Scotland 2025: Ballater Hikes, Aylth, Meigle, Blairgowrie

After two days in the Scottish Highlands, we spent our final two days heading south back towards Edinburgh to finish off our trip. But before leaving the Ballater area, we stopped at a location where we could go on two short hikes along two intersecting rivers. We then made more stops at Devil’s Elbow, Alyth Burn and the village of Meigle before reaching Blairgowrie where we would stay that night. Finally, on the last day of our trip, we toured Scone Castle and grounds and the sculpture trail in Perth before staying our last night near the Edinburgh airport in preparation for flying home the next morning.

It was a very pretty drive where we saw some gorgeous vistas and a few ornate bridges including the cast-iron 1905 Edward VII bridge which is painted bright white. We passed by but did not have time to stop at the Mar Lodge Estate which is now one of the UK’s largest national nature reserves with the Mar Lodge, a former late 19th century hunting lodge, now serving as a heritage centre.

Our first hike was on the Linn of Dee trail which is a short scenic walk through forested pine woods towards and then along the River Dee where dramatic river views can be found. The full trail is 3.5km while a shorter loop is 1.5km. Since we were pressed for time before we had to head to our next destination, we took the shorter route so that we could also go on the second hike.

Once we reached the River Dee, we stood on large rocks as we watched the rush of the cascading water flowing towards a swirling pool where the water hit a dead end and then flowed outwards again. There were also small waterfalls, caverns, and caves. At one end of an old stone bridge, we found a gravestone that marked the spot where two people accidentally drowned in 1927. This caused us to step back a bit as we were taking our photos. Rather than going through more forest to create a longer loop, we doubled back to the starting point which also led to the start of the second hike.

Glen Lui Hike is a short 2.8km loop through more beautiful pinewoods, this time along the Lui Water (a smaller river that intersects with the larger River Dee). This hike involved following a gently rising path into the forest while peering through the trees to see the river below. We did not catch sight of it but there is supposed to be a manmade salmon ladder somewhere on the river. We did spot of at least one waterfall and mountain views as we neared the end of the route.

Devil’s Elbow is a famous double-hairpin bend on an old section of the A93 highway, located just south of Braemar above the Cairnwell Pass. It is the highest main road in the United Kingdom. Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth II drove on this road enroute to Balmoral in the 1960s, as documented by a commercial postcard. In 1971, the A93 was upgraded to bypass this notorious turn but the original route is still available for people to walk or cycle on. A viewing point with curved benches and informational signs describing the history were added in 2016. We saw several sheep calmly grazing by the viewing point, turning what was once a dangerous and thrilling drive into a pastoral scene.

We made a quick stop at the village of Alyth to take some photos of a small, picturesque stream called the Alyth Burn which runs through the middle the town. Colourful buildings on both sides that reflect in the water give the scene a canal-like feel. The burn starts from the Forest of Alyth northwest of the town and flows into the River Isla a couple of miles downstream for a total distance of about 13km. Four bridges cross the burn within the village including old stone bridges and a smaller metal bridge.

Trees, Benches and street art line the burn at the heart of the town where shops, restaurants and a hotel can be found. On a side street, we found a shop that offered restoration of classic cars and found a garage full of very cool vehicles including a vintage Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, a classic Volkswagen Beetle, and more.

The Meigle Sculpted Stone Museum contains 27 carved Pictish stones created mostly between the 9th and 10th centuries with a few dating as far back as 700AD. The Picts were ancient people who inhabited northern and eastern Scotland and consisted of various groups that might have been descendants of native tribes from the Iron Age. Meigle was a religious centre with an important Pictish church and also associated with the ruling aristocracy. Many of the stones are thought be tombs created after the Picts became Christianized. Monumental stone slabs were carved with Pictish motifs including geometric symbols such as “V-rod with crescent” which might represent lunar cycles, and double disc with Z-rod which might have been used for timekeeping.

There were also representations of warriors in battle or hunting scenes, some on horseback, and animals including an adder, salmon, wolf, stag, cat, and an eagle. Mythical beasts included sea monsters, dancing seahorses, coiled serpents, dragons, griffins and more. The later stones marking the Christian period of Pictish sculpture start to include images of Celtic crosses and other Christian imagery including lion-like creatures that might be references to Daniel and the Lion. Some carvings show humanoid figures with animal-like characteristics. The most iconic image is the “Pictish Beast”, described as a hybrid creature with a dolphin-like snout, a crest or mane rising from its head, and spiraled feet and curly tail.

