From Spey to Dee

To those readers of this blog, who are unfamiliar with the geography of the British Isles the title of the blog might seem strange. So let me begin with a few words of explanation. My last blog spoke of our time at Huntly Castle Caravan Site which was adjacent to a tributary of the River Spey. Our next location was to be near another of Scotland’s magnificent Rivers - the River Dee.

The new site would be on the outskirts of Banchory at another of the Caravan and Motorhome Club (CAMC) sites, Silverbank. The journey to Silverbank was not far in distance but one which took us on a glorious scenic journey. We travelled up and over hill and back down the other side into Royal Deeside, passing through villages, over bridges and through some magnificent Scottish scenery on our way.

The route from site to site

The journey soon passed and we arrived at Silverbank which is situated just off the A93, a road which boasts the title of being the ‘highest public road in Great Britain’, travelling from Perth to Aberdeen across the Grampian Mountains. (The part we were near was almost at sea level). As is usual with CAMC sites. It is well equipped, COVID safe and spotlessly clean. Our time at Silverbank was to be what is our usual length of stay at sites - 3 nights.

Silverbank CAMC site is not just well-appointed but it is also well located for the local amenities and attractions. Two good sized supermarkets are within walking distance of the site, the town of Banchory, (pronounced I understand as Bancurry), with its own shops and attractions is a two-mile walk away. A bus stops outside the site gates which will take passengers to Banchory and beyond, or in the other direction to Aberdeen and all places in between. The area surrounding Banchory has Archaeological evidence of settlements dating back over 7000 years, there are stone circles which date from 3000 BC. There is also evidence of Pict, Celt and Roman activity spanning over 2000 years.

For those who like castles, there are a number nearby. Just a couple of miles down the road is Crathes Castle which has the reputation of being one of the most beautiful and well-preserved castles in Scotland. Drum Castle is a Jacobean mansion which dates back to the 13th century and was the seat of Clan Irvine. Another Castle which is also nearby is Balmoral. Balmoral remains the Scottish holiday home of the British Royal Family, purchased by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1852. (The area is known as Royal Deeside due to its Royal connections).

Banchory and its environs aren’t just about archaeology and castles though. Locally, there is a ‘Go Ape’ attraction with zip wires, Tarzan swings, rope ladders and obstacles. The area is also popular with those who cycle and walk, with tracks and trails aplenty. In a valley behind the site and next to the River Dee, is the trackbed of the former Deeside Railway. In the 1800s the railway ran from Aberdeen to Ballater, passing through Banchory and enabling visitors (including the Royal family) to access Balmoral. The railway was closed in the 1960s but local enthusiasts are trying to reinstate part of it. It is a slow and expensive process, but they have managed to reopen a small length of track with more planned in the future. Some of the remaining trackbed remains open as a cycle path or walking track. It is known as the Deeside Way as it follows the course of the River Dee and is easy on the legs and very scenic. The area, therefore, has much to commend it.

Our first days stay at the site was a write-off, due to the weather. It is good to recount that on our second day at the site the weather improved and we were able to go and explore the area. The day was to take us west up the A93 and onto the village of Braemar. As is our habit, we set off early in the morning for our exploration of Royal Deeside. The road took us through Banchory, past Aboyne, around Ballater and on to Braemar. The route passes Balmoral Castle and Crathie Kirk (the Church the Queen attends when staying at Balmoral). The road provides a good view of the Kirk and distant views of the Castle, which is set back from the road. It is an area which is beautiful and isolated - a good place for a royal retreat. The weather was kind to us and we were getting glorious vistas of the river and surrounding forests and mountains.

Our route from Silverbank CAMC site to Braemar

We arrived at Braemar in good time for a coffee. Parking Sheldon was relatively straightforward, with space available outside the Highland Games Centre. Refreshments were taken and enjoyed at Gordons Tearoom and Restaurant. Braemar is a place we are familiar with as we holidayed there many years ago. It was, therefore, time to renew our acquaintance with the village. It is a delightful place, which is geared up to tourism, but not in an ostentatious way. On this visit it was also much quieter due to the ongoing COVID situation - coach tours were not operating. We idled around the shops, walked up to the campsite where we had previously stayed and enjoyed our sightseeing.

The River Dee passes the north of Braemar. One of its tributaries (Clunie Water), separates the east and west side of the village. The two sides of the village are joined by an impressive bridge which spans Clunie Water from which you can see the river flowing in the gorge below.

The Bridge at Braemar and the Gorge

Just up the road from here and on the banks of Clunie Water, stand the ruins of Kindrochit Castle. It was good to wander around its ruins, which are thought to date back to 1300s. The castle is believed to have been used in the later 1300s as a royal residence. It is a castle that seems to have had a mysterious demise and has lain in ruins for hundreds of years. Numerous legends have circulated about the cause of this, including one which blames the onset of the plague. It is said that following the inhabitants of the castle becoming ill, it was destroyed by cannon fire with the inhabitants of the castle still inside!

The ruins of Kindrochit Castle

Nearby, there is also Braemar Castle, which was constructed in 1628. This is still very much intact and stands impressively by the A93 to the north of the village. This was originally a hunting lodge but went on to have links to the Jacobite Rebellions in the 1700s. The castle grounds are open to the public, but the castle itself remains closed at the time of writing due to ongoing difficulties with COVID safety in such an old building.

Having explored Braemar and shared fond memories, we returned to Sheldon. I took Jerry for a little walk and we set off on the journey back to the site. By now it was lunchtime, so we decided to stop off at Ballater. Ballater is a place we hadn’t previously visited and it proved to be a worthwhile stop. It is largely a victorian village with much to offer. It has a range of accommodation, cafes, restaurants and good shopping. Once again the River Dee runs past the village and it is crossed by Ballater Bridge. The views surrounding this are well worth a look. Our time at the village concluded with a pleasant lunch at a local hostelry. The village was quite busy, during our time there and it is clearly a popular destination on the Royal Deeside tourist route. After lunch, we took a leisurely drive back to the site, enjoying the journey and some fabulous scenery.

Our break ‘Up the east side’ was now drawing to its conclusion. We had been away for almost a month and had had a very enjoyable time (despite the mixed weather) and we had made many memories, which I've enjoyed sharing.

The journey home was long, about 550 miles. This was done in 3 stages, with stops just outside Carlisle (back in England), and once again at Stamford, where we had stopped on our first night of the trip. Despite the length of the journey, it proved enjoyable as we opted for ‘slow travel’ as we are thankfully no longer in a rush to get from place to place. The route took us along some of the main roads which travel north to south (or vice versa), but this was good as we were returning along largely a different route to the one we had travelled north on.

Despite having had such a good time, it was good to be back at our flat, to catch up with family and set about planning for our next trip away in Sheldon.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of blogs about our trip ‘Up the East side’ and I look forward to sharing more of our adventures in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, as we start lockdown 2.0 in England, stay safe and thank you for spending a little more stephentime9 with me.