Balmoral Castle - BK 59/cc-by-2.0

One of the Queen’s favourite summertime retreats is Balmoral Castle. Set amongst the magnificent scenery of Royal Deeside in Aberdeenshire, Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the British Royal Family for over 150 years.

Balmoral Estate

Balmoral Estate is one of the properties that is owned and funded by the Royal Family. It was purchased by Queen Victoria in 1848 but due to protracted negotiations the purchase did not complete till June 1852.  As the existing building was not large enough for the Royal Family, Prince Albert had a new Castle built, construction of which completed in 1856. The Estate is set on the banks of the River Dee and covers over 50,000 acres of heather-clad hills, forests and pastures.

Visiting Balmoral

After purchasing your ticket from the Gate Shop, you can walk up the tree-lined main drive to the “Ballroom Exhibition” or hop on the tractor trailer. An audio handset guides you around the exhibitions at the Castle, the grounds and gardens and provides interesting stories of Balmoral and the workings of the Estate.

The Ballroom

The Ballroom is the only room in Balmoral Castle that is open to the public. It is the largest room in the Castle and houses a collection of fine art, silver figurines, porcelain and other artefacts belonging to kings and queens throughout history.

The Ballroom is used by the Royal Family during the Queen’s stay at Balmoral. Two major dances, known as the Ghillies Ball, are held here when the Queen is in residence – a tradition that has taken place every year since Queen Victoria’s time. There is a short film that tells about the Royal Family at Balmoral.

After the Exhibition, wander through the kitchen garden, visit the conservatory and enjoy views of the Estate.  Another attraction on Balmoral Estate is the Garden Cottage where Queen Victoria used to sometimes have her breakfast and deal State correspondence.

Opening Times:

The grounds, gardens and exhibitions of Balmoral Estate are open to the public from April 1 to July 30 (Opening times are from 10am to 5pm). You are not likely to see the Queen during this time as she usually takes residence here in August and September. However if you rent one of the lovely cottages on the Estate you could get lucky and spot her out and about.

How to Get to Balmoral:

From Aberdeen -

By rail or Air – Aberdeen railway station and airport are approximately 50 miles east of Balmoral and are the closest.

By Bus – Stagecoach Bus operates a service between Aberdeen and Braemar. For timetable and fares see their website www.stagecoachbus.com.

By Car – Travel straight out the A93 towards Braemar and approximately nine miles west of Ballater you will come to Crathie.  The Crathie Church is on your right hand side and on your left is the regional car park and the tourist information centre.

From Edinburgh or Glasgow -

By Car – Take a route to Perth. Then take the A93 over the Spittal of Glenshee to Braemar. Approximately ten miles east of Braemar you will come to Crathie. You will see the regional car park and tourist information on the right hand side.

Address:
Balmoral Castle
Balmoral Estates
Ballater, Aberdeenshire AB35 5TB
Website: www.balmoralcastle.com/

Map of Balmoral:

Queen's Gallery Exhibition - Courtesy VisitBritain

On at the Queen’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh is an exhibition of more than 100 photographs by Marcus Adams. Titled “Marcus Adams: Royal Photographer” the exhibition is a celebration of the works of Marcus Adams who is famous for his photographic portraits of children and in particular for his 30 years of photographing royal children.

Adams (1875–1959) is widely acclaimed for having changed the long tradition of formal royal portraiture. Between 1926 and 1956, he created a unique record of two generations of royal children showing a fresh and natural image of royalty.

The Exhibition

Visitors to the Queen’s Gallery can see vintage prints from almost all the royal sittings, many of which were formerly part of the personal collection of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

The centrepiece of the exhibition is a series of photographs of the very young Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister Princess Margaret taken in the late 1920s and 1930s – photos  that are sure to melt any mum’s heart.

The Queen’s Gallery is open daily up to 5 June (closed 22 April). Admission £5.50 adults, £5 over-60s and students, £3 under-17s, under-5s free, family ticket £14.

Exhibition:  Marcus Adams: Royal Photographer
Venue        :  The Queen’s Gallery
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Canongate, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH8 8DX
Website     : www.royalcollection.org.uk

Royal Lochnagar - Courtesy VisitBritain

Royal Lochnagar is a distillery situated on the south side of the River Dee about a half a mile from Balmoral Castle. There are indeed many whisky distilleries in Scotland, but few malt whiskies can claim the “Royal” prefix to its name.

If you’re visiting Balmoral Castle and enjoy Scottish malts, a stop at Royal Lochnagar would allow you to taste this royal water of life.  At this royal distillery, age old traditions and craftsmanship produce one of Scotland’s most exclusive single malts, and whisky that is worthy of the Royal Seal of Approval.