The style of the stones seemed to change in the later centuries, veering away from the upright, vertical tombs towards recumbent tombs that were meant to lie flat or rest horizontally.  Intricate carvings can be found along the long sides. One stone seems to depict images of cattle, maybe pointing to farming. There is at least one example of a “hogback” tomb, which is a specialized type of recumbent tomb with a humped, curved ridge resembling a hog’s back. It is thought that these tombs were influenced by the Vikings and made to mimic Viking-era houses.

One of the most interesting and detailed stones in the collection has several interpretations.  The initial academic reading interpreted this as a biblical scene of Daniel in the lion’s den. However, from the 16th century, local folklore and now some current historians claim that it is King Arthur’s consort Guinevere that is being torn apart by lions. Legend has it that Guinevere was kidnapped and raped by Arthur’s nephew Mordred, which was considered shameful. To save his honour, Arthur had Guinevere killed. The claims are that this stone marked her final resting spot and proves the existence of Arthur and Guinevere is perhaps more than just a myth. This was a fascinating museum and it was amazing to see such a vast number of stones that are still so intact with the original carvings still so clearly visible.

Leaving Meigle, we headed to the town of Blairgowrie which we chose as a location to stay overnight before our last full day in Scotland. But we arrived so late that there was not enough time to go on the small hike that we had planned. Instead, we checked into our accommodations at the Old Cross Inn, then wandered to the main street to look for a place to eat dinner. We spotted Jahangir Indian Restaurant and decided to try that. This turned out to be a really good meal that was highlighted by haggis pakoras, the perfect blend of Indian and Scottish flavours.  Throughout our Scotland trip, we ate haggis often and in many forms including pan-fried and in Balmoral Chicken, but this was a new spin!  We also ordered a kebab sampler plate consisting of chicken&lamb tikka, seekh kabab (spiced minced meat) and a King prawn kebab.  For mains, we shared chicken korma and tandoori salmon on pilaf rice with a side of okra. For starch, we tried another speciality, which was naan stuffed with minced lamb. For our last meal on the road before returning to Edinburgh, we at like kings and queens.

Scotland 2025: Banchory, Ballator, Braemar

Following our stay in Stonehaven, we were finally ready to head inland towards the Scottish Highlands. When we first planned our Scotland trip, the timing revolved around attending the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which runs annually on the first three weeks in August. As we wanted to miss the hottest and busiest times, we chose to arrive in Edinburgh for the last five days of the festival. This became the lynchpin that determined the schedule for the rest of the trip, so we would not get to the Scottish Highlands until September.  Unfortunately, that meant many of the things we wanted to do or places we wanted to visit were closed including Balmoral Castle since public access to it ended at the end of August.  Instead, we chose to visit Ballater and Braemar in the Highlands.

Our initial itinerary for the Scottish Highlands involved arriving in Ballater on Saturday and touring Braemar Castle on the Sunday. But when I tried to book accommodations, I found there was nothing available anywhere in the vicinity for that Saturday night. We did not find out until later that this was the date for the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering, an event that draws over 16,000 visitors to the area with hotels booking up far in advance. Out of necessity, we decided to stay an extra day in Stonehaven and shift our two days in the Highlands to Sunday and Monday. I was so happy to get any accommodations at all, that I did not realize the implications of this shift until it was too late.  But more on that later.

As part of our route inland, we wanted to stop at the Royal Deeside Railway to take a train ride on a restored heritage train that once ran between Balmoral and Aberdeen. These hopes were dashed since it also closed at the end of August. We then tried to watch salmon jump at the Bridge of Feugh in Banchory which is known for this and even features carvings of salmon. But once again, we were out of season.

The one planned site that we did manage to successfully visit was the Banchory Ternan Kirkyard. The original Ternan Church and cemetery was established around the 6th to 7th centuries and named after St.Ternan, Bishop of the Picts. The church went through multiple rebuilds and in 1824, it was dismantled and moved across the street, but the churchyard remained in its original location. The oldest structure in the cemetery is the Tilquihillie Vault, built in 1775 with the inscribed initials J.D. and M.A. representing John Douglas, 23rd Laird of Tilquihillie and his wife Mary Arbuthnott. But the main structure of interest was the circular watchtower, built circa 1829 when guards protected recently buried bodies against grave robbers. This tower had windows all around from the upper level and a bell to sound the alarm. What is interesting is that the door to enter the tower is also at the second level. The guard would climb up using a ladder and then pull the ladder into the tower so that he could not be easily accessed.

