Perthshire naar Dufftown in Schotland via Braemar Castle
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RouteXpert Hans Lamers - RouteXpert
Last edit: 24-09-2021
Route Summary In July 2016 I made this trip together with 5 motorcycle friends. The starting point of the route is in Perthshire and heads for Dufftown today. The Scottish highlands are very beautiful. You can enjoy the beautiful views and hilly landscapes.
The routes are approximately 200 km long and along the way you have plenty of opportunities to stop a number of times and visit special places. Think for example of the Glenshee area or Braemar Castle.
I gave the route 5 stars, a nice route with beautiful views, beautiful rolling roads but also for the impressive sights, some of which are included in the route. Braemar Castle and The Glenlivet Distillery are certainly worth a visit.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
8h 1m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
186.32 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review The roads are good and the views are excellent! Today's route heads to Dufftown, the whiskey capital of the world. Today you drive through the Scottish Highlands. These are located in the northern part of Scotland. They are mountainous and there are many lakes. Nature is very beautiful.... That will be fun again.
You leave in a northerly direction. After about 40 km you will pass a huge hedge. The Meikleour beech hedge(s) (European beech = Fagus sylvatica), located near Meikleour, Perth and Kinross, was planted in the fall of 1745 by Jean Mercer and her husband, Robert Murray Nairne on the Meikleour of the Marquess of Lansdowne estate. The hedge is said to grow towards the sky because the men who planted it were killed at the battle of Culloden. The hedge is located off the A93 Perth - Blairgowrie Road and can be viewed by visitors all year round.
The hedge is listed in the Guinness World Records as the tallest and longest hedge on Earth, measuring 30 meters in height and 530 meters in length. It is usually trimmed once every ten years, although the most recent trim, which happened in late 2019, was the first in nearly 20 years.
A little further on the route you pass through a beautiful hilly area, which gives you the feeling that you are floating over the road. At rp 8 or rp 9 you can stop for a photo or to stretch your legs to enjoy the great view.
Glen Shee (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Sith) is a glen in eastern Perthshire, Scotland. Shee Water flows through the valley. The head of the valley, where Gleann Taitneach and Glen Lochsie meet, is about 2 km northwest of the Spittal of Glenshee; it then runs southeast to Bridge of Cally where it joins Strathardle to form Glen Ericht. Once known as the Valley of the Fairies, it takes its name from the Gaelic "sith" meaning fairy and the ancient meeting place at the standing stone behind the present church is called Dun Shith or Hill of the Fairies.
Glenshee Ski Center is the largest ski area in Scotland and is also known as the Scottish three glens. It is located in Aberdeenshire and north of Spittal of Glenshee, on the A93 road between Blairgowrie and Braemar in the Southern Highlands of Scotland.
Then it's time to have a cup of coffee. In Braemer, a nice little town, the Hungry Highlander is highly recommended. You can park your motorcycle here and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee.
After coffee, just outside the village is a beautiful castle that you should definitely visit, Braemar Castle. After restoration, the castle has been open to the public since 2008 and is rented by a local charity.
A castle has been in the possession of the Earls of Mar since the late Middle Ages. It replaced the 11th-century Kindrochit Castle, close by. Braemar Castle was first towered in 1628 by a son of John Erskine. It played a part in the Jacobite rebellion in the 18th century and fell to ruin in 1748.
During the reign of Queen Victoria, the castle was the residence of the laird of the clan Farquharson. He received Queen Victoria in the castle during one of the Braemar gatherings.
After the possibly extensive visit to the castle, it is time to continue on the road. The view is breathtaking, you can fully enjoy the beautiful nature. A nice point to stop to enjoy the view or to take a picture is about 40 km further (rp 13).
An hour later you come to the Glenlivet, whiskey distillery. It is recommended to stop here and take advantage of the guided tour.
The Glenlivet is a Speyside single malt whisky, produced at The Glenlivet Distillery in Ballindalloch between Tomintoul and Dufftown, in the county of Banffshire.
The distillery is the oldest legal distillery in Scotland and was founded in 1824 by George Smith along with his son James Gordon. Since 2000, the distillery has been owned by the French company Pernod Ricard.
Because you are by motorbike, it is not recommended to taste the whiskey there. On request it is possible to take the whiskey in small plastic test cups. Once you have arrived at your overnight address, you can still enjoy the fine taste of the whiskey.
After the visit to the distillery you can continue the route to a beautiful place to stay, the guest house The Five Arms.
This was an old Coaching Inn in the past, built in the 19th century and located downtown next to the famous clock tower of Dufftown, the whiskey capital of the world. It is a family run guest house.
They have six modern chalet-style rental rooms at the rear of the main building, where you can also park for free. Dufftown is also a great base from which to explore many sights and attractions. From ancient castle ruins, peaceful countryside walks to dolphins on the Moray coast. Not to mention the world famous Whiskey Route, where you can taste many highly regarded whiskeys and see how they are made.
In the evening you can look back on a beautiful ride through the Scottish Highlands while enjoying a drink.
Along the route there are several possibilities to stop for a cup of coffee, something to eat or to take a picture. I have included the important places where we stopped in the details.
