Greetings from the Scottish Highlands! Im really quite excited to be here. While there is much to see in the country, it seems that the Highlands are what make Scotland quintessentially Scotland. It is the region of high fells, forested hills, mountains, rushing rivers and Highland Games such as tossing the caber. It is also the wildest part of Great Britain, where wild deer and golden eagles can still be seen. I am looking forward to exploring this part of the country for the next six days: three days spent here in Ballater in the eastern part of the Cairngorms National Park, and three days spent in Carrbridge near Aviemore, in the northern part.
My goodness the weather has changed since yesterday. So far I think Ive been really fortunate with the weather – while the rest of the UK was experiencing thunder and heavy downpours leading to significant flooding last week, the eastern part of Scotland has remained sunny, dry and warm. Things changed last night though, and I awoke this morning to heavy rain falling on the roof of my This part of Scotland received an Amber weather warning for the
day, and it really bucketed it down this morning. Because of the downpour, I booked a taxi from my in the southern suburbs of Aberdeen to the bus station, but then cancelled it shortly after as the weather suddenly improved around 9.30am, and the Met Office forecasted a lull for the following few hours. It turns out that the lovely owner was also going to offer me a lift if the rain didnt stop, which was just so kind of her. In the end I took the bus, and managed to stay dry for the journey into town, to catch my onward transportation from Aberdeen bus station to here, Ballater. This was the number 201 bus, taking an hour and three quarters, and taking a lovely route which rose steadily into the high mountain region of this part of the country, with the landscape changing from grey granite blocks to thick woods, open fields and flowing rivers. Indeed, this part of the country is known as Royal Deeside, situated along the River Dee, and since Queen Victoria had the royal Balmoral Castle built in the area in 1855, has been a retreat for the Royal Family ever since.
Arriving at my destination, the lovely little highland village of Ballater, I headed to my and my first BnB for this trip. This means that I will be enjoying a full English (or probably Scottish) breakfast each morning during my stay here – yay! There is only a kettle in the room however, and no fridge or microwave, so my evening meals for the next three days will be of the Pot Noodle and salad variety. Still, Ill have a cooked breakfast each morning – yay, again!
Again, I was very fortunate with the weather upon arriving in Ballater, as on the way here, we travelled through some major downpours. But in the short journey from the bus stop to my the weather amazingly held off for me. Not long after arrival, however, the heavens opened once more, for around two hours, and I took the chance just to rest and relax in my new room with a lovely cup of tea. Around 4.30pm, the rain began to clear, and I made it out to explore a bit of
The village is lovely, having been founded in the 18th century due to nearby curative water springs being found, and then later developing from the 19th century onwards as main supplier to the Royal Familys Balmoral residence. Many shops in town bear official By Royal Appointment crests, showing that the Royal Family partake of their wares and provisions. I walked around the small quiet centre, taking in the restored railway station building, although no railway has run to the village since 1966, and the attractive Glenmuick Church in the central Church Square. I then headed south and crossed the Ballater Bridge, across the River Dee, for my first awesome vistas of the beautiful Scottish Highlands – the scenes of misty forested mountains, open fields and the River Dee rushing along below were really something.