Sitting at 700 feet in elevation, Ballator is a pretty Victorian village in the Highlands running along the River Dee which is known for its proximity to Balmoral Castle. We stayed two nights at the family-run Alexandra Hotel on Bridge Street in central Ballater, which made it easy to explore the village. We were also a short drive away from neighbouring Braemar, as well as some hiking trails along the river. The hotel provided us with hearty full Scottish breakfasts each morning to start our day.

Following along Bridge Street into the heart of the village, we passed by the Glenmuick Church which is a parish church dating back to the early 1800s with a Gillett & Brand clock added in 1879 that had an electrified mechanism added in 1982. In front is a prominent war memorial honouring fallen soldiers from WWI and WWII. Across the street is the Farquharson Memorial Drinking Fountain, a Victorian granite structure from 1884 that was presented by Provost Hugh Rose to the residents of Ballater.  Lining both sides of Bridge St. are quaint shops in stone buildings selling souvenirs, crafts, and more.

At the far end of Bridge Street is Station Square where the Old Royal Station is found. This was the former railway station that was the last stop of the Deeside line that ran from Aberdeen to Ballater. The timber station was built in Victorian railway architecture fashion with a herringbone slate roof, a decorative porte-cochère (covered porch entrance), and matching ornamental trim on the flanking gables. Opened in 1866, it gained its royal nickname for being the closest rail access to Balmoral Castle, used regularly by Queen Victoria and other European royalty between the 19th and early 20th centuries. The line closed in 1966 although the station and platform remained in place. Following a fire in 2015, the station was restored and reopened in 2018. Today it is home to a visitors’ centre, library, café spaces and exhibition areas.

The Rothesay Rooms is a beautiful café/restaurant within the Old Royal Station, offering locally sourced Scottish meals for brunch, lunch, afternoon tea and Sunday roasts. The eatery is named for the Duke of Rothesay, the title held by the heir apparent to the British throne. At the time of its opening, the restaurant was named in honour of Prince Charles (now King Charles). The restored interior is made to resemble a Victorian railway station with its wood-paneled walls, stained glass windows, booths with red banquet benches, and tables next to windows that look like they belong to a vintage train. The roped off room was the Royal waiting room where Queen Victoria and her heirs would wait for their train. If we didn’t already have dinner reservations that evening, we would have loved to dine in this cool space.

Although we knew that Balmoral Castle was not open for touring after the end of August, we were hoping that we could drive up to the parking lot and perhaps get a glimpse of the castle for a photo from afar. We decided to take the 15-minute drive to Balmoral to see if this was possible. But just as we got to the edge of Ballater, we were distracted by a sign for “McEwan Gallery” and decided to check it out.

The family-run fine art gallery specializes in Scottish and European paintings from 17th century up to current day, as well as prints, sculptures and ceramics. Currently run by Rhod McEwan, who used to work at Christies as an art evaluator, the gallery is located inside of a large 2-storey Tudor-styled house. The downstairs rooms were packed throughout with art hanging from walls and sitting on top of tables, desks, credenzas, and fireplace mantles. A few more works were hanging on the wall of the second-floor landing, which probably led to the family’s living quarters. There was so much to look at and we had so much fun talking to the owner that we ended up spending over a half hour at this unexpected stop. During our chat, we found out that there was no point to continue to Balmoral since there was no way to get close enough to see the castle.

As we were about to leave, I caught sight of a room that we almost missed. Here, we found beautiful ceramics and pottery items for sale including bowls, cups, mugs, and vases. We were quite taken with the vases by British ceramist Anita Harris from Stoke-on-Trent, who once designed for Moorcroft. Her works feature vibrant hand-painted images using gleaming glazes with “flame-like or crystalline effects”, blending Art Nouveau-styled lines with modern colour palettes. We chose a vase that is part of Harris’ “Bluebell Wood” series with woodland and floral imagery painted on all sides.  After some debate as to whether or not it would survive the trip home in our carry-on bags, we decided to buy it as a souvenir of our trip. 

The Fish Shop is a popular seafood restaurant and adjoining fish shop that specializes in sustainable and locally sourced fish and shellfish. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, which highlights good value, high quality cooking. The restaurant is decorated with maritime themes including a sculptural installation of a swarm of fish on the ceiling and walls painted with crashing waves. We each ordered the Chef’s menu to try many different types of seafood. This set menu consisted of a crab crumpet, smoked haddock fritter with aioli, smoked cod roe on a potato tattie served with parsley salad, Oban scallop on a shell with garlic and chervil, lobster tagliarini with chili and garlic, and roasted halibut with aubergine and roasted tomato. The dessert was a chocolate and bramble brownie with dark chocolate ice cream.

