Bal-morals

Balmoral Castle is located in Royal Deeside, close to Crathie and about 6 miles west of town Ballater. There are many Balmoral Castle hotels in the surrounding area to book a room and with this being the holiday residence for the Royal Family, it does hardly need telling that it shouldn’t be emitted from yours.

It was originally brought as a house by Queen Victoria in 1852. It’s face had changed a lot over history. King Robert II had built a hunting lodge, whilst Sir William Drummond had built the original house on the site in 1390. Tenanted by Alexander Gordon, a tower house was constructed whilst the estate was then passed to Charles Farquharson in 1662. The Farquharsons were actually Jacobite supporters and the brothers were actively involved in both the rebellions of 1715 and 1745. In 1798, Earl James Dyff leased the area and then Sir Robert Gordon succeeded it in 1830, paving the way for Victoria’s arrival.

When it was deemed to be too small for the Queen, the house was destroyed and the Castle was built on the grounds instead. Construction was designed by both William Smith and Prince Albert and finished by 1856. Covering over 20,000 hectares, the estate has been succeeded onto many members of the Royal Family since Victoria. George V continued to improve the estate in the 1920s such as adding its formal gardens, and since the 1950s, the Queen’s husband Prince Phillip has added a water garden and new staff buildings situated near the castle. It currently is a working estate with a variety of forestry, moors, farmland and herds of cattle, deer and ponies. It has even managed to appear on the reverse side of the £100 Scottish notes since 1987, cementing its place in popular culture.

It is obvious that Balmoral Castle, open all day to the public apart from when host to the Royal Family, should be on any traveller’s itinerary or if anyone is simply taking a Short break Scotland. Iconic, regal and grandiose, Balmoral Castle continues to be a symbol of the Royal Family within Scotland.