Balmoral Castle, Residence of British Royals in Scottish Highlands.

Above image shows a 1896 painting by Joseph Denovan Adam.The distortion of scale emphasises the castle's isolation.

Introduction 

This evening, I am posting information on Balmoral Castle, a popular visitor attraction situated about 50 miles/80 km west of Aberdeen in the Scottish Highlands.

Information on Balmoral Castle

The origin of the name Balmoral sits at odds with the status of the current building in that it means 'hut in the big clearing', a Gaelic name which may date back to around middle of the first millennium.

Front elevation
 


One of the attractions of Balmoral Castle is the Royal connection which dates back to the purchase of the property by Queen Victoria in 1848. Since that time the castle has remained under ownership of the British Royal family in a private capacity.. However, the Castle today represents a major rebuild dating from 1855 to accommodate Queen Victoria’s  ever-increasing entourage, family and important visitors.

Front and side elevation



Historically only the Castle’s  ballroom has been open to visitors. Nevertheless, there are very extensive grounds and gardens to enjoy, including a walk along the banks of the neighbouring River Dee. The castle is accessed via a half mile drive lined by magnificent specimen trees many of which were planted in the mid 19th century. For horticulturists there are extensive gardens to admire including a sunken rose garden and kitchen garden.Check website for opening times and access.

Summer flowers at Balmoral Castle



River Dee at Balmoral




Looking at the wider picture, the entire Balmoral estate extends to 49,000 acres (20,000 ha) which is contained with the Cairngorms National Park.

This region is known as Royal Deeside (after the river which flows through it). Other popular visitor sites in the area include the small town of Braemar, Braemar Castle, Crathie Kirk and Royal Lochnagar Distillery. 

More Information for the visitor to Scotland

The publication, Visitors’ Guide to Scotland includes a section on the Scottish Highlands and much more. This book is heavily illustrated and contains a wealth of information on Scotland. The ISBN is 978-1-9161332-0-4. Also available via Kindle.

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