Braemar Castle was built in 1628 as a L-plan tower house with castellated turrets, a star-shaped defensive wall, and a bottle-necked dungeon. It was used as a hunting lodge by John Erskine, Earl of Mar before he forfeited it to the Crown after the failed 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. It was purchased by the Farquarson family in the 18th century and is still associated with this clan today. The interior still contains furnishings and historical objects owned by the family.

After our plans shifted due to issues booking accommodations, we did not end up in Braemar until Monday. Unfortunately, Braemar Castle was closed on Mondays so we could not tour the inside! Luckily, unlike Balmoral Castle, which is totally blocked off when closed, we were still able to walk around the grounds of Braemar Castle and take photos of the exterior for free. Given the number of castles and palaces that we had already visited and would still visit on this trip, this was not so bad.

Braemar Castle is centred on a small hillside immediately above the village of Braemar. Its grounds consist of a short woodland trail running through native trees and shrubs that is open to the public. The path leading up to the castle consists of stones etched with a timeline, highlighting key dates in the castle’s history. A children’s play-area “maze” consisting of nested circles cut into the grass and a giant chess set placed on the lawn in front of the castle are accessible during summer months and school holidays for the enjoyment of families and school children.

Positioned on the upper edge of the castle grounds is the Fog House, a small timber garden folly with a thatched roof that was built in the 19th century as a viewpoint and resting place enroute to the castle. Inside is a bank of benches and a small table, making it the perfect rest stop for sheltering from the sun and heat. A 1930s heritage kitchen garden is planted with seasonal fruit and vegetables and is often used for educational and community activities.  A bright pink bird-like kite flaps in the air, probably acting as a scarecrow but also providing a pretty spot of colour against the backdrop of the castle. At the entrance to the castle grounds is a stone marker etched with the figure and name of “Colonel Anne”, referring to Lady Anne Farquharson-Mackintosh who had an active role in the Jacobite uprising along with her husband Captain Angus Mackintosh.

The village of Braemar is fun to walk around because there is a Historic walking trail that brings you to each site of interest.  Dating back to 1645, the Invercauld Arms Hotel started as a roadside inn that served as a key stopping point for horse-drawn stagecoaches and travelers to rest their horses and get food, drink and lodging. The Great North of Scotland Railway station was constructed in 1904 in anticipation of the expansion of the Deeside line but the railway never came to Braemar. Instead, the building was repurposed as a bus depot. An ornate fountain was erected by Lt.Col James Ross Farquharson, the 13th Laird of Invercauld in memory of his young wife Elizabeth who died in childbirth. A quaint wishing well topped by a weathervane is found on the Clunie Water bridge overlooking the River Dee. It is not one of the sites on the historic trail but it feels like it should be.  St.Margaret’s Episcopal Church was built in 1880 and serviced English visitors who came to visit after Queen Victoria adopted Balmoral as her Highland home.

There are several war memorials in the heart of Braemar starting with a large stone with a plaque marks the site close to where the Jacobite standard was raised at the start of the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion led by the 6th Earl of Mar. The Braemar War Memorial topped by a granite Celtic Cross was unveiled in 1921 by Princess Louise in memorial of local residents who died in the two World Wars. Next to it is a memorial consisting of a black aircraft engine unveiled in 2003 by Princess Anne as a tribute to the crew of a Wellington bomber plane that crashed in Upper Glen Clunie in 1942. Nearby is the Braemar RAF Benevolent fund memorial made of a MK22 bomb casing that is used as a collection box, with a plaque dedicated to those who lost their lives in flying operations. A pretty bench decorated with hearts and doves advocates for peace and love in midst all the reminders of war.

Continuing with the historic trail, we saw a weather observatory that was donated by Prince Albert in 1855, making it one of the oldest in Scotland. Something interesting occurred when we walked by the house where Robert Louis Stevenson spent a summer and wrote Treasure Island. Sounds of a bagpipe playing emanated from the house and when we looked up into the upstairs window, we saw the bagpiper in full regalia practicing. Castleton Cottage is over 300 years old, making it one of the oldest buildings in Braemar. After touring all of these historic sites, it was refreshing and amusing to come across Subdoh Gupta’s 20-foot-tall stainless-steel sculpture titled “When Soak Becomes Spill”, initially created for a festival at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2015. It consists of a gigantic bucket filled with pots and pans, meant to “evoke childhood memory, consumerism and waste of natural resources”. But from far away, it looked to me like a huge tub of popcorn.

