Travel Information

A visit to Ballindalloch Castle is a must if you are traveling in Scotland close to Aviemore. Ballindalloch is located just twenty miles east of Aviemore on the A95. Alternatively it can be found just fourteen miles from Grantown on Spey and ten miles from Craigellachie. It is one of the best known castles in Scotland and its exterior always reminds me of a palace fit for the snow queen in a fairy tale. It is called ‘the pearl of the North’ because; understandably it is a little jewel of a castle. The castle itself is close to several famous distilleries and it is worth including these in a tour of the area. Glennfiddich, Glenlivet and Cragganmore are just a few of the famous whiskies that are made locally. Ballindalloch Castle is still home to the Macpherson –Grants and this family has had ownership since 1546.  There are not many Castles that remain continuously in family ownership for such a long period of time. Visitors are seeing a lived in family home with all its rich tradition and family memorabilia.  There is also an interesting collection of Spanish paintings dating back to the 17th century. It is a comfortable yet elegant castle that provides a warm welcome to visitors. The grounds are also well worth a visit,  set as they are between the rivers Spey and Avon. There is a magnificent rock garden and a walled garden, both of which provide enjoyment for most visitors when the weather is good enough for a stroll. There is also an excellent Castle Shop with some good quality Scottish hand made gifts. If you are not buying for others you can treat yourself to Scottish Tartans, luxury Cashmeres and a wide range of arts and crafts. There are many items that are exclusive to Ballindalloch. Take your Scottish Motorhome Hire down into the Spey Valley to visit this traditional Scottish Castle. For more details and admission prices etc. click the link highlighted below.

Ballindalloch Castle
Banffshire
Scotland
AB37 9AX

Telephone: 01807500205

Brodie Castle is an imposing and ancient Scottish Baronial Castle, which although built as a protective fortress, is today a comfortable country house. It still however, hides its secret passage ways and guard room which in history would have protected the occupants from assassination attempts by rival clans. It is thought that the Castle and the surrounding land have been home to the Brodie family since the mid eleventh century up until the beginning of the twentieth century when the property was taken over by the National Trust. There is plenty to do at the castle which houses unusual plaster ceilings as well as an important art collection and a serious collection of antiques. Outside, the castle stands within beautiful Morayshire parkland; visitors can enjoy a tranquil woodland walk and take advantage of the observation hides, where a variety of wildlife can be observed. The young ones will love the adventure playground and fort and enjoy the picnic area. The best time to see the beautiful grounds is in the spring when the famous Brodie daffodils come to life and carpet the landscape in gold. At the end of the tour, the tea room serves splendid local fare and the gift shop sells some lovely keepsakes and memorabilia. You get to Brodie Castle in you Scottish motorhome hire off the A96. You will find the attraction 4.5 miles West of Forres and 24 miles East of Invernes. For more information on Brodie castle click the blue text below.

Brodie Castle
Forres
Inverness,
Nairn, Moray and The Black Isle
IV36 2TE

Telephone : 0844 493 2156

Cairngorm Mountains National Park is the largest Arctic mountain land in the United Kingdom. The park is most to 25% of United Kingdoms threatened birds and plants.

No trip to Scotland is complete without a trip to a whiskey distillery and the Dallas Dhu distillery  has a very  interesting and chequered past. Today it is owned by the state and acts as a museum celebrating the national drink of Scotland and demonstrating the art of making whiskey. In around 1900 the demand for malt whiskey was at an all time high and in response to this demand a local business man, Alexander Edward built the distillery at Dallasmore. Before it even went into production he sold the distillery to a Glasgow firm, Wright and Greig, who renamed it Dallas Dhu as the malt was intended for their popular blend Roderick Dhu. Production continued on and off at the site until 1983. During the first world war production ceased and the new owners who took it on after the war went into liquidation resulting in the distillery changing hands again, closure again followed in the post war depression and shortly after reopening it suffered a fire. Its final closure was attributed mainly to drought in 1983. Up until this time the business had employed approximately 15 men divided into groups and headed by a lead man. Roles included the maltman, the stillman, the mashman and a warehouseman as well as the all important cooper. However as it was a small concern all staff were expected to turn their hand to anything. As you tour the distillery you can listen to an audio tape and afterwards partake in a drop of the nectar as you learn about the history of Scottish Whiskey in the  audio-visual theatre. You will find the distillery in your Morayshire motorhome hire just outside Forres in this absolutely beautiful part of Scotland. For further information on the Dallas Dhu distillery, please click on the blue link below.

Dallas Dhu Whiskey Distillery
Mannachie Road
Forres
IV36 2RR

Telephone: 01309 676548

Local History and Heritage on view. Reopened spring 2007. Let us know what you thought of the museum and local parking for your motor home.

