Crathes Visitor Guide

A Visitors Guide to Crathes and Banchory ( for Burnetts and others)

Crathes Castle lies 15 miles west of Aberdeen and 2 miles east of Banchory, from where visitors can walk, drive, take a taxi or catch a bus. The bus stop is at the Milton of Crathes and is a 15 minute walk to the Castle.

Travel
Accommodation
Crathes Castle and Gardens
The National Trust for Scotland
Where to Visit and What to See Around Crathes & Banchory
Where to Eat
Activity Around Crathes & Banchory
Day Tours
Churches

Travel

I suggest that visitors stay in Banchory and not in Aberdeen unless you have a special reason to do so. Banchory is 15 miles from the centre of Aberdeen and Aberdeen (Dyce) airport, Cars can be hired and returned to Aberdeen airport. Taxis are easily available (available at the Airport or Banchory Taxis; Davro (+44) 01330 825251 & Home James (+44) 01330 711175 )
You can arrive by air to Dyce or Rail to Aberdeen, (both about 30 minutes from Banchory). Edinburgh 2 hrs and Glasgow 2.5 hr by car. It is advisable to allow 25% longer if you are not familiar with the route
From Glasgow the most direct route is to Stirling / Perth* / Dundee / Brechin** / Stonehaven / Banchory. More attractive variations of the route, * Perth / (via the Devil’s Elbow to Braemar / and along Deeside to Banchory or **Brechin /Edzell/ Fettercairn over the Cairn o Mounth / Banchory (The highest public road in Scotland)
It is advisable ensure you have mobile data to allow use of Google Maps during your visit or obtain a good road map.

Accommodation

East Lodge Crathes Castle : Located on the grounds of Crathes Castle, 10 minute drive to Banchory High Street. Bookings made direct through link.
Burnett Arms Hotel: Banchory High Street / Centre (10% discount on accommodation to House of Burnett members.) theburnett@btconnect.com (+44) 1330 824944
Tor-na-coille Hotel: 5 minute walk from Banchory High Street info@tornacoille.com (+44) 1330 822242
Banchory Lodge Hotel: enquiries@banchorylodge.com : (+44) 1330 822626 Beside River Dee on the edge of Banchory 10 minute walk to High Street – formally a Burnett residence (see Scolty below)
Banchory British Legion: info@banchorylegion.com (+44) 1330 822347 5 minute walk from High Street

Crathes Castle and Gardens

Members of the House of Burnett can be entitled to guided tours of the Castle and Gardens at no extra charge if staff are available. If so, the request should be to NTS well in advance.
If you really want to see Crathes and all that it includes, you could allow a full day and you may wish to return for a second visit. If a full day at Crathes is not required, there are other attractions nearby (see below)
In addition to the Castle and Gardens there are some a number of attractive walks on the Castle estate.

The National Trust for Scotland

It is recommended that you join the National Trust for Scotland. This gives free entry to all Trust properties There are a number of other National Trust for Scotland (NTS) properties in the area and to which visits are recommended. NTS membership might be considered and can be done in the ticket office at Crathes Castle or online Here. The following National Trust Properties are within 30 minutes of Banchory
Drum Castle (NTS) (15 minutes) Drum is the ancestral home of the Irvines. William Irvine and Alexander Burnett were granted lands by King Robert the Bruce in the 14^th century and the two families have lived as good neighbours ever since.
Craigievar Castle (NTS) (25 minutes) Fairytale ‘Sister’ Castle to Crathes. Formerly home of the Forbes and Sempill Families.
Castle Fraser (NTS) ( 25 minutes) 15^th century baronial castle and Fraser home.

Where to Visit and What to See Around Crathes & Banchory

Within a 15 minute walk is the Milton of Crathes where there are several craft and shops a Restaurant and the Milton Gallery where the range of Burnett merchandise available. The Milton is beside the River Dee and is the terminus for the Deeside Railway Line.
Loch of Leys. A visit to the Loch of Leys is a ‘must do’ for Burnetts. There is a car parking area as shown on the map and a 10 minute walk to the edge of the loch opposite the Crannog. For a more detailed guide see Loch of Leys guide
On the southern edge of Banchory are the Falls of Feugh where salmon can be seen scaling the rapids and which can be particularly spectacular.
St Ternan’s Churchyard. Situated close to the East Church and containing a Burnett family enclosure. Since 1898, family members have been buried in the private burial ground south from the Castle from which it is only a 5 minute walk.
Burnett Park. Given by Sir Robert Burnett of Leys and lies at the west end of Banchory
For the more energetic, a walk up Scolty, (an easy climb and attractive walk of less than 1 hour), offers a great view of Banchory and the surrounding area. At the top is Scolty Tower which was erected in 1839 in memory to General William Burnett of Banchory Lodge, son of Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys. 6th Baronet and who purchased much of Banchory from his brother in the early 19^th