There are many interesting shops in Braemar including antique and souvenir stores.  The stereotypical Haggis and Highland Cow motifs were prominent, as well as items covered with tartan patterns from tablecloths to chocolate bars. I liked the book titled “Slugs - Friend or Foe” although I didn’t open it to find out the answer.  One kitchen store had a set of pate knives and forks with the images of Harry Potter characters etched on the handles.

We especially liked the shops in Braemar Mews, a small sectioned off area built in 1873 that once served as the stables for the Fife Arms Hotel across the street. The area was divided into retail units in the 1990 and now serves a small heritage shopping area. The Mews are decorated with stacked flower planters that form the shape of a Christmas tree, and a wooden bench with intricately carved animals on either side including a couple of owls, a squirrel and a porcupine. In particular, we found many items of interest at the Braes O’Mar including the cutest sheep sweaters that I would have bought if they weren’t made with pure wool which I find scratchy. Instead, Rich found a new raincoat and I picked up a little dress with pockets.

Fife Arms Hotel and Restaurant dates back to 1856 when it opened as a hotel to meet the surge of tourism that arose from Queen Victoria’s visits to nearby Balmoral. It was a popular place to stay for royalty and influential families, earning the status “By Special Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen”.  During WWI, it was used as a site to nurse wounded soldiers. The establishment fell into disrepair in the late 20th century before being purchased in 2014 by art dealers Iwan and Manuela Wirth, who restored it to its Victorian/Edwardian glory and filled it with over 16,000 works of art ranging from Scottish heritage to modern and contemporary pieces. The Wirths also commissioned various large installations found throughout the hotel. Today, Fife Arms is a 5-star luxury hotel with a grand lounge, spa, Clunie restaurant, Flying Stag pub, and several bars including an Art Deco cocktail bar named Elsa’s.

The grand lobby of the Fife Arms is a breathtaking mix of lavish Victorian-style and Highland lodge vibes, featuring both dark wood paneling and tartan wallpaper. The room is decorated with several impressive and eclectic art pieces. Hanging above the grand staircase by the concierge desk is “Red Deer Chandelier” made from stainless steel, hand-blown glass, plastic, neon and electrical devices to form multi-coloured shapes resembling deer antlers. A monumental 19th century mahogany and pine fireplace is surrounded by an ornate chimneypiece or framework with intricate carvings depicting scenes from the works of poet Robert Burns including statutes from “Ode to a Toothache”, “Jolly Beggars”, “Dr. Hornbook” and more. Flanking both sides of the fireplace opening are carvings of Burns and his lover Highland Mary. In collaboration with piano maker Steinway & Sons, artist Mark Bradford decorated a 2015 Steinway Spiro player piano programmed to play composer Robert Glasper’s score “Still Shining”.  The piano was covered with burned and bleached squares of paper to give it a flaming appearance. An original Picasso painting titled Tête de Femme (1938) sits over one of the couches. It is a portrait of Picasso’s French model lover Marie-Thérèse Walter. This is a rare portrait that features one of Picasso’s own poems within the composition. It is just one of multiple Picassos within the hotel’s vast collection. In addition to the Picassos, the collection includes works from other famous artists including Man Ray, Lucian Freud, Louise Bourgeois and more.

The Flying Stag pub offers a menu of hearty Scottish dishes including curries, fish and chips, burgers, pies, and dishes based on lamb, chicken, or haggis.  A wide variety of drinks are offered including local beers, Scottish whiskeys and other spirits. The eponymous “Flying Stag” is a large stuffed male deer with gigantic antlers adorned with wings resembling those of a ptarmigan, a bird that lives at the highest peaks of the nearby Cairngorm Mountains. Suspended above the bar and flanked by many other mounted antlers, the sculpture was created by American artist and naturalist James Prosek. On another wall are more antlers as well as photographs, portraits, and paintings including one titled “The Cardsharps”, based on a painting by Caravaggio, thought to have been painted by one of his followers.

We chose to have lunch at the more casual Flying Stag pub as opposed to the fancier Clunie restaurant. We started with the smoked mackerel pate topped with burnt apple slices and olives served with sourdough bread. For my main course, I chose the Barnsley lamb chop with spring vegetables, confit garlic & anchovy butter.  Rich ordered the steak sandwich with beer braised onion, chimichurri, mustard mayo and fries. As a side, we shared some honey glazed carrots. We decided not to have dessert in the pub because we hoped to get into the beautiful drawing room for afternoon tea instead. After our meal, we walked towards the back of the pub and were admiring a display case with some taxidermy stuffed birds.  A waiter noticed us and pointed towards a back door and told us to go through there for a surprise.

