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Going there for half term. Any tips for stuff to do? Thinking of interesting walks or small easy mountains to climb with the kids (6 & 9), possibly a tourist attraction or two if there are any.
Morrone/Morven is the hill just above the village. It's a straightforward walk. There are other signed walks around the village too.
Linn of Dee is worth a visit - especially after rain. The falls are great. Lots of walks from there with a relatively easy cycle in to Derry Lodge/Glen Derry if you have bikes.
Braemar Castle.
Go along and see if Mrs Windsor is at home in Balmoral.
Ballater has a wee bit more life about it. There are some old trains/wagons as you head out on the Aberdeen road.
Loch Muick is accessed from Ballater and is a nice walk.
The Bothy in Braemar is good for eating but you also need to visit the Hungry Highlander (chippy). It's a bit of an institution and usually surrounded by expensive motorbikes.
There's a hill right next to braemar caller morrone/morven that has a great view from the top. Goes through some cool forest IIRC.
There are some nice tracks around Linn of Dee to explore as well.
Assuming you're taking your bike - the riding is superb.
When was last time you ate at the hungry highlander colin ? 10 year ago it was almost legendry.
They sold it to some folk who tried to bring indian/kebab/chipshop fusion cusine to braemar and it seriously went off a cliff.
I was through in january there and see they have sold it to a manc couple who are making it better but its still prett dire.
Pheonix in ballater for fish and chips (if its still open( thats the reason i gave it hh another go cause the pheonix was shut 🙁 (and im not saying the phoenix is great its just the best in the area)
+1 for loch muick - pop into the visitors center the kids will enjoy it
+1 for the linnof quaich also very interestingly formed water fall
Other than that bask in the beauty of the surrounding area.
Staying in the caravan at the campsite on the glenshee road on edge of town i assume.
Braemar Castle, Morrone, Linn of Dee, Linn of Quoich, Loch Callater, duck pond at the top of Chapel Brae, chippy, Taste coffee shop (say hello to Dave and Ros) walk up or around Creag Choinnich, Balmoral tour, Lochnagar distillery,, Prince Albert's memorial cairn (pyramid) above Easter Balmoral, sweety factory in Ballater, Moorfield House Hotel for food and beer, Lochnagar Indian Brasserie in Ballater.
Agree with trail rat, Phoenix chippy in Ballater is better, it's my local. The fish cakes are ace.
Couldn't remember the name but yes taste is my cafe of choice in braemar. Bothy is ok but pricy you certainly.pay for the lovely new building
Taste does coffee just as good and at much less cost.
And while on a foodie theme it's worth popping into hm Sheridan in ballater for some black pudding
Ooh shorty's ice cream shop in Ballater is worth a visit too. All made on the premises, the freak shakes are an experience. Cyclehighlands for route advice if you're bringing your bike. Mastermind is a proper trail according to Peaty.
I remember going to Glen tannar when visiting friends in Aboyne, seemed nice.
+1 Linn of Dee
Didn't like Distillery tours when I was a kid.
Anyone doing rafting down the Dee, that would be fun. (Depending on how much water there is.)
Some other great castles not far off, Crathes, Craigievar.
And
Other than that bask in the beauty of the surrounding area.
Deeside Inn Ballater also do a 2 for 1 deal on all grills on a Thursday, steaks etc. Music from local fiddle players and guitarists too. Kids and dogs welcome.
The river is a bit low at the moment. Unlike the year I had to do this. https://photos.app.goo.gl/K8omBpICmddVkExb2
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When was last time you ate at the hungry highlander colin ? 10 year ago it was almost legendry.
They sold it to some folk who tried to bring indian/kebab/chipshop fusion cusine to braemar and it seriously went off a cliff.
I was through in january there and see they have sold it to a manc couple who are making it better but its still prett dire.
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They tried to change things? That won't have gone down well in Braemar.
Obv you can't go wrong with the wider area, it is stunning, but I would manage expectations about Braemar itself. For an unwelcoming dump with no decent alehouse, that smells of death, it's not a bad place to stay.
