Eight miles west of Ballater, not far from Balmoral Castle, the small village of Crathie nestles on the banks of the salmon-rich waters of the fast-flowing River Dee. It is best known for its association with the royal inhabitants of the castle, particularly for their patronage of Crathie Kirk, the parish church. Traditionally many of the estate's workers lived at Crathie. The hills to the south contain a number of memorial cairns, commemorating Prince Albert and some of his children. John Brown, Queen Victoria's special friend is also buried here.

The Parish of Braemar  & Crathie is one of the largest, highest and most remote in Scotland. It is set in the magnificent Cairngorm National Park, more or less equidistant from Aberdeen, Inverness and Perth, and on any given day the number of visitors to the area may exceed the resident population. Small the village may be, but it has three major tourist attractions. Balmoral Castle  Scottish residence of the Royal Family  was described by Queen Victoria as her Dear paradise in the Highlands. It is possible to tour the castle and parts of its 50,000-acre estate throughout the year. The less well-known Abergeldie Castle is also only a mile outside the village.

There are no places to eat in the Crathie area. You have to travel west towards Ballater where you will find a great selection of cafes, pubs and fine restaurants. Travelling east towards Dinnet you will also find a few highland hotels offering some great Scottish food and snacks. For more information on fine wine and dining in the Cairngorms National Park and Royal Deeside area why not check our fine wine and dining pages.

An 18 hole par 70 course situated by the River Dee, Ballater Golf Club was founded in 1892. Several holes lie close to the River Dee and many a ball has gone to a watery grave. Ballater and its golf course lie within a circle of hills with glorious views, a delightful golfing experience. Eastward there is Aboyne Golf Course. The course provides a fine test of golf for all abilities.

The Royal Lochnagar Distillery stands on the southern bank of the Dee east of the village. The only producer of a Deeside single malt, it is fed by natural springs rising on the slopes of Lochnagar, a neighbouring Munro. There had been an illegal still on the north bank for many years before a local man, James Robertson, began distilling legally in 1826. Competitors tried to put him out of business by burning the distillery to the ground in 1841 but it was soon rebuilt. John Begg built another distillery on the south side around the same time. When Queen Victoria selected Balmoral as her Scottish residence, Begg invited the Royal Family to a tasting. So impressed were they with his whisky that he was given a Royal Appointment as supplier to the queen.

One of the most fascinating stories about Queen Victoria's personal life was her relationship with her 'personal attendant' John Brown. Brown was born on a farm at Crathie in 1826 and was employed at Balmoral at the time of its purchase by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He rose to become Prince Albert's personal ghillie and then Queen Victoria's servant. But after the premature death of Albert in 1861 he became a great support for Queen Victoria who mourned Albert for the rest of her life.