Photography wouldn't be much fun if I were just to be stuck in the house all the time. As it happens, most weekends I find myself on some small adventure or another and being lucky enough to live in one of the worlds most beautiful countries, I have some of the best scenery mother nature has to offer practically on my doorstep. This article is the first in a series of Scotland Travelogues, concentrating on the east of the country, coz that's where I live. The east doesn't get quite the same exposure as the Highlands and Islands but it has plenty to offer both day-trippers and tourists.
I just Googled the phrase "The Braemar 100" and got no hits so I'm coining it. It's the name I came up with for a circular drive through the Cairngorms National Park, starting and ending on the A90. And yes, I drew somewhat heavily on the "North Coast 500" for inspiration and apparently there's a "North East 250" too which was news to me. Anyway, this wee trip can be done quite easily in a day.
As the A90 is the main artery up the east coast of Scotland (starting at Perth and going all the way north to Fraserburgh) it seems eminently sensible to start the circuit from there as it's entirely likely anyone wanting to do the circuit would be approaching on this road.
We leave the A90 and begin the circuit on the B974 heading towards the village of Fettercairn. The road goes through the village and we continue on the B974 following the signs to Cairn O Mount. This road follows the route of an old Military Road built by William Caulfeild sometime after the Forty-Five Rebellion (1745 Jacobite Uprising). The road rises to 1493 feet as it approaches the mountain pass of Cairn O Mount. As you near the summit there is a small car park with room for 7 or 8 cars and if the weather permits it's always worth pulling over for 5 minutes to take in the views and wonder at the many cyclists who manage to ascend with pedal power alone. From here the vista extends over the Howe of the Mearns to the North Sea.
A few hundred yards up the hill, at the summit, there is a smaller lay-by. Parking here will give you access to the prehistoric cairn which crowns the summit. Many a traveller has added a rock to the cairn over the centuries but it is originally said to date from 2000 BC though how anybody knows this I will never know.
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| Cairn O Mount |
Back on the road we start to descend. On the route down, on the hills to the left you will see a large granite tor protruding from the top of the most prominent hill. This is Clachnaben and is the destination of a popular walk which starts from a car park a little further down the road. That walk is an article for another time. For now we continue along the road until we reach the Glen Dye phonebox (a quaint Automobile Association phonebox from a bygone era, the prisitne condition of which continues to baffle me) where the road splits. Here we take the road to the left, which is signposted for Aboyne. The road continues to wind through forest until it comes to a T-Junction. Here we turn left onto the B976 which will start to run alongside the River Dee and take us past the towns of Aboyne and a little futher on, Ballater. There are plenty of cafe's in either of these towns to make a stop worthwhile.
About 2 miles beyond Aboyne we enter the Cairngorms National Park.
At Ballater we cross the river to drive into the town. Here you will start following the signs for Braemar and the A93. For those who are weak of bladder, there are public toilets at the Church Square car park - where parking is (as I write) free.
Back on the A93 we continue following the river towards Braemar. We are in the heart of Royal Deeside here and after 6 miles we'll pass Balmoral Castle where those who are of a mind (I most certainly am not) can pay the entry fee and tour the grounds (check opening times).
After Balmoral it's only another 6 or 7 miles to Braemar and the half-way mark. Just before we get to the town we pass Braemar Castle which is worth a quick stop to see. The outer walls are in a poor state of repair and it has an overall air of decrepitude. I would humbly opine that some of the entry fee should be put towards making some repairs, however the castle is in the hands of a public trust run by the local community and I understand they don't have the funds to deal with everything. The interior is in a much better condition and guided tours are available (check opening times).
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| Braemar Castle |
The town of Braemar is not a large place by any stretch with a population of only around 800 but there is a sizeable car park in the town centre where again there are free public conveniences which is extremely, er, convenient. There are a good selection of gift shops and cafe's and it's worth exploring these and finding one to indulge in lunch. For those who like a spot of physical exertion there are a number of hillwalks around the town with good viewpoints overlooking the area. For the routes, maps can be purchased in the tourist information.
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| Braemar from the Cromlins viewpoint |
Leaving Braemar we continue on the A93. We are no longer heading west at this stage but are now heading south, following the signs for our next stop which is the Glenshee Ski Centre. It's at this stage of the journey where the scenery starts to get quite dramatic as we leave the gently rolling countryside and farmland of the river valley for some serious mountains. There are plenty of places to stop on this part of the journey just to take in the views or to snap a few pictures. Incidentally, you are now be on the highest A-Road in the UK.
The Ski Centre is open all year. Obviously during the winter it's home to some of the best skiing conditions Scotland has to offer, but even the heart of the summer a ski lifts remains running to take you to the summit of The Cairnwell where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Cairngorms in a cafe (weather permitting). At the base cafe snacks and meals are also available.
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| Inside the base cafe at Glenshee Ski Centre |
On the opposite side of the road from the base cafe, at the bottom of the hill there is a strange tubular sculpture which is certainly worth a moment of your time so once you have had your fill of coffee and cakes, take a wee walk to see what you make of it.
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| The Cairnwell Trio sculpture by William Pye |
Back on the road drive another few miles south until you reach the car park at the Devil's Elbow (this was once a tremendously dangerous double hairpin bend before the road was rebuilt). Here you can see one of the Snow Roads installations: "Connecting Contours" from which to enjoy a very pleasing view down Glenshee and is yet another spot on this route where it's worth spending a few moments soaking up the scenery.
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| Glenshee |
Then it's back in the car and continuing south past the Spittal of Glenshee until we come to the junction with the B951 where we start to head east again. The B951 is not a good road, it's very narrow, single track in many places so just take it easy here and enjoy the scenery. We have left the dramatic mountains behind us but on a sunny day the glens are extremely beautiful.
The B951 will take you to Kirriemuir and from there it's a short drive back onto the A90 but before we reach there we pass the road to the Backwater Reservoir which if you have the time is certainly worth the small detour.
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| Backwater Reservoir |
In the early summer you'll hear cuckoos in this area, keep your eyes on the telegraph wires on the hillside for a sighting. If you follow the road across the dam you'll find two parking areas, the first is just a large lay-by but from here one can walk to the side of the reservoir for a leisurely stroll.
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| Cuckoo at Backwater Reservoir |
As well as cuckoos, keep your eyes peeled for Osprey. A mile or so further along the road is another, slightly more organised car park with a picnic area and a better view over the reservoir. A great place to spend a few moments and enjoy the view before heading back to the A90 via Kirriemuir. Now although Kirriemuir has some famous associations with J.M. Barrie and Peter Pan, I was never a fan. However, I do like a bit of AC/DC and so a wee picture of Bon Scott who was born here was a fun diversion.
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| Bon Scott statue in Kirriemur |
From here it's just a quick drive back to the A90 with The Braemar 100 completed.