In truth it's prob no worse than a lot of places, just such a disappointment given the location and what it could be. Ballater up the road as said has more going on.
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When was last time you ate at the hungry highlander colin ? 10 year ago it was almost legendry.
They sold it to some folk who tried to bring indian/kebab/chipshop fusion cusine to braemar and it seriously went off a cliff.
I was through in january there and see they have sold it to a manc couple who are making it better but its still prett dire.
Last summer. Neill, his buddy Dave and I passed through on a Cairngorms bivvy loop. The food hit the spot and the staff could not have been more accommodating or friendly aven though we arrived not long before closing time.
The folk who run Taste are very nice (I've been at a BBQ and cultured a hangover with them) but the place never seems to be open 🙂
morven is a cracking quick up/down ride too if you have a bike, though the up is pretty stiff!
May or may not have bikes.
Are there any flat-ish easy but fun options for the family and their bikes?
Staying in the caravan at the campsite on the glenshee road on edge of town i assume.
Yes. Don't normally go for that kind of site but it doesn't look particularly crowded from the satellite pictures (could be wrong mind) and there aren't many tap/field sites in that part of Scotland, at least not that I can see.
Looks like riding West along the Dee to 'White Bridge' would be a nice easy spin, also maybe south down Glen Eyr.
aye at that time of night any hot food would be good but i wouldnt rave about it to visitors its not a crowning glory of our culinary charms
along the dee to white bridge is flat reasonably surfaced land rover track , getting rougher the further along you get.
not sure on glen eyr never been down it
Can ride into Derry lodge , lock the bikes up behind the hut just before the bridge and have a wander up glen derry until the kids have had enough - followed by a roll back down to the cars. Unless the path at derry which used to be a great fun hoon has had some work to rectify the large washed out (but passable by foot) sections i wouldnt drag my bike up there with the kids.
The track to Derry Lodge is, IMHO, more scenic than that to White Bridge. There's only one hill to speak off and that's just before the bridge over the Lui.
Glen Ey (no R) is, IIRC, a bit steeper and rougher. It's a few years since I was along there and I didn't have my biking head on 🙂
There's also an easy cycle from Ballater to Dinnet along the old railway bed. Detour slightly and you could visit the walks/falls/caves at Burn o'Vat.
Sounds like bikes are 'in' then. Ta.
Braemar is an excellent base for the surrounding area, excellent walking and biking suitable for all levels. Not much to do in the village itself but that's not really the point of staying there when there is so much to see around it. Look at walkhighlands for some walks, many of which ideal for bikes also.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/braemar.shtml
Had a good trip.
It was hot, sunny, dry and there were no midges. Really quite amazing. The village was quiet, quite a nice place to spent a week. Also the local garage can fix leaky brake calipers in a timely manner too.
In terms of family cycling there wasn't a huge amount but there are a few glens that are flat and you can cycle up. We couldn't make it all the way out to Glen Lui or Glen Quoich on bikes and have enough energy to ride up them though, due to the above mentioned car problem. But had we been able to drive there it would have been ok.
We cycled out to Lui bridge and spent a few hours swimming in a river pool, which was brilliant. There were loads of great places to swim in the falls further up stream too. Loads of spots for easy wild camps too.
I was gonna ask how you got on but forum Search couldn't find this thread. Searched for braemar and it brought up everything but this thread.
Glad you had a good time we were up at ballater riding heartbreak ridge and mastermind that weekend in the brutal heat and eating ice-cream.
Was in braemar on Monday there , the place really is eerie it almost seems more alive in winter like .
Last summer. Neill, his buddy Dave and I passed through on a Cairngorms bivvy loop.
that was one of the outings I puked on, remember? The white pudding(s) were minging.
yer not wrong about taste opening times though.
that was one of the outings I puked on,
I rest my case
I rest my case
well, like a pizza, you certainly wouldn’t want to drop it.... 😞