Our Cottage lies in the small picturesque village of Dinnet, Royal Deeside. Situated in the Cairngorm national park. It’s a great base to explore everything the park has to offer.
The entrance to the front, has a small vestibule leading to the open plan lounge and kitchen area, divided by an oak breakfast bar with black leather stools.
The lounge is a well-equipped living area with a sofa and oak coffee table. There is a wood burning stove with a stock of logs for you to enjoy whilst you watch the 3D TV with over 100 channels. We have a book shelf with a small selection of books and some pamphlets about local events and attractions. There’s a staircase from the lounge leading to the 2 bedrooms and bathroom on the first floor.
On the first floor facing the front, we have the Master bedroom which has an oak king-size bed along with oak bedside cabinets, a double sized oak drawer unit and a wall mounted smart TV above. It also has a walk-in wardrobe with ample storage space and a built in safe for your valuables.
The second bedroom, facing the rear, has a king-size bed with oak bedside cabinets which can be changed to 2 single beds if required. It also has an oak double chest of drawers and a hanging rail for storage.
The shared bathroom has a large shower cubicle with an overhead shower and hand shower for your convenience. A large basin on an oak unit with mirror above containing a shaver socket and light. Heated towel rail and toilet. There’s an ample supply of hand and bath towels provided for your stay. There is no bath in the cottage.
The kitchen is well equipped with a gas hob and electric oven, microwave, dish washer, fridge and freezer. We have included all the utensils and crockery that you would need for your stay. There is a large walk-in cupboard housing a washing machine, iron and ironing board. You will also find the controls for the central heating.
Leading from the kitchen to the rear of the cottage, there’s a patio with 4 chairs and a table along with a BBQ for you to enjoy. There’s also a parking space for 1 car in the rear garden.
To the front of the cottage, there are 4 chairs and a table for you to enjoy the morning sun.
Guests have access to the patio at the front of the property, but it also includes a communal path which serves 3 other cottages.
The rear of the property is solely for the use of guests.
Out and about
From the cottage, a mere 5-minute walk to the first of 3 stunning lochs with breath-taking views and wildlife. Loch Kinord, the largest of the 3 Lochs, set in the Muir of Dinnet, can be accessed by walking anti-clockwise around the first loch. This waymarked trail is approximately 7.5km walk, taking around 2-3 hours. On route, you can visit “Burn-O-Vat” said to be the hiding place of Rob Roy, the notorious outlaw. On completing your walk, you can relax in the Loch Kinord hotel and sample 1 or 2 of their extensive array of whiskies from across Scotland.
The River Dee is only a stone’s throw away for great Salmon fishing. There is also a stocked fishery at Tulloch, only 3 miles away, towards Ballater.
The “Deeside Way” an old railway line once used by the Royals to travel from Aberdeen to Ballater, is now a footpath, passing through Dinnet and is a great route to walk or cycle to the neighbouring villages. Heading towards Aberdeen, you will arrive at Aboyne which has a large supermarket and a few local shops including Strachan’s of Deeside. A shop that, if they don’t sell it then it doesn’t exist. There are a couple of pubs there for you to refresh in before your walk back. Heading towards Braemar, you will arrive at Ballater, a picturesque village with plentiful traditional shops, pubs and restaurants of all types.
For those who like the high life, the Deeside gliding club, which is open to the public, is only 2 miles away, towards the village of Aboyne. A fantastic activity if you want to see Royal Deeside from a bird’s eye view.
If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, we have a selection of great golf clubs within a short drive from the cottage.
Aboyne golf course is the oldest club on Royal Deeside. 6000 yards of impeccable fairways and faultless greens. Ballater golf course is situated on the banks of the river Dee. An 18-hole course with breath-taking scenery which changes on every hole. There is also a selection of 9-hole courses for you to enjoy including Tarland, Lumphanan and Torphins. If booking in advance, you can also play the beautiful Balmoral golf course, which is situated within the grounds of Balmoral Castle, the Scottish home to the Royal family.
If you like castles, there a plenty for you to explore around the area. Most are open throughout the summer months except for Balmoral, when the Royal family are in residence. Crathes castle, situated near Banchory, has many events on throughout the year. It is also home to Go-Ape, a high treetop adventure park for the brave adventurer in you. Nature spotters will love the waymarked trails along the coy burn- keep any eye out here for buzzards, herons and kingfishers.
For the whisky lovers, you may want to visit our local distillery “Royal Lochnagar” famous for its royal warrant and its outstanding flavour. Located only 1 mile from Balmoral Castle, it’s fed by the crystal-clear water of the Scarnock springs. Why not take a tour of the Distillery followed by a dram of Royal Lochnagar 12-year-old single malt.
During the summer months, you will be able to visit the Highland games with the closest being on the first Saturday of August in Aboyne, where you will see traditional events such as hammer throwing, caber tossing, tug- O- war, highland dancing and much more. With mass pipe bands playing throughout the day. There is always lots of stalls for you to purchase local wears and of course, the beer tent.
The cottage is Centrally located for both ski centres and on the main bus route from Aberdeen to Breamar, making it an ideal choice for people who like the outdoor life and to discover what Deeside has to offer.
