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Royal Deeside: tips and FAQs

Consigli locali e domande frequenti

Consigli locali

Consigli per la visita

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

Domande frequenti

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?

Da uno a due giorni. Conviene prevedere più tempo se si desidera mangiare fuori o visitare più attrazioni.

Quali sono le attrazioni principali?

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

Come arrivare?

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.

Dove mangiare e bere?

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

Dove dormire?

Elenchiamo 10 hotel e altre strutture nelle vicinanze. Disponibilità e prezzi vanno verificati presso ciascuna struttura.

Is Royal Deeside accessible?

L'accessibilità varia a seconda della via, dell'edificio e della struttura. Consultare le informazioni sull'accessibilità di ciascuna attrazione o del gestore prima di partire.

While you are here