Royal Deeside near Glendavan House

Beautiful Royal Deeside is a holiday playground unequalled in Scotland. Comprising fine Grampian mountains, attractive woodlands and delightful rural scenery, it is a mecca for the walker, climber or wanderer. Add the nearby castles, distilleries and other attractions and you have the ideal place for a holiday break. The majestic River Dee flowing past Braemar Castle, royal Balmoral Castle and Crathes Castle on its way to Aberdeen offers the finest salmon fishing. (The beauty spots of Linn of Dee and the Bridge of Feugh both offer the opportunity to see salmon jumping.) There are numerous excellent golf courses and Braemar Golf Course is the highest 18 hole course in Britain. In the south-west is Glenshee Ski Centre, the home of the largest ski centre in Scotland.

Deeside has numerous castles, most with a wealth of history. Those open to the public are Braemar, Balmoral, Crathes (with its famous gardens) and Drum, the latter two being National Trust for Scotland properties. On the edges of Royal Deeside there are several more castles including Corgarff, Craigievar and the ruins of Dunnottar Castle. To these can be added three magnificent buildings, easily visible but not open to the public, Mar Lodge, Invercauld House (sometimes known as the Castle of Invercauld) and Abergeldie Castle, between them they offer a sample of the best to be found in Scotland.

Local Attractions

Deeside has much to offer, and many visitors come back again and again. You are close to fabulous museums, galleries, antique shops and wonderfulcastles. Scenic picnic spots and gorgeous walks are also in abundance for those looking to enjoy the outdoors. For a comprehensive list of what there is to see and do in the Royal Deeside and the surrounding area, we suggest you take a look at www.discoverroyaldeeside.com On this site, you will also find some interesting itinerary suggestions.

Here are just a handful of our favourite things to do and see within an hour's drive from Glendavan –

Muir of Dinnet Nature Reserve / Burn O'Vat (1 mile) – Just around the corner from Glendavan, the Burn O'Vat is a 'must see' for visitors to the area. Central to the Muir of Dinnet Nature Reserve, this gentle walk takes you in to an open cave with beautiful waterfall. The Reserve has several other walks that will delight for much of the day.

Crathes Castle (1/2 hour by car) – Crathes Castle is just one of the several National Trust for Scotland properties easily accessible from Glendavan. A visit to the castle also includes access to the beautiful gardens and woodland walks. For more information about Crathes and other NTS properties in the area, please visit www.nts.org.uk

Balmoral Castle (20 minutes by car) – Surely needs no introduction! The Highland residence of the Royal Family. This lovely estate is open to the public from Easter until the end of July and provides a wonderful day out. Access to the inside of the castle itself is, naturally, limited to the fascinating ballroom exhibition, but your ticket allows you free access to roam the grounds, explore the fabulous gardens and enjoy the river and hill walks. More information can be found on www.balmoralcastle.com

Linn of Dee and Linn of Quoich (40 minutes) – 7 miles beyond Braemar you will come to the Linn of Dee – a long rocky gorge with waterfalls, whirlpools and rapids. It is a beautiful spot for walking, wildlife, scenery and picnicing. Linn of Quoich, a little further up the road, is another breathtaking spot where you don't have to walk too far to reach a lovely waterfall plunging through a narrow ravine.

Loch Muick (30 minutes) – Loch Muick is located beyond Ballater, 7 miles off the South Deeside Road. The drive up to the car park is stunning and a verylikely place to sight herds of deer. The walk around the Loch itself is great day out. The more adventurous can ascend the mountain of Lochnagar from here as well.

Local Activities

For those of you looking to do something a little bit different, Royal Deeside should definitely be up there on your list of choice destinations. We are so fortunate to have a number of excellent activity providers with whom we can guarantee you will have an unforgettable experience. For a comprehensive list of what activities are available in Deeside and the surrounding area, we suggest you take a look at www.discoverroyaldeeside.com Here I have outlined just a few of our favourites. Most activities would probably need to be booked in advance of your stay to ensure you get the activity and the date that you want. We would be very happy to help with any planning or reservations. Please do just give us a call.

WalkDeeside (www.walkdeeside.com) – Private guiding and in depth knowledge on walks and hills can be provided by Alan Melrose of Walk Deeside. A number of our guests have experienced fabulous days out in the hills with Alan whose knowledge, expertise and care has made for a truly memorable experience.

Running the Highlands (www.runningthehighlands.com) – Neil Stewart of Running the Highlands offers running holidays, running tours and training weekends for runners of all abilities. Neil's reputation is built on excellent customer care and fabulous scenery. Guests of ours that have attended a training weekend, or have booked one of his tailored running holidays are always highly delighted and many come back for more!

Braemar Highland Safaris (www.braemarhighlandsafaris.co.uk) – I cannot recommend this experience highly enough! Neil Bain's knowledge of the area is second to none, and he will entertain you wonderfully as he drives you around some of Deeside's most inaccessible roads in search of deer, hare, red squirrel, black grouse, ptarmigan and golden eagles. You may see none of the above, but I can assure you that you will have a fabulous, unforgettable afternoon. In my opinion, this tour is a must!

Deeside Activity Park (www.deesideactivitypark.com) – For those looking for a bit of an adrenaline surge, Deeside Activity Park offers the largest variety of outdoor activities in Aberdeenshire including quad biking, kart racing, 4x4 off road driving, archery, clay shooting, and rifle target shooting. Whether you want to learn the finer points, or just 'have a go', they can certainly offer something to suit. The complex also houses a fine tearoom/restaurant.

Cycle Highlands (www.cyclehighlands.com) – For daily bike hire – which can be arranged in advance of your stay so that your bikes are waiting here at the house for your arrival – or guided rides on suitable mountain trails.

Restaurants

We do not, currently, serve dinners at Glendavan House although, if you will be late arriving with us or you think that you would just like to curl up in your suite on an evening, we can offer you a delicious hamper, supplied by the local delicatessen. Please do let us know if you would like more details.

There are a number of excellent restaurants in the area, offering cuisine to suit all tastes. The closest, and our favourite, is the Victoria Restaurant in Dinnet (www.victoriarestaurant.co.uk) where you would be guaranteed an excellent home cooked meal and friendly, informal service.

For more restaurants, please do look at www.discoverroyaldeeside.com for suggestions and details.