How Lochnagar Became a Royal Distillery

When John Begg was granted a long lease of the Lochnagar site in 1845, he began distilling his whisky on the south bank of the Dee. In 1848, Queen Victoria selected Balmoral Castle as her holiday residence, just half a mile from John Begg’s Lochnagar distillery. Knowing that Prince Albert was keen on all things mechanical, he invited the Prince to visit. Just three days after their arrival in Balmoral, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their three eldest children paid a visit to the distillery. The royals got to see the distillation process and sample the whisky at the end. Queen Victoria obviously liked what she sampled and Mr. Begg was given a Royal Warrant of Appointment as a supplier to the Queen. The rest is history!

Visiting Royal Lochnagar

Royal Lochnagar runs tours of the distillery where visitors can learn about their whisky making process. It costs £6 to do the tour but you get a taste of their 12 year-old Royal Lochnagar at the end.  You’ll also get some of your money back if you purchase a bottle of single malt. For the whisky connoisseur, there’s the Royal Tour with coffee and shortbread on arrival, an in-depth tour of the distillery, and a special tasting of Royal Lochnagar through the ages.

The Lochnagar distillery shop has a wide range of single malts, special releases and rare malt whiskies for sale, some of which are 30 years old.

During the peak season, Royal Lochnagar Distillery is open Monday – Saturday and tours are available throughout the day with hourly departures – the last tour leaves at 4 pm. Check their website (www.discovering-distilleries.com/royallochnagar/) for other opening times.

The Distillery is at Crathie, which is just off the A93, 9 miles from Braemar and 8 miles from Ballater.

Address:

Royal Lochnagar Distillery
Balmoral
Crathie, Ballater, Aberdeenshire, AB35 5TB

Map to Balmoral:

Ring of Brodgar, Orkney © Travel Signposts

Just as old and mysterious as Stonehenge, but perhaps nowhere nearly as famous, is the Ring of Brodgar (or Brogar) Stone Circle and Henge on the Mainland island of Orkney, Scotland. If not for its remote location, the Ring of Brodgar would probably give Stonehenge a better run for its money as this great stone circle is awe-inspiring.  But there are advantages for the tourist in visiting this less famous site – you are able to walk within the Brodgar Ring and see the stone circle up close.

The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic henge and stone circle on the Ness of Brodgar, a small isthmus separating the Lochs of Stenness and Harray.  Like the Standing Stones at Stenness, it is in the Heart of Neolithic Orkney – a complex of monuments, settlements and tombs that was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999.

The Brodgar circle of stones is estimated to have been erected between 2500 and 2000 BC but the actual age of the site remains an issue as reliable scientific dating has yet to be carried out. The spectacular stone ring is surrounded by a large circular rock-cut ditch or henge.  Putting up the stones and creating the massive ditch were activities that required considerable manpower and organisation during the Neolithic Age, which is why the Ring of Brodgar and other Neolithic monuments are so amazing.

The Ring of Brodgar was one of the first sites to be scheduled in the British Isles (1882). The stone circle is 104 metres in diameter and is the third largest in the British Isles.

Ring of Brodgar, Orkney © Travel Signposts

There were originally 60 megaliths in the ring, however only 27 remain standing.  Next to one of the fallen stones is a sign that advises that the stone was struck by lightning on the 5th of June 1980, causing it to shatter. It’s possible that such lightning strikes might have occurred in earlier times and might account for the damaged state of several other stones in the ring.

The Ring of Brodgar was part of a massive prehistoric ritual complex that probably included the Stones of Stenness to the south-east and the Ring of Bookan to the north-west.

On our end-August visit, it was “heather in bloom” time and the whole area was covered in a sea of pinkish lilac heather. A beautiful contrast were the yellow flowers and the brilliant blue skies that we were least expecting.

The airport is about eight miles (12 km) west of the Edinburgh city centre and it takes about 25 minutes to travel from Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh city centre in light traffic.

Edinburgh Airport Destinations and Airlines

See here for the airlines that operate at Edinburgh Airport and the Destinations they cover.>

Transport From/To Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh Airport Bus:

Buses to Edinburgh and other local destinations stop at the terminal forecourt, outside the main entrance.

Airlink 100

This express bus service departs from outside Edinburgh Airport entrance and runs to Waverley Bridge (near Princes Street and the main rail and bus stations, where the long distance coaches are located).  Journey time is about 25 minutes and service frequency is every 10 minutes (early services every 20 minutes).

You can buy tickets at the airport information desk, at the bus stop, from the driver or in advance online.

