Refuel Festival in Cairngorms: Access Rules for Badaguish Site

beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-04 09:37 2 min read

Fallen pine trees in a smoky forest clearing with scorched, dark, charred ground cover.

The Refuel event at Badaguish is proceeding this week under strict access controls while the wildfire response continues across the Cairngorms National Park. Anyone travelling to the site must show either valid proof of site access or a valid event ticket at the Glenmore cordon.

The event venue is Badaguish, but no precise event date, start time, price, organiser details or accessibility information were included in the 3 August update. Attendance should therefore be limited to people who already have the required ticket or site-access evidence and can follow the cordon arrangements.

When and where Refuel is taking place

The event is due to take place at Badaguish during the week of 3 August 2026. A staged reopening of the Glenmore cordon is being finalised specifically to enable Refuel to proceed safely.

This does not amount to a wider reopening of Glenmore or the surrounding National Park. The event access arrangement applies within an active emergency response, and the cordons are being reviewed regularly as conditions change.

What attendees should expect around the site

Firefighting work will continue throughout the week. The operation includes heavy machinery, helicopter water-bombing, excavations and the removal of a significant number of unsafe trees damaged by the fire. Forestry and Land Scotland’s photograph accompanying the update shows fire-damaged trees being uprooted and falling over.

Police Scotland’s 3 August Cairngorms wildfire update says public and responder safety remains central to decisions about exclusion zones and access. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, landowners and volunteers are continuing work to extinguish the fire.

Roads and walking routes that remain closed

People attending Refuel should not treat their event access as permission to use other closed roads or paths. The following road closures remain in place:

C7, also known as Ski Road
Forest Lodge access road
Lettoch Road
Dorback road

Walking access remains closed around Glenmore, Loch Morlich and Badaguish. Restrictions also cover the Old Logging Way and routes towards Cairngorm Mountain, the Northern Corries, Meall A’ Bhuachaille, the Green Loch (Lochan Uaine), Strath Nethy and Bynack More. Routes within Abernethy Forest south of Forest Lodge towards Ryvoan Bothy are also closed.

Check the cordon status before travelling

Visitors should have their ticket or proof of site access ready and check local updates before departure, as cordon arrangements may change. Highland Council is also holding drop-in sessions for residents and businesses affected by the wildfire, offering information about available support. Further details about how Cairngorms residents are navigating the response are available separately.

Authorities hope to provide more information about wider access later this week; until then, the listed closures and exclusion zones remain in effect.

Source: Police Scotland News

Context & actions About this article

Source check Verified Police Scotland Update

This article is based on the official wildfire status report issued by Police Scotland on 3 August 2026.

Checks