Explore Royal Deeside

With its stunning landscapes, varied activities and picturesque walks and hikes, Royal Deeside is a location with many gems and so much to offer.

Guests will be spoilt for choice with the blend of majestic countryside, outdoor attractions and sporting activities.

It is little wonder that the iconic holiday retreat of the Royal Family, Balmoral Castle, is located at its heart. The castle’s grounds and ballroom are open to visitors from the beginning of April until the end of July.

The eastern Cairngorms, with the National Park at its centre, have everything from great drives, castles, distilleries, lochs and rivers to a wealth of outdoor activities – walking, biking, golfing, skiing, fishing and wildlife watching, to name but a few.

Walking

There are many stunning walks in the area around Darroch Learg. Some favourites include Seven Bridges, Craigendarroch, Loch Muick & Lochnagar, Burn O Vat & Loch Kinord. Private guided walks can be arranged with Ian Murray or Hillgoers. Hillgoers also run group walks up Ballater’s local mountain, Lochnagar.

Castles

Balmoral Castle, the Scottish holiday home to the Royal Family, is located 8 miles from Ballater. The grounds, gardens, exhibition and cafe are open from April until early August - when the Royal Family arrive. Check the website for exact dates. Braemar Castle, Dunnottar Castle, Crathes Castle are also well worth a visit, plus other National Trust for Scotland properties in Aberdeenshire.

Tours

There are some fantastic local tour guides who can show you the very best of the local area. Ian Murray specialises in tours of the wilderness and he can take you up exploring the hills and learning about the history as you go. Yellow Welly Tours offer bespoke tours of the area. Bothies & Bannocks specialise in food and drink tours showing off the best of the local produce.

Spa Experiences

Stravaig Saunas offer a unique way to experience Royal Deeside - an outdoor sauna. With views over the River Dee, Abergeldie Castle and the ever changing landscape over to Lochnagar, this is a sauna like no other. A day pass is also available at the nearby Craigendarroch Country Club & Spa allowing use of their country club facilities including; pool, sauna, steam rool, gym, squash and tennis courts.

Golf

Ballater’s 18 hole golf course has wonderful views of the River Dee and surrounding hills. Golf courses are also located in the neighbouring villages of Aboyne, Tarland, Balmoral and Braemar - all within 20 minutes drive.

Fishing

The River Dee runs through Ballater bringing water down from the its source in the Cairngorms to Aberdeen. Fishing is available on the Rivers Dee, Don and Deveron, locally. Ian Murray, based in Ballater, can organise salmon and trout fishing trips providing you with all the equipment and instruction you need. TwinPeakes Fly Fishing offer a range of fishing experiences on a number of the local rivers.

Biking

There are plenty of cycle friendly routes in the local area of all degrees of difficulty. Cycle Highlands sell bikes and biking gear while bikes can be rented from the Bike Station. Both are located in the village of Ballater. The newly opened Tarland Trails has some of the best purpose built bike trails to be found.

Distilleries

The local distillery of Royal Lochnagar is located 8 miles from Ballater and the Darroch Learg Hotel and one mile from Balmoral Castle. It sits at the foot of the Cairngorm mountains, fed by the crystal clear water of the Scarnock springs. A range of tours are available on their website. Many more Highland and Speyside distilleries are reachable within an hour’s drive of the hotel.

Skiing

There are two ski centres located near to Ballater. The Lecht is 17 miles from Ballater and Glenshee is 25 miles. Check out their social media pages for updates on snow conditions.

Galleries

Take a wander into the village of Ballater and you will stumble across Larks Gallery and Ballater Gallery. The McEwan Gallery is located just outside of the village but is well worth a visit.