Walking the Balmoral Estate offers the chance of royal watching, royal history and Scotland walks - it's a knockout combo.
Scotland is made for walking vacations and walking vacation around the Balmoral Estate combines several favorite pastimes:[post_ads_2]
- exceptional walks
- a glimpse at Scotland's Victorian Royal Heritage and
- a chance for some Royal watching.
Walks on and around the Balmoral Estate range from easy, guided walks only available when Balmoral Castle and Gardens are open to the public, to challenging mountain and loch hikes, available year round, weather permitting.
Ranger led walks around Balmoral Castle and Gardens
Every
Wednesday from April through July, Balmoral's rangers lead two-hour
guided woodland walks around the estate. The walks cover two to three
miles and are included in the price of admission to Balmoral but they
must be booked in advance. The rangers also lead several themed walking
and hiking events throughout the summer and fall.
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These range from gentle walks to ascents of Lochnagar. The schedule changes annually and prices vary. Visit the Balmoral Ranger Service webpage to
find out more. Or, to book a walk or find out the latest Ranger Walks
information telephone Fiona at The Spittal of Muick Visitor Centre on
+44 (0)13397 55059.
Hike around Loch Muick
Loch
Muick, on the Balmoral Estate at the base of Lochnagar, is surrounded
by relatively easy tracks and is also the start of several longer and
challenging hikes into the hills to the south and up Lochnagar itself.
The hike around Loch Muick is about five miles and passes a cottage
built for Queen Victoria before a waterfall,the Glasalt falls.
The
Loch is at the head of Glen Muick, accessible by walkers, cyclists and
car tourers, off the South Deeside Road, near Ballater. There is a small
car park at the end of the public road at the Spittal of Glen Muick
Information Center. The center is open every day from 8am to 6pm and
rangers are available to help at any time, by appointment. To book a
Ranger appointment, ring the estate office on +44 (0)13397 55059. Walking Highlands,
an organization that promotes walking in Scotland has the most detailed
information about walks in Scotland, including Ordnance Survey maps of
walking routes.
Lochnagar
Lochnagar is one of the mountains referred to in Scotland as The Munros. These are mountains that are more than 3,000 feet tall. The mountain was the subject of a poem,Lochnagar by Byron, and a children's book, The Old Man of Lochnagar, by Prince Charles.
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There is an 8 mile hiking circuit, to the summit of Lochnagar and
back from the Spittal of Glen Muick Visitors Centre. The route is
moderately challenging in warmer weather - taking about seven hours.
From November to May the route is usually covered with snow and ice and
should only be attempted by experienced walkers, equipped and skilled
with crampons and ice axes.
The Balmoral Cairns
The
Balmoral Cairns were erected in the 19th century by members of Queen
Victoria's family to commemorate various events. They are often
described as historic but they are not ancient - simply family
commemorations of various sorts. This walk, which is over unmarked paths
and tracks and is steep in places, is about six miles long. Its chief
attraction is that it offers good views of Deeside and overlooks
Balmoral Castle itself. When the castle is open to the public, there are
paths through the grounds to the cairns. But, it is possible to follow
the path, from a road left of the castle entrance, when Balmoral is
closed. As ever, Walking Highlands has a good description of the walk and directions. Though
it rarely happens, if the royal family is in residence, you could be
asked to leave the part of the walk that overlooks the castle.
