CASTLES BALLATER

Balmoral Castle sits in the Scottish Highlands as the cherished Highland home of the British Royal Family since 1852. The castle and estate opened the interior to visitors for the first time in 2024, allowing public access to royal chambers alongside the estate's renowned gardens that transform through the seasons. Visitors experience walking paths including Cairns Walk and Prince Albert's Pyramid Walk, encounter native red squirrels in the woodlands, and enjoy Land Rover expeditions with rangers across the breathtaking landscape. The estate offers guided castle tours, garden exploration, golf, fine dining featuring locally sourced cuisine, and stays in rental cottages, all set within the timeless charm of the Highland setting.

Kindrochit Castle is a ruined 14th-century fortification in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, strategically positioned on the banks of the Clunie Water, a tributary of the River Dee. The castle served as a hunting seat of King Robert II, who issued charters here between 1371 and 1388. In 1390 Robert III granted a licence to Malcolm Drummond to build a new tower on the site. The present ruins comprise the ground floor of this tower, while archaeological excavations in the 1920s uncovered an earlier royal lodge. Protected as a scheduled monument, the castle opened to the public in 2015 and has attracted both visitors and locals seeking to experience this royal retreat.