McLeod House (top), home to an assortment of Scotland’s finest accommodations; pipers on display (opposite) 86
HK GOLFER・NOV 2013
abound, and from the Picts, Scots and Vikings right through to modern times different rulers have brought their regal names to the areas of land where they once held sway. This is particularly true of this area. It is now simply known as Royal Deeside and it is still frequented regularly by the present queen and royal family. Queen Victoria fell in love with the area in 1852 – she called it her “dear Highland paradise” – and you only need to spend a short time in the valley to understand why. One of the monarch’s favorite summertime retreats is Balmoral, where the Royal Family and their guests continue enjoy field sports, angling and the great outdoors. The nearby towns of Ballater and Braemar are also full of quaint little shops stamped with ‘By Royal Appointment’ and coat of arms. Each year Braemar invites people from all over the world 'to come over the hills' to attend the Braemar Gathering and Highland Games. The Gathering is always held on the first Saturday in September and it is perhaps the most famous and respected Highland Games anywhere. It features the finest Pipe Bands, Highland dancers and athletes in a beautiful setting surrounded by hills. The patron of the Gathering is Her Majesty the Queen and members of the Royal Family regularly attend the games. The region also boasts more than 350 castles. Whether you prefer the Disney kind or the gothic kind there is a castle for you here. Walt Disney is said
to have based the famous turrets of the Fantasyland Castle on Craigievar by Alford. Most of the castles have spectacular gardens, too. It makes for a fascinating castle trail. In his 1880 poem, The Scotsman’s Return from Abroad, Robert Louis Stevenson declared whisky “the king o’ drinks” and connoisseurs of fine spirits agree. There is no better place to experience the world’s finest whiskies – and the stories behind them – than Scotland. If whisky is your passion you’ve come to the right place to indulge in it. Aberdeenshire is home to more working distilleries than the rest of Scotland’s put together. ‘Royal’ Lochnagar appointed, by Royal warrant, and ‘Distiller to Her Majesty’ is the perfect place to discover how Scotch whisky is made. Watch as the distillery‘s team tends to the traditional mashtun, gleaming copper stills and fill casks at the traditional distillery, which retains much of its original charm. The Royal connection has meant a string of famous visitors to the distillery, many of them British prime ministers taking an hour or so off between meetings with the monarch of the day at Balmoral. The annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, held 2-6 May in 2014 May, is a fabulous opportunity to celebrate the food, culture, history, and of course the spirits that have shaped the way of life here. The best months for a visit are May through September, with the long summer evenings of late June and early July being especially memorable. HKGOLFER.COM