Where to Eat

Café 1702 ; based at Crathes Castle
Milton of Crathes
The Buchanan’s Bistro : 44 (0) 1330 826530 is attached to the Woodend Barn Community Arts Centre. Of interest at Woodend may be the Wild Garden and Deeside Rugby Club

Activity Around Crathes & Banchory

Golf: In addition to the 9-hole course and Driving Range at Inchmarlo, Banchory has a fine 18-hole Golf Course alongside the River Dee
Fishing: For Salmon and Sea Trout fishing, all equipment can be provided and tuition available.
Shooting / Hunting: All equipment provided and parties will be accompanied by the gamekeeper / stalker. This is not always possible but enquiries to info@leysestate.co.uk
Aberdeenshire Highland Cattle: Based on the edge of the Loch of Leys, take part in farm & food experiences which includes farm tours and getting up close and personal with the Highland cows
Battlegrounds Paintball: Based on Leys Estate, Battlegrounds has lots of outdoor activities to choose from including; paintball, archery and axe throwing

Day Tours

The following are suggestions for an away day excursion from Crathes

North.

Kemnay House explore over 300 years of family history by visiting the home of the Burnetts of Kemnay
Fyvie Castle (NTS) with its important collections of portraits, including those by Batoni, Gainsborough and Raeburn and most recently home of the Forbes Leith family.
Haddo House,(NTS) the magnificent Adam mansion and home of the Gordons (The Marquesses of Aberdeen) for over 400 years and returned via the battlefield of Harlaw (1411) for which there is a monument on the edge of Inverurie.
Pitmedden Garden (NTS) with its fine garden.

South

Fettercairn Distillery: Over the Cairn O’Mount, to visit the which was initially created by Sir Alexander Ramsay, grandson of Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, 6^th Baronet, to help combat illicit distilling by converting an old corn mill into a distillery.
Grassic Gibbon Centre, Arbuthnott, which commemorates the life of one of Scotland;s best known authors, Lewis Grassic Gibbon.
Stonehaven – attractive harbour
Dunnottar Castle, a ruined cliff-top fortress with a 5,000 year history and which has been visited by many of the famous such as William Wallace, Mary Queen of Scots and The Marquess of Montrose. There is quite a steep 10 minute walk to and from the Castle

Aberdeen

Old Aberdeen as an area of unique historical significance a charming medieval settlement is home to an abundance of architectural and cultural riches including 500-year old University of Aberdeen campus, a stunning Georgian Town House and one of Scotland’s oldest cathedrals.
St Machar’s Cathedral with its great heraldic ceiling of 1524, a unique masterpiece which shows the kings of Europe, the Pope and bishops of Scotland, and the King of Scots with his nobles
Aberdeen University There are many places of interest within Aberdeen University including King’s College Chapel, which contains the finest pre-Reformation woodwork left in Scotland. Understandably, University attractions are not always accessible
Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums
Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral, known as being the church where the first bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, Samuel Seabury was ordained in 1784. As a result there is a ceiling in the Cathedral decorated with the Seals of 48 of the United States, before Alaska and Hawaii were added to the Union. There is also the ceiling bearing the 48 coats of arms of Episcopal families who supported the attempt to restore the Stewarts to the throne of Great Britain. Amongst the shields are those of John Burnett of Campfield and the Burnetts of Daladies.
Saint Nicholas Kirk, the mother church of Aberdeen, which contains the graves of at least four Burnetts who were merchant burgesses of the Burgh.
Footdee – A largely unchanged ( except for the Porsches and Mercedes) fishing village on the edge of Aberdeen. If you need to ask the way, it is pronounced Fitty.

West

A very pleasant drive is up Royal Deeside to Aboyne / Ballater / past Balmoral Castle to Braemar. https://www.visitabdn.com/what-to-do/royal-deeside/
The return can either be down Donside. For a scenic route, take the B976, just west of Crathie (Balmora) and then return on the A97 back to Dinnet on Deeside. The road system is quite confusing and there are lots of other routes back to Deeside. Another variation on the way back to Banchory is to cross the river between Aboyne and Banchory at Potarch (home of the Dinnie Stones) and return to Banchory via the Finzean Shop (pronounced Fingan) and Strachan (Strawn).

Churches

St Ternan’s Scottish Episcopal Church – Banchory High Street
Church of Scotland East Church – lies towards the East end of Banchory.
Church of Scotland West Church – Banchory High Street
St Columba’s Roman Catholic Church – Banchory High Street
Christian Fellowship Church – Woodend at the East end of Banchory

HOUSE OF BURNETT

ADDRESS

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