Ein Mini-Guide zu

Royal Deeside: tips and FAQs

Insiderwissen und häufige Fragen

Insiderwissen

Tipps für Ihren Besuch

Check castle seasons

Balmoral, Braemar Castle and the National Trust for Scotland castles keep seasonal opening days. Check each official site before planning a day.

Drive for the outlying castles

Craigievar and Castle Fraser are well north of the A93 and much easier to reach by car than by bus.

Plan hill walks carefully

Lochnagar and the hills around Braemar are mountain terrain. Check the mountain forecast and carry a map before setting out from Loch Muick or the Linn of Dee.

Book Braemar Gathering early

The Gathering is on the first Saturday of September; the organisers put tickets on sale in February.

Stay in a village

Banchory, Ballater and Braemar all have hotels and guest houses, and make better bases than a day trip from Aberdeen for the upper valley.

Events in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Dates to plan around

Dates confirmed on the organisers' own websites.

Braemar Gathering

Saturday 4 September 2027 (first Saturday of September each year)

Highland games held in Braemar since 1832, in the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park. The organisers say tickets go on sale on 1 February 2027.

Braemar Gathering →

Stonehaven Fireballs

31 December, at midnight

About 40 people swing fireballs along the High Street for around 20 minutes, followed by fireworks. Crowds gather from 10pm and the street can close once full.

Stonehaven Fireballs →

FAQ

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Where is Royal Deeside?

Royal Deeside is in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Castles, Balmoral and the Cairngorms villages of the Dee valley. Nearby stops and stations include Banchory, Ballater, Braemar.

How long do I need in Royal Deeside?

Ein bis zwei Tage. Planen Sie mehr Zeit ein, wenn Sie essen gehen oder mehrere Sehenswürdigkeiten besuchen möchten.

Was sind die Highlights?

Highlights include Crathes Castle, Drum Castle, Castle Fraser. See the Things to do page for more.

Wie komme ich dorthin?

Nearby: Banchory (Stagecoach Bluebird buses from Aberdeen); Ballater (Stagecoach Bluebird buses from Aberdeen); Braemar (Stagecoach Bluebird buses via Ballater). The Getting there page links to the official timetables and journey planners.

Wo kann ich essen und trinken?

We list 12 places to eat and drink in and around Royal Deeside, with filters to help you choose.

Wo kann ich übernachten?

Wir führen 10 Hotels und weitere Unterkünfte in der Nähe auf. Verfügbarkeit und Preise erfragen Sie direkt bei der Unterkunft.

Is Royal Deeside accessible?

Die Barrierefreiheit hängt von Straße, Gebäude und Veranstaltungsort ab. Prüfen Sie vor der Reise die Zugangsinformationen der jeweiligen Attraktion oder des Betreibers.

While you are here