Coming up: mountains, valleys, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, a big weird pyramid, a fun-packed gift shop, and everything you need to know about visiting Balmoral Castle.
Most well-known for being one of the UK’s royal-family homes, Balmoral Castle sits inside Cairngorms National Park (the biggest national park in the UK). It’s pretty, it’s historic, it’s full of stuff to do, and it’s definitely worth visiting.
But when can you go? (spoiler alert: it’s closed during big chunks of the year).
What exactly can you do there?
And will you meet the king?
Next up, all that and more: here’s your complete guide to Balmoral Castle.
Pack your crown and come join the party!
Is Balmoral Castle Worth Visiting?
Yes.
… and it’s worth visiting no matter who you are and what you’re into.
Obviously, Balmoral Castle is most famous for its royal associations and its big history.
But even if you’re not interested in any of that (me neither), there’s loads more interesting stuff.
Highlights include outdoor adventures, a taste-packed cafe, pretty grounds, walking trails, lots more nearby national park fun, a bunch of animals, and even a big weird mysterious pyramid.
(More details on all that are coming soon.)
But, to answer your question: yes, Balmoral Castle is worth visiting.
What is Balmoral Castle? A Short History
Apparently, the first home at Balmoral was built sometime in the late 14th century.
… and between then and the mid-1800s, nothing particularly exciting happened here (well, as far as I know, anyway).
But, then, in 1842, things started getting exciting.
During that very year, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (that was the queen of the UK at the time, and her husband) visited Scotland for the first time.
Over the next few years, Victoria and Albert kept visiting Scotland… and one of the places they liked (although they hadn’t yet seen the Balmoral estate itself) was Deeside (the region west of Aberdeen).
Queen Victoria thought, ‘Hey, I really like this whole area.’
So Prince Albert thought, ‘Cool, I have loads of money and power, so I’ll buy a house here for my wife.’
This house was the bunch of buildings at Balmoral estate—and, so, in 1852, the king and queen bought the place without ever seeing it.
When they arrived, they agreed it was “small,” and made massive changes and improvements to both the buildings and the grounds. The old buildings were torn down, and the new structures were completed in 1856. The royals chose William Smith (City Architect of Aberdeen) to do the designs for them.
… and from that moment forward, Balmoral Castle, in the words of the official website, became the “Scottish home of the Royal Family.”
The royals have never lived here full-time. But they have used it both as a home and as a holiday retreat… having picnics here, walking in the countryside, and doing whatever else royal people do.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles had their honeymoon at Balmoral Castle, and it’s also where Queen Elizabeth II died, back in September 2022.
It’s a massive place, measuring in at 50,000 acres (20,000 hectares)… and its grounds include mountains, valleys, fields, lochs, gardens, and forests. It’s home to 150 buildings, including loads of little tucked-away cottages.
And it’s also a live estate. Deer and grouse get hunted here, and forestry and farming take place on the land.
Planning Your Visit
When is Balmoral Castle open to the public?
Balmoral Castle is open to the public from early April until late July, every year.
During that period, you can visit a small part of the inside of the castle, and all of the grounds.
… and starting in 2023, access to the castle grounds will also be allowed on certain dates from September to December.
You can find exact details on the specific opening days here.
When is the best time to visit Balmoral Castle?
Without doubt, the best time to visit Balmoral Castle is between early April and the end of July.
… and, again, this is the only period where you can get into the castle itself.
When you get inside the castle, you can’t visit all 150 rooms. Instead, you can only visit the ballroom, which has a photo exhibition about the castle, the area, the royal family, and all the relevant history.
During this April until July period, you can also visit the grounds.
… so if you want the full Balmoral experience, this is when you should visit.
All that said, if you want to avoid crowds, you need to be a bit more selective: if you visit during an April-until-July sunny weekend day, the place is RAMMED. If you don’t want to visit on a busy day, choose a weekday afternoon.
… or, even better, if you only want to explore the grounds (and don’t actually care about getting inside the castle), you should visit between September and December, when the grounds (but not the castle) are open. During this period, it’s never too busy, because the majority of people are most interested in getting inside the castle… and because most people are put off by the bad weather.