What we found was a back stairwell with an entire wall and ceiling covered with mounted animal heads, antlers and skulls. The ceiling in particular had horned skulls arranged in a circular pattern that resembled a sunburst around a central chandelier.  A plush red Victorian couch was positioned beneath the wall of heads, providing a strange juxtaposition between the gentile and the macabre.  Off to one side underneath the staircase were display cabinets with more stuffed birds. When thinking back about this space, we referred to it as the “Wall of Death”.

The stunning Drawing Room is known for its amazing, psychedelic ceiling created by Chinese artist Zhang Enli. Titled “Ancient Quartz”, Zhang was inspired by the cross sections of Scottish agates (banded crystalline quartz) and crystals found in the Cairngorm Mountains. On one of the tartan wallpapered walls of the Drawing Room was yet another original Picasso, this one named “Nude and Man with a Pipe” (1967) which is one of Picasso’s later works. The female figure is modelled after Jacqueline Roque, the artist’s second wife and muse for the last two decades of his life. The male figure, depicted as a musketeer, is likely a stand-in for the artist himself.

Because we already had lunch in the Flying Stag, we wanted the least amount of food possible just so that we could sit in this gorgeous room. Finding a cozy table by the window, we ordered two scones and a pot of tea and spent most of our time admiring our surroundings. The Drawing Room has yet another fireplace which is striking with the brown wood against the green and black tartan wallpaper. The chimney piece (more modest compared to the one in the lobby) depicts a heraldic shield under a crown, flanked by two classical male nudes with the mottos “Deo Juvante” (With God’s Help) at the top and “Virtute et Opera” (By virtue and effort) at the bottom.  The décor in the Fife Arms is so beautiful that even the bathrooms are lavish with wood paneling and floral wallpaper.

After our two official meals in the Flying Stag and the Drawing Room, we wandered around the hotel and peeked into some of the other spaces. The Clunie Dining Room featured another giant stag (this time without wings). Its walls were covered with a specially commissioned mural by Argentinian artist Guillermo Kuitca who painted in a distinctive “cubist-like” style with forms and colours inspired by the ebb and flow of the River Clunie.  Bertie’s Whisky Bar is an elegant whisky library named in honour of King Edward VII (aka Bertie). It features over 500 whiskies arranged on bookshelves by flavour profiles. Unfortunately, we missed the Art Deco Elsa's Cocktail Bar named after and inspired by the style of Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli.  Wandering around the hallways, we found more contemporary art including one of Martin Creed’s photographic series depicting a tiny chihuahua with a giant Irish Wolfhound.

It was so much fun to explore the Fife Arms. What a great (but extremely pricey) experience it would have been to have stayed overnight, especially in one of the themed rooms.  Maybe one day.

Scotland 2025: Crathes Castle and Gardens

Built for the Burnett family of Leys in the 16th century, on land originally granted by King Robert the Bruce back in 1323, Crathes Castle was initially a Baroque/Renaissance styled tower house that mixed a strong, solid defensive structure at its base with increasingly decorative detailing on its upper levels. Construction of the castle was initiated in 1553 by Alexander Burnett, 9th Laird of Leys and his wife Janet Hamilton.

In the 18th century, a 3-storey projecting wing was added to provide more living space. When it burned down in 1966, the current 2-storey structure was built, completing its L-shape form. Reopened in 1970 and named “The Queen Anne Wing”, it houses the visitor centre, ticket office and gift shop. The extension is covered with deep red, yellow and green tinted ivy that grew naturally and now gives the castle an atmospheric feel while softening and protecting the stonework. The Burnett clan lived in Crathes Castle for over 350 years before donating it and the extensive grounds and gardens of the estate to the National Trust of Scotland in 1951. 

The original tower has pinkish, harled (stone-roughed) walls and winding stair turrets. It is decorated with crow-stepped gables, pinnacles, gargoyles and waterspouts, paneling depicting heraldry, and a clock at the top of a crenulated bartizan (small overhanging protrusion supported by corbels). A couple of small turret bartizans project from the corners of the tower. These were originally created for defensive purposes as lookouts with narrow arrow slits for shooting at oncoming attackers. Ornate string courses (decorative bands of masonry bricks) frame some windows, the base of the turrets, and the clock.

