Ballater - Ballater visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Ballater' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Aberdeenshire.

Ballater lies just east of the Cairngorm Mountains in Royal Deeside, next to the River Dee in Aberdeenshire in northeast Scotland. A settlement has been here for many centuries at a strategic crossing of the Grampian Mounth. However, Ballater did not begin to develop until the 18th century as a spa resort to accommodate visitors to the Pananich Mineral Well.

The arrival of the railway in 1866 also increased the popularity of Ballater, not least with the Royal Family and associated guests visiting nearby Balmoral Castle and Upper Deeside. the railway, which closed in 1966, also drew many other visitors to the region and led to the development of the Victorian town and buildings like Glenmuick Church.

Ballater - Attractions

Ballater is a centre for Royal Deeside tourism. People are drawn here for the scenery, outdoor pursuits and nearby castles. Cycling, walking, hunting and fishing are popular in the region. Many of the shops display Royal Warrants, supplying nearby Balmoral Castle. Attractions include:

• Balmoral Castle - one of the Royal castles, just 10 minutes from Ballater.
• Cairngorms - countless walking, hiking and biking trails in beautiful surroundings.
• Glenmuick Church - Victorian church dominating Church Green at the center of Ballater.
• Old Ballater Station - now a visitor center containing Queen Victoria's waiting room and a replica royal carriage.
• Ballater Bridge - granite bridge over the Dee opened in 1885 by Queen Victoria.
• Old Church Yards - the old cemeteries at Tullich Kirkyard, Glen Muick Kirkyard , Crathie Kirkyard and Braemar Kirkyard contain many very old graves and gravestones.
• Craigendarroch - small, peculiarly shaped hill within easy walking distance from Ballater.
• Loch Muick - beautiful loch about 8 miles south-west of Ballater with trails leading up to Lochnagar.
• Munro Walking - Ballater is surrounded by an abundance of Munros and makes an ideal base for these challenging walks.
• Fishing - available on various sections of the River Dee.
• Festivals - Ballater holds several festivals:
  • Ballater Walking Festival - annually in May attracting many hillwalkers of all levels with walks through the hills and valleys of the eastern Cairngorms.
  • Ballater Boules Challenge - boules games on every other Sunday from November to March each year
  • Victoria Week - held every August to celebrate Ballater's connection with Queen Victoria and Balmoral Castle.

Ballater Tourist Information Centre
The Old Royal Station
Station Square
Ballater
Phone: 013397 55306

Car: Ballater is on the A93, 40 miles west of Aberdeen, 70 miles south of Inverness and 65 miles north of Perth.