Night bus N22

This Airport Night bus service runs from the airport via South Gyle to the city centre and on to Ocean Terminal in Leith between 00:47 and 04:13, seven nights a week. It takes about 28 minutes (Waverley Steps).  Service frequency is every 30 minutes.

Service 35

This Lothian Buses service runs to Edinburgh city centre and on to Ocean Terminal.  The stops on this service include the RBS World Headquarters, the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Buses run every 15 minutes (Mon – Sat) daytime and every 30 minutes evenings and Sundays. The trip takes about an hour depending on traffic (Holyrood).

Other Local Buses

• Airdirect 747 coach service connects the airport with Inverkeithing and Ferrytoll Park & Ride
• Services 555 and 777 are half-hourly services to communities in West Lothian
• Service 64 is an hourly bus service to communities in North Edinburgh

By Train

Edinburgh’s main rail stations (Waverley and Haymarket) are in the city centre.  To get to these stations catch the Airlink 100.  The night bus N22 stops at Waverley station.

By Taxi

Private taxis and city “black cabs” call at ranks outside the airport terminal. Taxis can be booked in advance or picked up at the rank.

Car Rental Centre

All the major car hire companies operate from the airport. The journey into town (via the A8 Glasgow Road) takes about 25 minutes in light traffic.

Edinburgh Airport Parking

Both Long Stay and Short Stay airport parking are available.  The car parks are located close to the airport terminal, with quick transfer times.  For more on Edinburgh Airport Parking see here.> To make sure that you are getting the best deal, you can do a price check with Purple Parking HERE.

Edinburgh Airport Hotels

The following list of hotels are close to Edinburgh Airport or who provide airport shuttles.  Search and book your Edinburgh Airport Hotel here.>

Commando Memorial © Travel Signposts

Travelling on the A82, heading south towards Fort Willliam, we made a stop for a photo-shoot of Ben Nevis. What we weren’t expecting to see was this imposing Commando Memorial, three gigantic bronze figures standing proud in full battle gear – rifles, binoculars, woollen caps, boots and all. We weren’t told at all that this was in fact one of Scotland’s best-known war memorials.

The Commando Memorial is a bronze monument sculpted by Scott Sutherland and unveiled by the Queen Mother here in 1952. The three figures stand on a stone plinth and the entire monument is 5.2 metres tall. On the top of the stone plinth is inscribed “United We Conquer”. The Commando Training Depot was established at Achnacarry Castle in 1942 and the British Commandos trained all around the Lochaber region. The monument overlooks their training area. The nearby Garden of Remembrance was a later addition.

The British Commandos was an elite force formed in 1940 on the request of Winston Churchill.

Their mission was to carry out raids against German occupied Europe. Initially, it was made up of soldiers from the British Army who had volunteered for special service. Later members from all branches of the British armed forces joined, including foreign volunteers from German-occupied countries. During the next five years the highly trained Commandos fought in all theatres of war and military campaigns and the men serving with the Commandos were awarded 479 decorations during the war.

The Commando Memorial is about a mile out of Spean Bridge village and during the summer months you can see the Commando Exhibition at the Spean Bridge Hotel. This Exhibition tells the story of the men that make up this elite fighting unit, and a Commando Trail takes in some of the locations where they trained. After the war, most of the units were disbanded, however it seems that some military associations still sponsor a Commando March.  This is a timed seven-mile march, in full battle gear, backpack and combat boots, that starts at Spean Bridge and ending at Achnacarry.

If you are travelling around the Lochaber region, make a stop at the Commando Memorial where you’ll also get a fine view of Ben Nevis.   Look for the junction of the A82 and the B8004 road.

Ben Nevis © Travel Signposts

Ben Nevis or ‘the Ben’, as it is fondly referred to, is the highest mountain in the British Isles, peaking at 4,406 ft. Due to its location, altitude and topography, Ben Nevis frequently suffers poor weather conditions. We were told that fog covers the summit for about two-thirds of the year. So, we were lucky that on our third visit here, the Ben has showed itself to us.

Ben Nevis (Beinn Nibheis in Gaelic) is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains, close to the town of Fort Willliam for which we were headed. Our view of Ben Nevis is from the Commando Memorial, a little north of the village of Spean Bridge.

To the uninitiated, it may not be quite clear which of the peaks in the range Ben Nevis is, however next to the Commando Memorial, there is a map which points to all the mountains in the area.

Ben Nevis is hugely popular with climbers, mountaineers, hill walkers, people who want to run up it or people who want to race downhill and others. The first recorded ascent of Ben Nevis was on 17 August 1771, by an Edinburgh botanist named James Robertson.  These days it attracts about 200,000 climbs each year, with the majority of the people taking the Pony Track up to the summit.