For the most part, touring Crathes Castle involved visiting the old portions within the original tower which spans around six levels including the basement where the kitchen and servants’ hall is found. Some of the rooms are on staggered “half levels” so the total number of floors in the castle is up for interpretation. A virtual tour of Crathes Castle includes an expandable 3-D “dollhouse view” which allows you to envision where the rooms are relative to each other. Traversing the tower involved climbing uneven, windy steps around narrow turrets. The stairs were so steep that in some places, a thick vertical cord was provided for you to grasp before trying to descend. We visited the rooms in the castle from bottom to top.

At the lowest level were two examples of kitchens. The first kitchen dated back to 16^th century with a massive fireplace and a wrought-iron chimney hook for hanging heavy cauldrons. The second kitchen was built in the 18^th century and featured more modern (for the times) cooking apparatus including a coal-fired cast‑iron range. 

Moving on to the first (ground) level, the High Hall or Great Hall was considered the most important room in the tower when it was built between 1553 to 1596.  At the time, it was used as a communal living space for socializing during the day, as a dining room in the evening, and sleeping quarters at night. The hall has evolved over the centuries, blending Renaissance elements with Victorian updates. During WWII, the room was used as a dormitory for injured soldiers. Today, it has a vaulted ceiling with tempura-painted images in wall insets, an ornate fireplace, three sets of chandeliers, antique furnishings, family portraits on the walls and interesting decorations scattered throughout.

The 16th Century Italian, stone fireplace has carvings of caryatids (sculpted, draped female figures serving as architectural supports) on either side. Sitting framed above the fireplace is Crathes Castle’s greatest treasure. It is the Horn of Leys, a horn presented around 1323 by Robert the Bruce to Alexander Bernard, the first Burnett of Leys. The king awarded Bernard the title of Royal Forester as thanks for his support during the Wars of Independence. The horn is made of ivory and precious stones and depicts a boar’s head holding a cup. 

A suit of armour sits in the centre of three insets in the wall above the fireplace. Not much is known about it but it is possibly Middle Eastern chain mail purchased as a souvenir by a Laird during a grand tour. In the two flanking insets are tempura paintings of heraldry. The left refers to Alexander Burnett, the 9th Laird, depicting the Burnett coat of arms (3 sprigs of holly above a horn) attached to the Hamilton coat of arms (small 5-leaved flowers) for his wife Janet Hamilton. In the right inset is again the Burnett coat of arms, this time tied to the Gordon coat of arms, for Katherine Gordon, wife of the 10th Laird (also named Alexander!). A beautiful lampshade was hand-inscribed by Catherine Burnett Ramsey and sits on a base that is a 17th century Majolica ceramic depicting the form of Medusa.

Just outside the High Hall is the Stone Hall, possibly named because the floors and walls seemed to be made of stone. It was once a withdrawing room for the Burnett family to have a private space away from the bustle of the High Hall. There is a roped off set of stairs that once connected directly to the kitchen, allowing food to be brought up for serving. Today, the room is used to display arms and armoury, some dating back to 18th and 19th centuries and some replicas. The oldest weapon is a two-handed Scottish Claymore sword with a long German blade.  Other items hanging from the walls include various shorter swords and daggars, pistols, flint-lock rifles, and a kukri (a short knife with a curved blade). There are some original chairs including one with “AB” carved on it for Alexander Burnett along with his coat of arms of three Holly leaves and a horn. Another chair has “KG” carved in it for Katherine Gordon.

On the next floors are rooms with “painted ceiling” beams and rafters created around 1597-1602, likely commissioned by Katherine Gordon. Inspired by German or Flemish etchings, the beams depict images of flowers, heroes, deities, royalty, and biblical or moral verses, with each room having a different theme. The images have been restored to revive their colours in three of the four rooms. 

The Muses Room focuses on the Nine Muses who were patrons of arts and sciences (theatre, dance, poetry, music, astronomy, etc.) and Four Virtues (Prudence, Justice, Faith and Hope). Probably considered the Music room, several musical instruments are found here including a harp and mandolin from the 19th century and a "square piano" with strings running horizontally in a long rectangular case. A large 18th century tapestry hangs on the wall and various decorations are found in display cases including Majolica vases, a pretty fan, playing cards and more.

