ESSENCE OF SCOTLAND Grampian Highlands Front cover: Drum Castle, west of Peterculter This page: River Dee The picturesque valleys of the Dee and Don rivers form the centrepiece of this wonderfully rewarding holiday location. The very mention of Deeside evokes images of Royal heritage, grand country houses and outdoor pursuits, while neighbouring Donside is the heart of Scotland’s ‘Castle Country’. Pristine villages offer perfect havens from which to explore the rolling hills and forests of the EXTEND YOUR TRIP: VISIT ABERDEEN north-east, a destination fit for a queen! Aberdeen is Scotland’s third city and 13-times winner of ‘Britain in Bloom’. Old Aberdeen, a quaint, cobbled area north of the city centre, was an independent burgh as recently as 1891. Highlights including the university’s magnificent centrepiece, King’s College and the 15th-century St Machar’s Cathedral, overlooking beautiful Seaton Park and the River Don. From its days as a lively fishing port to its current status as welcome Europe’s North Sea oil capital, the city’s historic relationship with the sea unfolds at the five-star Aberdeen Maritime Museum. The Gordon DON’T MISS £ Paid Entry Seasonal Disabled Access Dogs Allowed Tea-Room Gift Shop WC Highlanders Museum is the definitive experience for those interested in one of the Army’s most esteemed regiments. Huntly IDEAL FOR LOCATION MAP Fyvie Kirkton of Tarves Castles Culsalmond Ellon Gardens Insch Oldmeldrum Pitmedden Rhynie Walking Whiteashes 1. Castle Fraser 2. Loch Muick 3. The Braemar 4. 5. Grampian Transport Inverurie is, for – Located Scottish home of the many, the Scottish citadel a few miles off the South Gathering – Held on the Royal Family since the mid- Museum & Alford Valley Balmedie Alford Kemnay Kintore Kildrummy par excellence, its turrets Balmoral Railway BASE YOURSELF IN Dyce Deeside Road, near the first Saturday of September, 19th century, – A short drive Strathdon Glenkindle Lyne of Skene commanding the scene as Tillyfourie former spa resort of Ballater, Braemar’s Highland Games Castle is a grand granite north from Deeside is the Alford Muir of Fowlis Bridge of Don Colnabaichin Dunecht Westhill visitors approach down the Ballater Kirkton of Skene ABERDEEN Glen Muick is a nature are notable both for their pile in the midst of country town of Alford, home Tarland Lumphanan Echt Cults Broad Walk. Built between Banchory Torphins Peterculter reserve and renowned scale and for their unique spectacular Deeside scenery. to all things transport-related. Charlestown 1575 and 1636, the Braemar Kincardine O`Neil Portlethen destination for walkers, chieftain, none other than Seasonal opening hours The Grampian Transport Dinnet Aboyne stronghold of the Fraser clan Kirkton of Ballater Banchory cyclists and car tourers. The Her Majesty The Queen. allow visitors to see the Museum has a number of Marywell Durris Crathie was not spared any expense, Strachan Braemar and the gardens and estate centrepiece of the reserve is Royalty is always in ballroom – the castle’s fascinating exhibits, including Inverey also pay testament to the Loch Muick, a favourite attendance, presiding over a largest room – in addition to the world’s oldest Sentinel To find out more about wealth of the family. The haunt of Queen Victoria, set programme of events that the formal and vegetable Steam Wagon. Nearby, accommodation in these areas, castle itself houses many amid the glorious Grampian includes tossing the caber, gardens. An audio visual Alford Valley Railway travels Principal photography © Paul Tomkins, VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint call 0845 22 55 121 quirky artefacts and some mountains and home to a Highland dancing, throwing presentation provides the a short but scenic journey Additional photography – Forestry Commission Scotland or click on visitscotland.com All information checked in August 2005. VisitScotland can accept no responsibility for errors. fine portrait paintings, while multitude of wildlife, including the hammer and piping. historical background since from the restored station to the strikingly simple Great some notoriously curious £ it was purchased for Queen Haughton Country Park. Hall comes as a surprise to FCS: Forestry Commision Scotland red deer! Victoria by Prince Albert. £ many. (NTS) £ NTS: National Trust for Scotland £ HS: Historic Scotland HERITAGE & GARDENS WALKS FOOD & DRINK While visiting the Grampian Highlands, step back in time through the last millennium of 11. The railway originally came to Ballater in 1866, when 15. Cambus O’ May Forest welcomes walkers 18. Located close to Balmoral Castle, the country’s heritage on Scotland’s only Castle Trail. Thirteen properties in all make up Deeside Railway built its terminus here. In its heyday, many of all abilities to this Highland wood near Ballater. Royal Lochnagar Distillery added the trail, with a selection outlined below, from numbers 6 to 10. famous people – including the Tsar of Russia – used Areas of