The Falconer Museum
Tolbooth Street
Forres
Moray
Scotland

Tel 01309 696261

If you are in Scotland in Morayshire a visit to the town of Fochabers will certainly be worth while. Here you can find a very pretty and historic town next to the River Spey. The original town had been located in the grounds of Gordon Castle. In 1776 the Fourth Duke of Gordon did not like this at all, in fact he found it so ‘inconvenient’ that he decided to pay to remove it, and build a new town further away. Perhaps the previous town spoilt his view! Certainly the town he created to take its place is an interesting place and its here you can find the Fochabers Folk Museum and Heritage Centre. Founded by a group of local people it aimed to collect photos, books and recollections of the town and events that took place there.  The museum opened in 1984 and continues to be updated and enriched. It will give you a good understanding of what life was like in Fochaber plus some very interesting electrical devices over the past two centuries. There is also a school room laid out as it was years ago and celebrating the life of Alexander Milne (1742 – 1838. He was born here in Fochaber, became incredibly wealthy in America and went on to found the Milne’s free school for local children. Visit this gem in Morayshire in your Scotland Motorhome Hire. For more information click the link highlighted below.

Fochabers Folk Museum and Heritage Centre
High Street
Fochabers
Morayshire
V32 7DU
Scotland

Telephone: 01343 821204

Home of the Grantown Society archives. Grantown is the traditional home of the Clan Grant and displays local history.

Grantown Museum
Burnfield House
Burnfield Avenue
Grantown-on-Spey
PH26 3HH
Moray
Scotland

Telephone: 01479 872478

This year’s Lossiemouth Raft Race is being held in aid of two chosen charities; The Neonatal Unit at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital & Erskine. Join the excitement and spectacle of the Lossiemouth Raft Race on Sunday 14th August 2011. The fun starts at East Beach at 2.30pm when teams enter the water with their home made rafts. The estuary will be filled with interesting craft and hopeful sailors all keen to compete and win the raft race itself. Some may not make it! Sinkings do occur in raft races! Rafts that closely resemble boats or canoes are disqualified so the field is just for essentially flat looking rafts. Some of the teams may be dressed in festive garb and some will be just keen to win at all costs. Given the fierce rivalry you can expect crews to use all sorts of means to distract other competitors. Expect to see water bombs and flour bombs being used out on the water. This is an annual event, which sees teams of 4-8 people race their homemade rafts down the course on the Lossiemouth estuary (East Beach). Just competing is glory enough for some! Crowds in excess of 5000 are likely to gather to watch this prestigious event. Tickets are not required just remember that the aim of the Lossiemouth Raft Race is to raise money for worthwhile charities and, above all to have fun. If you are in Moray with your Motorhome Hire Holiday then include this event on your travel plan. It is bound to be of interest to the whole family.

Lossiemouth Raft Race
Lossiemouth Estuary
East Beach
Moray
1v31
Scotland

Tel: 01343 815040 (Flt Lt E J Harper-Lewis.)

Speyside Camping and Caravanning Club Site is set in the heart of whisky making country. There are several well-known distilleries nearby who use the area’s famous springs for their whisky making, including the world-famous Macallan Distillery which is less than a mile away. The site itself is set on a south facing slope so you may need chocks to remain level. The site is wooded with plenty of space and the 84 mile long, Speyside Way, connects the Moray Coast with the Grampian mountain’s and passes near the Club Site. From the site there are several local places to eat out including, Fresh at Aberlour, The Bistro in Archiestown Hotel and Simpsons Bakery and Coffee Shop in Rothes. Lovers of wildlife will need to go to Spey Bay to look out for Dolphins. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society has a Wildlife Centre there. Visit Elgin for plenty of shops, architecture, a museum and a very fine cathedral. Buckie and Lossiemouth, at either end of Spey Bay, both have fishing museums which are worth a visit if you have an interest. This is a friendly and relaxing part of the world. Traveling to Speyside in your Scottish campervan rental will be a new adventure if you have never been here before. For more details and facilities available at the campsite click the blue text below.

Speyside Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Speyside by Craigellachie
Archiestown
Aberlour
Moray
AB38 9SL
Scotland

Telephone: 01340 810414 (No calls after 8pm please.)

Tugnet Ice House is part of The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society Wildlife Centre in Spey Bay, Morayshire. Spey Bay can be reached by turning North onto the B9104 less than half a mile West of Fochabers, before you cross the River Spey. The visitors centre has a café and toilets.

Tugnet Ice House
Spey Bay
Fochabers
IV32 7DU
Moray
Scotland

Telelephone : 01309 673 701