But Ben Nevis’ complex topography, the fogs, gales, rain and snow make this a dangerous mountain to climb for those who are not aware of the treacherous weather at Ben Nevis and are not properly equipped for climbing this mountain.  Unfortunately, there have been many accidents and fatalities amongst those who have come to climb Ben Nevis.

Ben Nevis Map © Travel Signposts

For those looking for an active holiday in the Scottish Highlands, the Ben Nevis Race is a hill run on the first Saturday in September each year. The hill running tradition dates back to 1895 when William Swan, a barber from Fort William, ran from the Fort William Post Office to the summit and back in 2:41. The 1984 records of 1:25:34 and 1:43:25 for the men and women’s races respectively remain unbroken.

But for us, the armchair adventurers, we were happy to just admire the Ben from the distance and thankful that the fogs of Ben Nevis have allowed us to see Britain’s highest mountain on this occasion.

Search and book Fort Willliam hotels and read hotel reviews here.

Fort William © Travel Signposts

Since the opening of the Caledonian Canal “An Canal Cailleannach” in 1822, tourists have been coming to Fort William and the numbers grew after the arrival of the railway in 1894.   Known as An Gearasdan in Gaelic, or “the Garrison” Fort William is the capital of Lochaber and is today  the largest town in the Scottish Highlands.

Fort William was previously Clan Cameron country. The town grew up as a settlement next to a fort that was constructed to control the population after Oliver Cromwell’s invasion during the English Civil War and then to suppress the famous Jacobite uprisings. Fort William has had many reincarnations. Originally, “Fort William” was named after William of Orange. The settlement was later renamed “Gordonsburgh”, then “Duncansburg” and then renamed “Fort William” again, but this time after Prince William, Duke of Cumberland.

Today, Fort William is a major resort town of the Highlands and the centre of outdoor sporting activities. It markets itself as the “Outdoor Capital of the UK” and its not hard to see why. With its close proximity to Ben Nevis, it is a base for hill walkers and climbers who come to take on the highest mountain in the British Isles.

Fort William is also the northern end of the 153 kilometres West Highland Way trail through the Scottish Highlands to Milngavie, north of Glasgow and the starting point for the 117 kilometres Great Glen Way. There are also many cyling tracks in the region and the Downhill Mountain Bike Track brings international competitors to its annual world championship. Fort Willilam is also the home of the Scottish Six Day Motorcyle Trial, an international event that has been running since 1909.

Fort William High Street © Travel Signposts

But Fort William is not a town that’s solely for the super-active (see Note below*). The town is a popular stop for coach tours of the Scottish Highlands and many, like us, arrive in comfortable coaches. The pedestrianised High Street is the centre of the town’s commercial life and here you’ll find all the retail shops, a wide range of accommodation and the town’s essential services. The many food outlets and shops along the High Street make it a convenient place to stop for lunch or a mid-morning stretch.  Attractions within the town include the West Highland Museum with its large collection of Jacobite memorabilia and the visitor centre at the Ben Nevis Distillery.

Apart from sitting in the shadow of the mighty Ben Nevis, Fort William also enjoys a dramatic setting on the shores of Loch Linnhe beside the mouth of the rivers Nevis and Lochy. For those with a little more time, you can head along past the west end car park to the beautiful loch-side gardens. This is a great place to watch wildlife and unforgettable sunsets. Also, it’s possible to take a ferry trip on Loch Linnhe “An Linne Dhubh” for the best views of Ben Nevis “Beinn Nibheis”.

The West Highland Line, a scenic railway between Mallaig and Glasgow, passes through Fort William.  And if you’re thinking of arriving here by bus, it seems that Fort William is one of the few remaining towns where the horse and cart is a faster mode of transport than the bus service!

Search and book Fort William hotels and read hotel reviews here.>

*Note:  For travellers with a mobility problem, Shopmobility Lochaber provides a free hire service of wheelchairs, powerchairs and electric ride on scooters to anyone with either a temporary or permanent mobility problem.  The electric scooters will certainly help in getting around and seeing more of what Lochaber has to offer.

Shopmobility is a charity and relies on businesses and client donations to operate this fantastic service. For more information on where to find them and how to use their service, check out their website www.shopmobilitylochaber.org.uk.

Holyrood Palace © Travel Signposts..

Holyrood Palace, or Palace of Holyroodhouse as it is officially called, is the official residence of the Queen when she is in Scotland.  This Edinburgh Palace is located at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, just at the bottom end of the Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile.