Particularities:
rp 8 Glen Shee
rp 11 Hungry Highlander
rp 12 Braemar Castle
rp 15 Glen Livet Distelery
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Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
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Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Scotland
About this region
Scotland (Scots: Scotland, Scottish Gaelic: Alba [ˈal̪ˠapə] (listen)) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a 96-mile (154-kilometre) border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast and east, and the Irish Sea to the south. It also contains more than 790 islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. Most of the population, including the capital Edinburgh, is concentrated in the Central Belt—the plain between the Scottish Highlands and the Southern Uplands—in the Scottish Lowlands.
Scotland is divided into 32 administrative subdivisions or local authorities, known as council areas. Glasgow City is the largest council area in terms of population, with Highland being the largest in terms of area. Limited self-governing power, covering matters such as education, social services and roads and transportation, is devolved from the Scottish Government to each subdivision. Scotland is the second-largest country in the United Kingdom, and accounted for 8.3% of the population in 2012.The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the 9th century and continued to exist until 1707. By inheritance in 1603, James VI of Scotland became king of England and Ireland, thus forming a personal union of the three kingdoms. Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with the Kingdom of England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain. The union also created the Parliament of Great Britain, which succeeded both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England. In 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain entered into a political union with the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (in 1922, the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom, leading to the latter being officially renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1927).Within Scotland, the monarchy of the United Kingdom has continued to use a variety of styles, titles and other royal symbols of statehood specific to the pre-union Kingdom of Scotland. The legal system within Scotland has also remained separate from those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland constitutes a distinct jurisdiction in both public and private law. The continued existence of legal, educational, religious and other institutions distinct from those in the remainder of the UK have all contributed to the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity since the 1707 incorporating union with England.In 1999, a Scottish Parliament was re-established, in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members, having authority over many areas of domestic policy. The head of the Scottish Government is the first minister of Scotland, who is supported by the deputy first minister of Scotland. Scotland is represented in the United Kingdom Parliament by 59 members of parliament (MPs). It is also a member of the British–Irish Council, sending five members of the Scottish Parliament to the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly, as well as being part of the Joint Ministerial Committee, represented by the first minister.
Read more on Wikipedia
Scotland is divided into 32 administrative subdivisions or local authorities, known as council areas. Glasgow City is the largest council area in terms of population, with Highland being the largest in terms of area. Limited self-governing power, covering matters such as education, social services and roads and transportation, is devolved from the Scottish Government to each subdivision. Scotland is the second-largest country in the United Kingdom, and accounted for 8.3% of the population in 2012.The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the 9th century and continued to exist until 1707. By inheritance in 1603, James VI of Scotland became king of England and Ireland, thus forming a personal union of the three kingdoms. Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with the Kingdom of England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain. The union also created the Parliament of Great Britain, which succeeded both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England. In 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain entered into a political union with the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (in 1922, the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom, leading to the latter being officially renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1927).Within Scotland, the monarchy of the United Kingdom has continued to use a variety of styles, titles and other royal symbols of statehood specific to the pre-union Kingdom of Scotland. The legal system within Scotland has also remained separate from those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland constitutes a distinct jurisdiction in both public and private law. The continued existence of legal, educational, religious and other institutions distinct from those in the remainder of the UK have all contributed to the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity since the 1707 incorporating union with England.In 1999, a Scottish Parliament was re-established, in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members, having authority over many areas of domestic policy. The head of the Scottish Government is the first minister of Scotland, who is supported by the deputy first minister of Scotland. Scotland is represented in the United Kingdom Parliament by 59 members of parliament (MPs). It is also a member of the British–Irish Council, sending five members of the Scottish Parliament to the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly, as well as being part of the Joint Ministerial Committee, represented by the first minister.
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Route Collections in this region 6 Must do routes in The Highlands of Scotland
This collection of routes in the spectacular Scottish Highland's offers a great way to experience the full spectrum of what this region has to offer - snowcapped mountains, loch after loch, areas of solitary wilderness, white sandy beaches and a multitude of historic castles and buildings that reflect the past, the Highland's have everything. The weather however, cannot be guaranteed and somebody once said " Nobody visits Scotland for the weather"!
May can be a very good time of year to visit - temperatures can be pleasant and it's often a dry month with the added bonus that it's too early for the midgies. Many of the roads are single lane but largely empty and well maintained so the riding is comfortable and stress free allowing you to take in the views and there really is a wow around every corner. The pass at Glencoe for example is staggeringly impressive - you can actually see the geology and appreciate how it was scooped out by glaciers.
The people you encounter are warm and engaging and the food is good.
The very popular North Coast 500 route is included for those of you with Iron Butts that like a 1 day challenge. For me, the best way of enjoying the NC 500 is with two overnight stops, so the route includes these if required.
May can be a very good time of year to visit - temperatures can be pleasant and it's often a dry month with the added bonus that it's too early for the midgies. Many of the roads are single lane but largely empty and well maintained so the riding is comfortable and stress free allowing you to take in the views and there really is a wow around every corner. The pass at Glencoe for example is staggeringly impressive - you can actually see the geology and appreciate how it was scooped out by glaciers.
The people you encounter are warm and engaging and the food is good.
The very popular North Coast 500 route is included for those of you with Iron Butts that like a 1 day challenge. For me, the best way of enjoying the NC 500 is with two overnight stops, so the route includes these if required.
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Top 10 Downloaded UK routes by RouteXpert Nick Carthew
Hello and welcome to this collection of the Top 10 MyRoute app downloaded routes in the UK.
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be ridden.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelstory of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your email.
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be ridden.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelstory of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your email.
View Route Collection