Towards the Highlands, Scotland, 2013

I May 2013

Today we were a tad excited as we were to move on to Grantown-on-Spey near the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands.  This was to be our base for the next few days as we toured the area. 

The scenery on the way was extremely interesting as we were driving through sleet and slushy snow which had mingled with the brown heather on the hills so that everything looked like a surreal painting.
(Remember to click on the photos to enlarge them)

Driving through Sleet and Snow!

Amazing Hillsides

It was freezing so we stopped at a mountain pottery café for morning tea before we reached the pretty little town of Braemer which we quickly walked around and bought a few supplies at the Co-Operative.  

Braemer main Street

More of the main street in Braemer

Roslyn, Fran and John snuggling up to keep warm in Braemer!

Driving onwards we reached Balmoral Castle, home of HM Queen Elizabeth II.  It is not opened to visitors so we had our picnic lunch by a stream nearby. 

Balmoral Castle has been a royal residence since 1852  when it was purchased by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The current building was completed in 1856 as the first building was demolished because it was too small. Sitting on 49,000 acres it is a working estate that includes grouse moors, forestry and farmlands as well as herds of deer, highland cattle and ponies.  

Balmoral Castle (photo courtesy of the Internet)

By late afternoon we were ensconced in our tiny unit after haven driven through the miles of highland countryside made magic by the dusting of the snow and the scattering of shaggy highland cows and funny little black legged lambs on the hillsides.