Strolling Around Braemar

Once we’d checked in at the Callater Lodge for our overnight stay, it was time to wander around the village of Braemar…

The Cairngorms Mountains surround the village… They are part of the eastern Highlands and of the larger Grampian Mountain range. 

The views are pretty in any direction, even with a bit of fog and mist shrouding the mountains.  The Cairngorms are a major barrier that has historically restricted travel and trade across Scotland, contributing to the remote character of the Highlands that still persists today.

We noted this old house while wandering around Braemar.  This is the cottage in which author Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the first 16 chapters of “Treasure Island”.  That happened in the summer of 1881.  The name, “Long John Silver” came from the local meal miller, John Silver.

This row of classic Scottish homes is very appealing isn’t it?

The use of Braemar to specifically refer to the village dates to ca. 1870.  Before that, 2 separate hamlets existed on the banks of the Clunie Water…the river flowing through town.   One was called Auchendryne and the other was named Castleton.  The village’s current population is probably less than 1,000.  The cottage at the right of the photo is 300 + years old and it’s the oldest home in the village.

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church was built in an English Gothic Revival style over an 8 year period beginning in 1899.  Its original purpose was to house a congregation of summer tourists, mostly from England, who began visiting the village in growing numbers after the expansion of the railway in the mid-19^th century.  Due to a declining congregation, the church is now used by the community as an arts center.

The circular stone at the lower right of the photo is known as the ‘ringing’ stone.  It was used by the local blacksmith to form metal rings on cart wheels.

The area’s first meteorological station was donated to the village by Prince Albert in 1855.  Later on, it was once located in the top of the church tower… Speaking of weather, luck was on our side.  In September of 2015, the high and low temperature in Braemar went from 75.2 F to 29.7 F, a 45.5 degrees swing in one day!  The village also ‘owns’ the United Kingdom record low temperature, reaching down to – 17 F on 2 separate occasions. 

What a beautiful river!  This is the Clunie Water, a tributary of the nearby River Dee.  The River Dee originates in the Cairngorms and flows into the North Sea at Aberdeen.  The general area is called Deeside, or ‘Royal Deeside’ because Queen Victoria loved the area and built Balmoral Castle on the river near Braemar.  

 

The River Dee itself is a popular salmon fishing stream, with its succession of pools and sharp rapids.  Salmon fishing on the river contributes millions of pounds each year to the area’s economy.

We decided that it was time for an afternoon snack and some refreshments so we stopped by Gordon’s Tearoom and Restaurant.  It’s reputed to be one of the oldest establishments in Braemar.

Open from 11 AM until 5 PM daily, (closed on Thursdays), Gordon’s nevertheless serves breakfast, lunch and dinner items.  One breakfast option is Beans on Toast… As you can see, Gordon’s dining area is warm and relaxed.

In addition to tea or coffee, each couple shared a hunger sating Ploughman’s Lunch. (7.50 BP/$9.80 U.S.) It was the perfect size as we didn’t want to spoil our dinner.

For more information about Gordon’s Tearoom and Restaurant, go to http://www.gordonstearoom.com/.

This memorial commemorates the residents of Braemar who were killed or missing in World War I and World War II.  Twenty are listed from WWI and 11 are from WWII.  It seems like a lot of sorrow for such a small community…

As we strolled through Braemar, I took this photo of yet another Scottish stone cottage…

We could have easily spent at least 2 full days in Braemar and the surrounding area, but time didn’t permit it.  Local attractions include: the ruins of Kindrochit Castle (built as a hunting lodge by King Malcom ca. 1059); Braemar Castle (built in 1628 by the Earl of Mar as a hunting lodge) (website: http://www.braemarcastle.co.uk/) and; Balmoral Castle, Queen Elizabeth II’s royal residence, which is located nearby on the River Dee. (website: http://www.balmoralcastle.com/)

Balmoral has been one of the residences for the Royal Family since 1852 when the estate and its original castle were purchased privately by Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria.  The Balmoral estate now encompasses about 50,000 acres and it is a working estate with grouse moors, forestry, farm land as well as managed herds of deer, highland cattle and ponies.

I love the look of the local pharmacy!  It’s a nice change from our cookie cutter Walgreen’s, Rite Aid or CVS and it beats the heck out of a Walmart! 

The really big annual event at Braemar is the Braemar Gatherings.  They can be traced back 900 years but its modern roots go back to 1832.  That’s when the Braemar Royal Highland Society took responsibility for organizing the Highland Games.  Royal patronage began with Queen Victoria in 1848 and it continues today with regular attendance by members of the Royal Family and Queen Elizabeth II.  The Gatherings took place only about 2 weeks before we arrived. 

To learn more about this annual event you can go to https://www.braemargathering.org/.

Since I’m a major carnivore, I thought that I’d end our Braemar ‘walkabout’ with a view of the village butcher shop.  Almost every town we drove through in Scotland had one or more lovely little shops like this… N.G. Menzies of Braemar is a family owned butchers shop.  They are open from 7:30 AM until 5 PM Monday through Saturday.  This shop is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BraemarButcher/.

That’s about it for now… Next we will have dinner in Braemar.  Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave