Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Braemar
West of Balmoral, the road rises to 1100ft above sea level in the upper part of Deeside and
the village of
BRAEMAR
, situated where three passes meet and overlooked by an unremark-
able
castle
. It's an invigorating, outdoor kind of place, well patronized by committed
hikers, but probably best known for its Highland Games, the annual
Braemar Gathering
,
on the first Saturday of September. Since Queen Victoria's day, successive generations of
royals have attended and the world's most famous Highland Games have become rather
an overcrowded, overblown event. You're not guaranteed to get in if you just turn up; the
website (
W
braemargathering.org) has details of how to book tickets in advance.
2
Linn of Dee
A pleasant diversion from Braemar is to head six miles west to the end of the road and
the
Linn of Dee
, where the river plummets savagely through a narrow rock gorge. From
here there are countless walks into the surrounding countryside or up into the heart of
the Cairngorms (see p.164), including the awesome Lairig Ghru pass which cuts all the
way through to Strathspey.
ARRIVAL, INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES
BRAEMAR
By bus
Buses to and from Ballater (9 daily; 35min) stop
on Auchendryne Square, while long-distance coaches
drop package tourists on the lot opposite the
Fife
Arms Hotel.
Tourist of
ce
In The Mews, in the middle of the village
on Mar Rd (daily: April-June, Sept & Oct 9.30am-5pm;
July & Aug 9.30am-6pm; Nov-March 9.30am-4.30pm;
T
01339 741600).
Outdoor activities
Advice on outdoor activities, as well
as ski, mountain-bike and climbing equipment rental, is
available from Braemar Mountain Sports (daily 9am-6pm;
W
braemarmountainsports.com).
ACCOMMODATION
Braemar Lodge
A quarter of a mile south of the
village on Glenshee Rd
T
01339 741627,
W
braemar
lodge.co.uk.
Seven, tartan-accented hotel rooms and
bunkhouse on the same
plot,
which has b
udge
t beds and
laundry facilities. Double
£120
; bunkhouse
£15
Clunie Lodge Guest House
Clunie Bank Road
T
01339
741330,
W
clunielodge.com.
Just south of the tourist
o
ce, close to the middle of the vill
age,
is this six-room
B&B with lovely views up Clunie Glen.
£70
Invercauld Caravan Club Park
Half a mile south of the
village off Glenshee Road
T
01339 741373.
Year-round
caravan site which also has thirty ca
mping
pitches. Can get
busy in the summer, so book ahead.
£21.40
/pitch
Rucksacks
Tucked behind The Mews
T
01339 741517.
Cheery, easy-going bunkhouse that's well equipped for
walkers and backpackers - stay in one of the twin ro
oms
,
or cra
sh o
ut in the shared alpine-style hut. Dorms
£10
;
twins
£32
SYHA Braemar
Corrie Feragie, 21 Glenshee Road
T
01339 741659,
W
syha.org.uk.
SYHA hostel in a former
shooting lodge with bike storage facilities and a big
com
mu-
nal kitchen. It's also just a short stroll from the centre.
£18
EATING AND DRINKING
When it comes to eating in Braemar the best advice is to avoid the large hotels, which tend to be filled with coach parties.
The Gathering Place
Invercauld Rd, by Braemar
Mountain Sports
T
01339 741234,
W
the-gathering
-place.co.uk.
Bistro in the heart of the village selling
mouthwatering, though pricey, Scottish-based cuisine,
including a game pie made with ale and red wine (£16.95).
Tues-Sat 6pm-8.30pm.
Taste
Airlie House, beside the Mar Rd roundabout
T
01339 741425,
W
taste-braemar.co.uk.
Reliably good
coffee shop and moderately priced contemporary restau-
rant doing home-made, gluten-free soups for £3.60.
Tues-
Sat 10am-5pm.
The Don Valley
The quiet countryside around the
Don Valley
, once renowned for its illegal whisky
distilleries and smugglers, lies at the heart of Aberdeenshire's prosperous agricultural
region. From Aberdeen, the River Don winds northwest through
Inverurie
, where it takes
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