A trail that leads to heart of royal love affair with Scotland

From ghosts to glorious views, Victorian heritage tour has it all

Royal Deeside has been Scotland’s crowning glory ever since Queen Victoria and Prince albert first visited and fell in love with the Balmoral Estate in 1848. Since then, successive generations of the Royal Family have adopted the area as their tranquil retreat.

The Victorian Heritage Trail features many of the historic places that Victoria and albert enjoyed visiting in the picturesque Dee and Don valleys.

Follow the brown and white signposted trail from its starting point west of aberdeen at spectacular Drum Castle and enjoy a regal adventure through the heart of beautiful aberdeenshire. you will discover royal residences, charming towns, outstanding visitor attractions and secluded beauty spots.

The combination of a 13th century tower, a Jacobean mansion house and Victorian architecture makes Drum Castle one of the most unusual strongholds in Scotland.

and as an extra treat this year, the castle is housing aberdeen art Gallery’s iconic modern art collection themed on ‘Human Presence in Domestic Space’, while the gallery is being refurbished.

Be sure to try a steam train trip on the Royal Deeside Railway where you can take to the tracks that Queen Victoria travelled on.

When you arrive back at the station, at Milton of Crathes near Banchory, enjoy a light lunch or high tea and marvel at the glorious views over Royal Deeside from the Carriage Tearoom.

Further along the trail you’ll find spooky Crathes Castle, famed for allegedly being haunted. Queen Victoria herself is believed to have seen the resident Green lady ghost and her infant. Explore the spectacular grounds and marvel at the fairytale turrets and gargoyles.

The natural majesty of some of the area’s finest royal beauty spots shines out. Follow the a93 along the Dee through Glen Tanar Forest to Glen Tanar National Nature Reserve in the east of the Cairngorms National Park.

you will be surrounded by splendour as you stroll around the private loch and relish the views from the beautifully restored Victo- rian boathouse. Don’t miss Cambus o’May, a designated site of special scientific interest, with its suspension bridge that stands as a monument to Victorian architecture and design.

and continue onwards to the lovely burgh of Ballater where you can browse the independent shops, many of which proudly display Royal Warrants. For a taste of Royal Deeside, pay a visit to Royal lochnagar Distillery at Easter Balmoral.

Victoria, albert and their three eldest children visited the distillery and were so impressed that the Queen granted it a Royal Warrant.

The distillery is now one of the Secret Malts of aberdeenshire and is open to visitors all year round, offering guided tours.

Finish the trail with a guided tour of Braemar Castle, which Victoria visited in 1849 as patron of the Braemar Gathering, held in the grounds. It was here that she is said to have developed her love for the area and for the Gathering, which celebrated its 200th anniver- sary this year. aberdeenshire’s magnificent Victorian and royal heritage is full of fascinating tales and there is no better time to visit than now after Her Majesty the Queen has become the UK’s longest-serving monarch.

Find out more and view our helpful four- day itinerary online at: visitscotland.com/victorianheritagetrail