The Balmoral Cairns are a hidden treasure in Aberdeenshire though becoming more popular to visit it seems. The estate have recently opened up a new takeaway coffee pod, so why not take a grab a coffee and go for a stroll…..(remember to take your cup home with you!!).

This walk should not be done when the Royal Family are in residence at the Castle, and the privacy of those living on the estate should always be respected too. Balmoral Estate has a fantastic ranger service and they can give advice on which time of year it’s ok to visit but August and September are usually a no go!

There are eleven Cairns on the Balmoral Estate, eight of which you can visit on this circular walk. The first Cairn to be built was the Purchase Cairn atop the hill Craig Gowan. It commemorates the purchase of the Balmoral Estate by Prince Albert in 1852. This Cairn, like all the others we visited (with one exception) are conical in shape and extremely elegant in a simple, rustic and understated way. Made of granite stone, they are covered in lichen, weathered with time and sit beautifully within their surroundings.

The route we took actually started with another Cairn, Princess Helena’s. It was built to commemorate her marriage to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein on 5th July 1866 and is beautifully nestled within the ancient forest.

Six of the eight Cairns on this walk were built to mark the marriages of Queen Victoria and Prince Alberts children. The next one we visited marked the wedding of Princess Louise to The Marquis of Lorne on 21st March 1871. We had to have a selfie here as we both have the middle name Louise!

The ‘Louises’ by Princess Louise’s Cairn

The next Cairn is The Purchase Cairn, swiftly followed by Prince Leopold’s build to commemorate his marriage to Princess Helen of Waldeck on 27th April 1882. It has wonderful views over the valley and Balmoral Castle.

Balmoral Castle and the hills beyond from Prince Leopold’s Cairn.

Prince Arthurs Cairn is next, celebrating his wedding to Princess Louise Margaret Of Prussia on 13th March 1870.

A wee bit further away is Princess Alice's Cairn in commemoration of her marriage to Prince Louis Of Hesse D'Armistadt on 1st July 1962. This walk past this Cairn allows for some spectacular views of Lochnagar, shown in November without snow and in December with a good covering!

The next Cairn is somewhat different to the others, in shape and grandeur. Sitting on top of Craig an Lurachain, it was built in …beloved memory of Albert the Great and Good Prince Consort, erected by his broken hearted widow…Queen Victoria in August 1862. The Cairn is a four-sided pyramid made of dressed granite stone and stands imposingly overlooking the valley below.

Prince Albert’s Cairn on a sunny July day

The final Cairn on this route is Princess Beatrice’s for the occasion of her marriage to Prince Henry Maurice of Battenberg on 23rd July 1865. It was there that we left Balmoral and the crisp winters day walk and headed home, tired and happy. The dogs and daughter slept most of the way back!

Hillgoers can guide you on this walk and extend it too, with a detour towards Lochnagar. If you would like a guided walk with us please get in touch.

Please remember to leave no trace. Would you like to plant a tree in our Caledonian Pine Forest? click here.

The Balmoral Cairns

Ben Macdui from Deeside

Family walking adventures in Aberdeenshire