.”

The judges stated: “Our readers praised the ‘great selection of outdoor gear and advice from knowledgeable and active staff’ at Cairngorm Mountain Sports, Aviemore.

“One of Braemar Mountain Sports three stores, the team at Aviemore won your votes again this year.”

Sam Burns is sorely missed by his friends at the store.
Sam Burns is sorely missed by his friends at the store.

The TGO awards launched 13 years ago are now the UK’s biggest democratic celebration of the best of outdoor culture.

The 15 categories champion the people, places and businesses that make lives in the Great Outdoors even better and also include the Open Outdoors award, pub of the year, campaigner of the year and brand of the year.

Two other local business were also commended in the latest awards.

Loch Morlich Campsite was one of the runners-up in the TGO awards’ campsite of the year.

The judges stated: “Panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and Glenmore Forest Park makes staying on site a wonderful escape from the everyday.

“The staff are amazing and helpful and the shower blocks are super clean and the water always hot,” one reader said, adding, “Nothing is too much hassle for the staff and it’s on the edge of the beautiful Loch Morlich with views to die for.”

One of the operators Kari Watson said: “Thank you to everyone who voted for us. Having only taken over the running of Glenmore Campsite two years ago it was a real honour to even be nominated.

“We hope to continue welcoming old and new customers throughout the years to come.”

Cromdale-based Walkhighlands was commended in the walkers’ app of the year.

The judges said: “The Walkhighlands app aims to make not just detailed walk descriptions but detailed GPS mapping that works offline available to everyone completely free, without subscription, to make walking routes more accessible to all.”

Its users dubbed it ‘easy to follow’ and praised the number of walks to choose from as well as the gradings.

Details of all the prizewinners are available by clicking here.


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