The Green Lady’s Room is a large room on an upper floor that is best known for its reputation of being haunted by a ghostly woman in a green dress carrying a baby. Legend has it that she was a servant girl who gave birth out of wedlock and hid the baby. During renovations in 1824, the bones of a woman and newborn were found under the hearthstone of the fireplace, fueling this story. The room seems to be divided into two parts.  One side of the room is dominated by two large Flemish tapestries depicting landscape scenes with greenish hues that add to the atmosphere and mystery of the room. On the other side is a set of children’s furniture, a baby walker, and a cradle. 

This is the second room featuring the painted ceiling beams. In this room, many of the beams are decorated with floral designs and curlicues while a few of them are painted with images of noblemen and women. Biblical quotes and proverbs can be found on the sides of the beams. If you look long enough, you an also find the images of a goat’s head, a dragon with a long tongue, a heart-shaped necklace, and a flower.

The Worthies Room is yet another room with the painted tempura ceiling beams, but this time depicting the Nine Worthies—three legendary heroes from pagan (Hector, Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar), Jewish (Joshua, King David, Judas Maccabeus) and Christian (King Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Boullion) traditions. The beams also depict painted inscriptions and verse introducing each of the figures while describing their deeds and moral lessons.

The Stair Chamber is a small room accessed at the turnpike of one of the spiral staircases. It is notable as yet another room that had timber painted Renaissance beams, but in this case, the beams have been left untouched and unrestored. Most of the painted images have faded but faint biblical inscriptions remain including moral texts on faith and virtue.  

The Laird’s Bedroom features an impressive 1594 carved-oak four-poster bed with a canopy that was commissioned for the wedding of Alexander and Katherine, with their heraldry and initials carved into it. A carving of a face can be found on the each of the intricately carved front posts. The bedspread and the cushion on the stool at the foot of the bed both are examples of crewel embroidery featuring raised, textured designs of flowers created using 2-ply woolen thread stitched on top of woven linen.

The Long Gallery is found on the top floor (attic) and spans the entire length of the tower. It was used by the family as an exercise room for indoor walking, as well a space for entertaining favoured guests and a place for displaying the family’s portraits, art and furnishings. The ornate oak-paneled plaster ceiling is decorated with colourful heraldic shields including one representing Alexander Burnett and Katherine Gordon, as well as shields for other nobles such as the Marquis of Hamilton and the Bishop of Salisbury.

Crathes Castle’s estate and grounds extend over 530 acres including woodland walking trails, diverse wildlife, a walled garden, a large croquet lawn, a terrace for viewing, and a vast variety of trees, shrubs and flowers. Considered one of the finest in Scotland, the 4-acre walled garden started off as a kitchen garden centuries ago and evolved over into an Arts and Crafts masterpiece. Yew trees planted back in the early 17th century were used to make dramatic enclosures separating garden “rooms” and to create ancient topiary hedges. One of the garden’s most iconic forms is the “Egg Cup Topiary”, where precisely clipped Irish yews are made to look like eggs sitting in egg holders. From the garden, you can get many spectacular views of the castle off in the distance while framed by beautiful plants and gardens in the foreground.

Eight Arts and Crafts sub-gardens or "rooms" each have a different theme and colour scheme.  These include gardens with surrounded by different coloured borders including ones made from white flowers, golden-yellow foliage, blue/pink floral combinations, and double herbaceous borders with colourful perennial beds.  There is a garden featuring a fountain surrounded by blue flowers, a red rose garden, an upper pool garden with exotic plants, and a garden with a bird-themed aviary border. Most of the gardens were designed in the early 20th century by Sir James and Lady Sybil Burnett, who selected the colour-themed borders, rare plants, pools and fountains with the goal of maintaining interesting flora all year round.

We visited Crathes Castle at the beginning of September and were impressed by how many different varieties of flowers were still in bloom. We saw some purple asters and red salvia that were big attractions for the monarch butterflies  A plant commonly known as “blood lies bleeding” has long dangling deep purple/red flowers with a velvety texture, and a cactus-like succulent with large green rosettes that resembled a large cabbage. There were also some yellow coneflowers, white African daisies, a tall spikey plant with flame-like orange flowers called kniphofia (or torch lily), and some purple primrose. We saw more topiary formations including a tree (probably yew) shaped like a mushroom and various hedges that almost formed a maze.

I always enjoy garden art and there was plenty of sculptures to look at throughout the various garden sections, especially in the middle of pools and fountains. We found some ornate planters and even a sculpture of some stone rabbits. This was definitely one of the most beautiful, eclectic and well-planned walled gardens that we have visited so far in Scotland. Adding into consideration all the unique elements inside the castle, Crathes might be in the running for my favourite castle out of all the castles that we have toured so far on our vacation.