The Dee runs west to east and is mostly bounded on both north and south by high hills with few passes. The castles of Deeside offered their owners control of east-west travellers in the valley and north-south travellers using the mountain passes.

Now those castles provide fascinating visits while the passes are used by many walkers enjoying the wonderful surroundings

Royal Deeside is home to many fine castles, including royal Balmoral Castle and several National Trust for Scotland properties. Add to these a top rated distillery visit and other visitor attractions

Royal Deeside overlaps the Cairngorms National Park. It abounds with beautiful scenery, picturesque sites and special nature reserves