How much time do you need at Balmoral Estate?
Most people who visit the castle only want to see the insides and the close-to-the-castle parts of the grounds. If that’s you, expect to spend 2 or 3 hours at Balmoral.
… but if you like outdoor stuff, you could easily spend an entire day here. There are loads of hikes and trails… and this walk alone takes 2 to 3 hours. If you tackle that walk, a couple of others, and a couple of picnic stops, you’ll definitely fill a full day.
How to get to Balmoral Castle?
Because Balmoral Castle is remote and rural, the easiest way to get there is by driving.
The A93 road you’ll take is well-maintained and easy to drive, and there’s a big car park at the very-nearby village of Crathie (plug the co-ordinates ‘57°02’22.6″N 3°12’59.8″W’ into Google Maps, and you’ll find it).
The car park and the castle entrance are a 2-minute walk from another.
At the time of writing, the car park costs £5 for a full day, and you need to pay by cash.
If you want to use public transport, your ONLY option is the 201 bus, which runs from Aberdeen to the bus stop at Crathie. That bus stop sits right beside the car park I just mentioned above, so it’s a convenient option… but because it’s a 50-mile (80km) journey from Aberdeen, it’s a pretty long ride.
That said, the bus route also runs through both Braemar and Ballater (which are both very close to the castle). So if you’re looking for a close-to-the-castle base, they’re my two recommendations. They’re both lovely places, and both have cafes and pubs and conveniences and things to do.
Opening hours and admission fees
On the days it’s open, Balmoral Castle is open from 10 am until 4 pm (in the winter months), and 10 am until 5 pm (in the summer months). No matter when you visit, the last admission is one hour before closing time.
If you only want to see the grounds, admission is completely free for everyone.
If you want to go inside the castle, current prices sit at:
- £17.50 for adults
- £9 for kids
- £38 for families
(and all ticket prices include a free audio guide)
What to See at Balmoral Castle?
What to see inside the castle
Inside, you won’t see much.
The only accessible room is the ballroom, which has a photo exhibition about the royal family and the castle. It’s decorated in a very lavish way, which is pretty cool if you’re interested in all that stuff.
Exploring the gardens of Balmoral
The ‘official’ gardens of Balmoral measure in at around 3 acres (0.4 hectares). They include fountains, fruit trees, statues, manicured lawns, interesting flowers (including roses, dahlias, and delphiniums), trimmed hedges, walled gardens, and a big glasshouse.
… and they’re separated into several different sections.
Other interesting parts of the grounds and gardens include riverside walks, a cricket pitch, and even a pet cemetery (where the royals’ dead pets have been buried).
Animals & wildlife at Balmoral
In addition to all the dead animals, you might also see some alive ones.
Famously, it’s pretty common to see both red squirrels and Highland cows on the estate. And because both grouse and deer are hunted here, you might see some of those guys too.
Other animal inhabitants here (though it’s much harder to see these ones) include ospreys, mountain hares, golden eagles, and Scottish wildcats.
What you might see changes with the seasons… and each month, you’ll find a new information board on the grounds. This information board tells you which animals are most prevalent when you’re visiting… and sometimes includes tips on how you can see them.
If you’re particularly interested in seeing (and learning about) animals, you should head out on one of the estate’s ‘expedition tours.’ But we’ve covered all the details on them later.
For more Scottish creatures and critters, here are 25 wild animals you can see in Scotland. And here are the 21 best places to see Highland cows in Scotland.
Outdoor activities at Balmoral
Balmoral Castle is a good place for some easy walking—you get riverside wanders, the circular route around the pet cemetery, and gentle strolls around the flower-filled parts of the garden.
But it’s also a good option for some surprisingly intense hikes. You can find a big list of all the options in and around the estate (and beyond) here. But some of the top options are:
- The Loch Muick Circuit: a long but easy walk, this one takes hikers around the entire perimeter of Loch Muick (and a bit more). It features distant peaks, easy terrain, endless shoreside views, and (if you’re lucky) lots of wildlife.
