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Decide on Deeside...
..William & Kate did!
As the anticipated date draws closer, rumours abound about where the Royal couple will spend the first days of their wedded life together, and it seems the smart money is on Scotland! With Prince William and Kate Middleton having first met in the coastal town of St Andrews during their time at university, and a long line of their royal predecessors having chosen to honeymoon in Scotland, it seems fitting that they would head north after the wedding. Especially as William's family have such a grand holiday home in one of the most beautiful parts of the country!
The Balmoral Estate has welcomed many a royal newly wed, including The Queen and Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and most recently Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. No doubt, all at the estate will be well equipped to offer William and Kate a warm welcome, while at the same time giving them the peace and privacy newly married couples crave.
The Scottish Royal Estate was purchased for Queen Victoria by her husband, Prince Albert, in 1852 after they enjoyed a trip to the Highlands so much that they both decided they had to return; and so the royal love affair with this part of Scotland began.
At the east end of Royal Deeside, in Aberdeenshire, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Cairngorm National Park, Balmoral is in a truly stunning location. But you don't need to be a Royal to holiday, or even honeymoon, in this majestic setting, as less than 10 miles from the estate is the pretty wee village of Braemar.
Just like the Balmoral Estate, Braemar sits close to the centre of Scotland's largest National Park so a wealth of wildlife is right on your doorstep. In fact, it is not uncommon to see an otter or even a noble stag walking through the village in the early hours of the morning! The Cairngorm National Park covers an area over twice the size of, yet with half the population of, the Lake District, so escaping for some privacy and quality time together, just the two of you, is really rather easy!
For those who enjoy walking, there are five of the six highest mountains in Scotland within the National Park as well as all manner of less taxing trails through the stunning countryside. If, like William and Kate, you have a passion for fly-fishing, then the rivers Dee and Don (located in Royal Deeside) are well known for their angling potential. The Dee, which flows past the village of Braemar, holds the world record for highest catches of Atlantic salmon on one river. Moreover, with Braemar being further up-stream than Balmoral Castle, you'll have the chance to catch those feisty fish before they swim down into the reach of the Royals' rods!
Despite its lofty and remote position surrounded by heather hills and Scottish forest, Braemar has a number of restaurants where you can indulge in an intimate meal, an interesting selection of little shops as well as the highest 18-hole golf course in Britain (although it is amazingly completely flat). It is a settlement with an interesting heritage and Balmoral is not the only castle in the proximity, ensuring there are plenty of places to visit and explore, in an area which really is fit for a king (or in this case, a king-to-be)!
To follow in the footsteps of our heads of state and holiday or honeymoon in Braemar, let Unique Cottages help you find your own little palace from which you can explore this regal region!
A Regal Region
Time Together
Romantic Surroundings