During the Queen’s annual Holyrood week, usually from the end of June to the beginning of July, she carries out her official functions here.  She and other members of the Royal Family regularly use the Royal Apartments for State ceremonies and official entertaining.

Since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, the Palace has seen increased usage by members of the Royal Family.  It is at Holyrood Palace that the Queen meets and appoints the head of the Scottish Government, known as the First Minister of Scotland.  However, when she is not performing official duties, the Queen retreats to Balmoral Castle which is her private residence.

Home to Many Kings and Queens

Holyrood Palace has been a royal residence since the 15th century and it has been the home of many Scottish kings and queens, including Mary, Queen of Scots.  The Palace has witnessed many dramatic events especially during Mary’s turbulent reign, including the infamous murder of her secretary by her jealous husband, Lord Darnley.  Bonnie Prince Charlie also used the Palace briefly as his headquarters during the 1745 Jacobite uprising.

Queen's Gallery © Travel Signposts

On a tour of Holyrood House visitors can see the Royal Apartments with their fine plasterwork ceilings, unique collection of Brussels tapestries and other magnificent furnishings.  Here and there are monograms, shields, etc. that link the Palace to its past inhabitants.  The Great Gallery is one of the most famous rooms, in which one can see Jacob de Wet’s portraits of the legendary kings of Scotland.  Also included in the tour is the display of the Order of Thistle, the highest honour bestowed upon Scottish men and women who have contributed to public life.

Together with the Palace tour, you can also visit the Queen’s Gallery, a purpose-built, state-of-the-art exhibition facility.  Here visitors will have to opportunity to see works of art from the Royal Collection.

Holyrood Palace is open to visitors throughout the year, except for certain public holidays and during royal visits.  Getting here is easy.  From Edinburgh Castle, we strolled down the Royal Mile to Holyrood Palace.  After your visit of the Palace you can catch the local bus back into town or stay in the area and explore the many other attractions in the vicinity such as the Parliament house and St. Giles Cathedral.

A much better way to see the sights of Edinburgh if you don’t have a lot of time is to do an Edinburgh City Hop-on Hop-off tour which covers most of the major sights of Edinburgh.

Search and book Edinburgh hotels and read hotel reviews here.>

Edinburgh Map:

Scottish Thistle

The thistle is the emblem of Scotland and alongside the tartan, it is perhaps one of the most recognizable symbol of all things Scottish.

But why is it, one asks, should such a humble and thorny weed become a national symbol of a nation of people as proud as the Scots? As no one really  knows the truth, it then remains for tales and legends to fill in the gap about this absolutely prickly and razor sharp weed and its climb to national status.

The Thistle Emblem Legend

The legend tells of how an invading band of Vikings (presumed to be the men of King  Håkon of Norway) tried to attack a party of Scottish warriors under cover of darkness. To avoid noise the king ordered his band of Vikings to remove their footwear. Unfortunately, one of the attackers stood on the prickly thistle and shrieked in pain. The clansmen were alerted of the attack and Vikings were duly defeated by the Scots.

In gratitude of this victory, the plant became known as the Guardian Thistle and was then adopted as the national symbol of Scotland.

There’s no historical evidence to back up the tale, however the story was probably based on an event in history in which King Håkon of Norway sent his ships to Scotland to settle a dispute over territory.  Until the late 1200s, much of the western seaboard of Scotland and the Hebrides were under the distant control of Norway.  For almost a decade, the Scottish King, Alexander II, tried to negotiate for control of the territory and even offered to buy the islands back from King  Håkon.  When his son Alexander III came to power in 1262, he gathered support from majority of the clansmen and threatened to take the islands by force if King Håkon did not agree to sell them.  King Håkon responded by sending a fleet of longbows into the Firth of Clyde.   Due to bad weather, King Håkon lost this Scottish-Norwegian war known as the Battle of Largs.

The Thistle As A Scottish Symbol

Regardless of its true origin, the thistle has been an important Scottish symbol for more than 500 years. The earliest recorded use of the thistle was perhaps its use on silver coins issued in 1470 during the reign of James III.  From the early 16th century, it was incorporated into the Royal Arms of Scotland.

In 1687, Scotland’s premier Order of Chivalry, the Order of the Thistle, was established .  The members of this most ancient and noble order wear a collar chain whose links are made of golden thistles. The Knights and Ladies of the Thistle also wear a breast star which bears the thistle emblem and a motto which is regularly associated with it, Nemo Me Impune Lacessit – ‘no-one provokes me with impunity’.

If anyone has a better legend to tell, please share.