- Conachcraig and Gelder Shiel, from Balmoral: starting and ending at the Balmoral car park, this walk isn’t too tough, but it’s surprisingly remote. It includes an ascent up Conachcraig but includes only 679 meters (2,200 feet) of climbing.
- White Mounth Munros: this massive walk only includes a tiny amount of the Balmoral estate. But it’s a huge challenge for serious hikers, taking a full day, and involving the ascent of five different peaks.
… and there’s also the excellent ‘Pyramid Walk’… but I’ve covered that in detail in the next section.
It’s also possible to go fishing on Balmoral Estate (but only on select dates, and only with the help of a guide). Contact the people on this page to get started.
And all over the estate, you’ll also find loads of picnic spots, dotted around various parts of the place. Some close-to-the-castle areas have picnic benches and tables. Other areas are just nice bits of grass where you can have a sandwich with a view.
The pyramid walk
For me, this is the most interesting part of the castle.
… probably because it’s the strangest part of the castle.
A great combo of good views, good exercise, and a slice of bizarre history, it’s also known as The Balmoral Cairns Walk, and it’s full of great stuff.
Let me introduce you to the walk via a quick history lesson:
So, when Victoria and Albert bought the estate at Balmoral, they wanted to somehow mark the moment. They did so by laying a cairn.
(In case you have no idea what I’m talking about, a ‘cairn’ is a big ol’ pile of often-loose rocks. Nowadays, they’re used to mark the tops of mountains—or the routes up to the tops of mountains. But back in the day, they were more commonly used to mark graves and other important sites).
Anyway, Victoria and Albert laid this cairn to mark a significant day in their personal history…
… and they then decided to build another cairn each time one of their kids got married. And because they had 9 children, that meant 9 more cairns.
But then, in 1861, Prince Albert died. The Queen was upset, so she built another cairn. This was the biggest cairn yet, it was designed in the shape of a large pyramid, and it was built to honor the death of her husband.
Okay, history lesson over…
… the point of that lesson was this: The Balmoral Cairns Walk takes you to some of these cairns, including the big famous pyramid-shaped one. But it also features beautiful views of Deeside and the Cairngorms, and it’s a genuinely excellent walk. If you like hiking, I can’t recommend it enough.
In case you’re wondering, no: you can’t go inside the pyramid. It’s not hollow and it has no door.
For more, here’s our entire guide to the strange Scottish pyramid.
Guided Tours of Balmoral Castle
If you want to understand all the history and royal heritage of the place (which, let’s be honest, is why most people visit), it’s best to take a guided tour.
… cos without a guided tour, you won’t get all the weird history and juicy gossip (and there’s plenty of it!).
Your best options are:
Balmoral Tour from Aberdeen
If you’re overnighting in Aberdeen, this tour is ideal. An almost-8-hour experience, it’s a small group tour, and it starts and ends in Aberdeen.
(and because it includes transport, you don’t need to work out how to get around).
The tour of course features Balmoral Castle. But other highlights include a strange stone circle, the village of Ballater, the iconic Cambus O’ May Suspension Bridge, and what was one of Queen Victoria’s favorite views.
The guides are really helpful and knowledgeable—they’ll give you facts and insights about the area and its history, and you get loads of time to ask questions.
Balmoral & Historic Castles Private Group Tour
Another historic tour, this one is mainly based around castles.
Again, it starts and ends in Aberdeen, so all your transport is organized for you.
The typical itinerary includes Balmoral Castle, Crathes Castle, Dunnottar Castle, and the oldest parts of Aberdeen. But because it’s a private tour, you can also add (or remove!) some bespoke places.
If you really want to learn, this is the best possible tour. You can spend as much or as little time as you like in each place… so if you want to ask endless questions at Balmoral Castle, you can.
Expedition Tours
These Expedition Tours are sort of like Balmoral-based safaris.
Clocking in at 2 hours, you hop in a 4-wheel drive, riding around various parts of the estate, visiting fields, forests, hillsides, heathery marshes, and more.
You’ll learn about the habitat, and you (might) meet some of the animals who live here. All tours include high-quality binoculars, so you can get better views of whatever you’re looking at.