native Scots pine and a variety of classic the ‘Royal’ after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited following its Ballater Station. Today, the building has been lovingly Scottish wildlife, such as red squirrels and 6. Drum Castle is one of the three oldest surviving opening. Many age-old traditions and 7 restored and hosts an exhibition on its amazing history. crossbills, make this a pleasant and engaging stroll. tower houses in Scotland. The oldest section of the forms of craftsmanship are still used, A number of paths wind their way around the creating one of Scotland’s most castle, the High Hall, remains in its original medieval woodland, some offering spectacular views of the exclusive whiskies. £ state and can be accessed through the narrow newel 12. Bennachie is a prominent landmark amidst the Dee valley below. (FCS) stair. Climb to the top of the battlements for north-east’s rolling farmlands. The on-site remains of a 19 magnificent views, including those of the extensive Roman fort are often attributed to the battle of Mons 15 gardens. (NTS) £ Graupius in 84AD, which in fact became a massacre when 10,000 Caledonians were slaughtered by Roman invaders. 7. Built in the second half of the 16th-century, Crathes Castle is a splendid example of the tower house style of the time, and retains many of its original 13. Designed to bring the past to life, award-winning interior features. Perhaps the best reason to visit, Archaeolink Prehistory Park near the village of Insch 19. Balgonie Country House 1 16. Bennachie Forest Walks – From the Crathie Kirk however, is the 1 /2 hectare walled garden, complete allows you to travel 10,000 years in one day! With Hotel’s restaurant truly is the spirit of Bennachie Centre near Chapel of Garioch, a with herbaceous borders and a stunning array of exhibitions, demonstrations, hands-on activities and guided the entire hotel. Aberdeen Angus beef, fabulous array of woodland walks are available, Dee salmon, excellent local game and unusual plants. Crathes can be found 3 miles east of tours – both inside and out – there is plenty to interest all ROYAL CONNECTIONS most offering an opportunity to view sculptures and seafood fresh from the east coast and the town of Banchory. (NTS) £ age ranges. £ wildlife from the path. Red squirrels, roe deer and Orkney all feature on the four course The Royal Family’s summer home at Balmoral table d’hôte menu. 8. Fairytale Craigievar Castle, amongst the finest examples of Scottish Baronial 14. Pitmedden Garden, near Ellon, has at its heart, a crossbills are present in good numbers, while any Castle means that Deeside is steeped in regal architecture, appears almost to have grown naturally out of the stunning hillsides of formal walled garden originally laid out by Sir Alexander of Bennachie’s summits offer sightings of moorland 20. The Falls of Feugh heritage. Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone Aberdeenshire. The Great Tower stands just as it did when completed by ‘Danzig Willie’, Seaton in 1675 which the National Trust for Scotland has species such as grouse, pippets and buzzards. Restaurant and Tea Room – Nestled on the banks of the River at nearby Crathie Kirk, built in 1895, where the (so called due to his Baltic money-making schemes) in 1626. (NTS) £ lovingly recreated. With 5 miles of box hedging forming six (FCS) Feugh, just outside Banchory, this Royal Family continues to swell the congregation parterres, containing in total 40,000 plants, herbaceous 9. Ruined Kildrummy Castle is a 13th-century stone courtyard castle which was 17. The Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve at Gight lovely little tearoom provides a borders, fountains, topiary, sundials and a glorious herb during their annual summer stay. Among the largely dismantled after the first Jacobite rising in 1715. The hall, kitchen and chapel are Woods – Start at the Forestry Gate car park on welcome rest for those exploring the garden, along with over 80 varieties of apple tree river or watching the salmon leaping. gravestones is that of John Brown, Queen Victoria’s still intact. Described as the noblest of northern castles, it was a stronghold of the Earls B9005 Methlick to Fyvie road, 27 miles north of command, this is gardening on a grand scale. (NTS) Only the finest ingredients are used in servant and subject of the popular film Mrs Brown. of Mar. The nearby Black Den of Kildrummy (the quarry from which the castle was built), Aberdeen. Follow the forestry track down through £ their food, which is all prepared freshly is now converted into an attractive garden. (HS) £ Badiebath Woods through the first kissing gate. and to order. Walk the circular route that Queen Victoria often 10. Leith Hall 12 Cross the field towards ruins of Gight Castle followed in her carriage, whilst dispensing money is the reputedly haunted former home of the Leith-Hay family, built over 21. Ideal for a stop off on the Castle three centuries beginning in 1650.