A SONG IN HER HEART
TEN THINGS TO DO IN ROYAL DEESIDE LOCHNAGAR
At 1,154m, Lochnagar is one of the highest mountains in Scotland, with fine views of Balmoral and Loch Muick from the top. A walk around the loch and a stop at the visitor centre will suit those less keen on the eight-hour ascent.
LARKS GALLERY, BALLATER Every month this small contemporary gallery features a different Scottish artist as well as offering a changing selection of works from a variety of Scottish sculptors, photographers and designers.
‘Most of my best ideas come to me when I’m walking along the beach at Cruden Bay. It’s an amazing place’
great little shops – specialist shops, quirky shops and great places to have tea and coffee. You also get a sense of stepping back in time because it’s so beautifully kept and manicured – there’s a real atmosphere of pride and history. Another place Sophie and I love to visit is
George Pirie Antiques at the Tower Workshops at Tarland, near Aboyne. George has also opened a gallery in Howe Street in Edinburgh. I believe that where we live has an impact on
our work; it’s part of the essence of who we are. Most of my best ideas come when I’m walking along the beach at Cruden Bay, where we have a wee cottage. It’s an amazing place. Tunes come to me when I’m there, words
come to me, lyrics come to me. There’s something magical about the place where the land meets the sea and it has been very influential in the way I think and write. There’s nothing like the wind in your face to blow away the cobwebs and let your imagination run riot. When I visited Ellis Island in New York a
decade ago, the National Museum of Scotland was hosting an exhibition. It featured a huge number of kists – travelling chests that people from all over Scotland filled with their belongings and brought with them when they emigrated to America. I turned the idea of a cultural and musical journey into The Kist, my latest musical production. Many of the ideas for it came to me on the beach at Cruden Bay. This is still an area that’s producing amazing music and amazing musicians, like the fiddler Paul
Above: Helping with the luggage trolley at the Old Royal Station in Ballater.
WOODEND BARN, BANCHORY This vibrant arts centre delivers an eclectic programme of workshops and art events all year round. Live music, cinema, theatre, dance and visual arts are all on offer in Royal Deeside’s leading cultural hub.
BALLATER HIGHLAND GAMES On 14 August, Ballater holds its annual Highland Games. There will be track and field events, piping, Highland dancing and tug o’ war contests, along with a children’s funfair and numerous trade stands.
GLEN TANNAR ESTATE SAFARIS Take a Land Rover safari through the heart of Royal Deeside and experience spectacular landscape and wildlife while learning about the history of this vast estate and how it operates today.
ROYAL LOCHNAGAR DISTILLERY Learn about the process of making one of Scotland’s most exclusive whiskies in this fine distillery next to Balmoral Castle. No tour is complete without a wee dram of the award-winning 12-year-old single malt itself.
BRAEMAR CASTLE This 17th-century castle has had a vibrant past. Once a hunting lodge for the Earl of Mar, it was garrisoned by the Redcoats, nearly destroyed by the Jacobites and later restored as a family home. It’s well worth a visit.
THE OLD ROYAL STATION, BALLATER Transport yourself back to the Victorian age by calling at this restored railway station and follow Queen Victoria by sitting in her uniquely designed royal waiting room and her own royal train carriage.
BRAEMAR GATHERING Held this year on 6 September, the world-famous Highland Games are a highlight in Royal Deeside’s calendar. Tossing the caber, tug o’ war and pipe band parades are just some of the events that attract a
diverse audience, which very often includes the royal family.
FINZEAN FARM SHOP AND TEA ROOM This hidden gem on the Finzean estate, between Aboyne and Banchory, boasts superb views and even better produce. Home-reared meat and game, locally grown veg and home-baking make it a food-lover’s paradise.
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