Balmoral Highland Pony Stud Tours
A top option for horse fans, these tours introduce you to the horses (both young and fully grown) who live on the estate. You touch them, you learn about them, you feed them, and you meet the people who work with them every day.
… and as part of your tour price, you also get access to the castle and the grounds.
On-site Amenities and Facilities
On-site amenities include:
A gift shop. This gift shop sells castle memorabilia, a load of souvenirs, royal-themed oddities, and Scottish-themed stuff.
The Mews Coffee Shop is charming and homely, and serves a varied bunch of food for both kids and adults. The focus is on locally grown and locally sourced ingredients.
Other perks include picnic areas, toilets, and (here’s something not many people know), lots of places to stay. But because these places to stay are pretty pricey, most people prefer to sleep somewhere a bit more affordable (like the places we’ve brought you a bit later in this guide).
Tips for your Balmoral Castle Visit
- I’ve covered this already but: you can only visit the inside of the castle from early April until the end of June. So don’t go any other time, cos you won’t get in.
- Dogs are allowed on the estate grounds: so if you’ve got a hairy little friend you want to bring along, you can.
- Definitely take advantage of the audio guide: it’s included in the ticket price, and it gives you loads of insights. If you don’t have an in-person guide or an audio guide, you’ll learn very little about the history of the castle and the royal family.
Other Places to Visit Close to Balmoral Castle
- Cairngorms National Park: because it’s the biggest national park in the UK, this place is huge. It’s brimming with hikes… and if you don’t do any hikes while you’re in the area, you’re a big ol’ dum-dum. Obviously, you have endless options… but if you only tackle one walk here, it should be Cairn Gorm. Though it’s not necessarily the best or most challenging walk, it takes you to the summit that gives the area its name.
- Braemar and Ballater: Balmoral sits between these two villages. Ballater is a little bigger (with more cafes and shops), while Braemaer has a bit more history, and is a better base for hikes. But if you have time, you should visit them both.
- Aberdeen: the castle’s nearest city, Aberdeen sits a 90-minute drive east of Balmoral. The third-biggest city in Scotland, it has a quirky gray-granite aesthetic, and it’s close to lots of great beaches.
- … and if you’re looking for specific attractions, my top recommendations are Braemar Castle, the Braemar Highland Games Centre (which, on the first Saturday of every September, hosts the biggest Highland Games in Scotland), and the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd Center (where you can touch and feed the only wild reindeer herd in the UK).
Where to Stay When You’re Visiting Balmoral Castle
- The Gordon Guest House: one of the best-known and best-rated accommodations in Ballater, this cozy place is super-homely and super-comfy. Expect homemade cake, an excellent cooked breakfast, friendly hosts, and lots of helpful local insights. It’s also very clean and tidy.
- Balmoral Arms: your second Ballater option, this big hotel-cum-pub is somehow both retro and modern, and it’s very welcoming. The staff are friendly, the beds are big and comfortable, and it’s dog-friendly. It sits right in the middle of Ballater, and it’s more affordable than you’d expect.
- Braemar Lodge Cabins: our top option if you’d rather stay in Braemar than Ballater. Rural and rustic, these log cabins are very pretty, and surprisingly well-equipped (with everything you need for a long stay). They’re much more spacious than they look.
- Howe of Torbeg: a leftfield choice for you. Sitting in the middle of nowhere, these hill-backed glamping pods offer board games, clear skies, helpful staff, comfortable beds, excellent scenery, and breakfast delivered right to your door. If you like countryside retreats, this is the place for you.
Before You Go
Alright, that’s us done—that’s your Balmoral Castle visitor guide!
To recap, the place is definitely worth visiting—but if you want to see as much as possible, you should visit between April and June (the only period when you can actually go inside the castle).
… and when you’re there, make sure you visit the big weird pyramid sitting in its grounds (and take the big hike to find it!).
Thanks for reading, thanks for choosing Travelness, and we’ll see you again soon. Bye for now!
For more adventures in this area, here are the 15 most beautiful hikes & walks in and around Inverness, and the 21 best waterfalls near Inverness.
