📌 Crathie, Aberdeenshire
★★★
Crathie’s enormous car park only makes sense during the summer holidays, when Balmoral Castle draws in huge numbers of tourists. To escape peak season crowds, head instead to the estate surrounding the residence. Here, the Royal Family have erected several impressive cairns on the hills either side of Dubh-chlais valley. These ranging from the dainty (Purchase Cairn) to the gargantuan (Prince Albert’s Cairn), often accompanied by excellent views over the castle itself and Deeside. Almost like a treasure hunt, or a geocaching route but with much larger objectives.
📷 Chronological photo guide
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at A93 / B976 junction, Crathie
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NO 263949
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.039588,-3.216629
🚌 Bus to Crathie
🚗 Car park (charge)
📝 Key info
▶ 10 km / 6 mi | ▲ 330 m | ⌛ 3 hr
Features: ⛪ Crathie Kirk; ✞ Balmoral Cairns; △ Creag a’ Ghobhainn (390 m); △ Creag an Lurachain (442 m)
⬤ Moderate | Steep paths and good tracks throughout. ⚠️ Route may not be accessible if the Royal Family is in residence at Balmoral Castle
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise circuit: start & Crathie Kirk – Easter Balmoral via path & footbridge over River Dee – Rhebreck – Princess Helena’s Cairn – Princess Louise’s Cairn – Purchase Cairn – Prince Leopold’s Cairn – Prince Arthur’s Cairn – Creag a’ Ghobhainn – Princess Alice’s Cairn – Creag an Lurachain – Prince Albert’s Cairn – Princess Beatrice’s Cairn – Easter Balmoral – return to start by outward route
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Nope…
Weather: Sunshine but a couple of rain showers, temperatures in single figures.
October 2012
