My Aberdeen Mondays...

As predicted...
the weekend was lovely, so we took full advantage of a sunny Saturday and hoofed through eight miles of the Balmoral Estate...
 where HM Queen Elizabeth spends a few months each year.

is a breathtaking loop around the Loch Muick, which means loch(lake)of the swine in Gaelic.
Such an unbecoming name for something so lovely.
From the beginning...
the first views of the lake and beyond...
give a quick jolt to your batteries for the path ahead.

Even though friends had mentioned the beauty of this walk... 
until I was there, at the tip of the lake, doing a 360° turn, my senses were unable to capture the essence of this little golden nugget of Scotland's natural splendor.
Even the best photo fails to produce the truth.
Oh...
to see the boats inside that boathouse.
Unfinished strokes of the colors of fall offer previews of the masterpiece to follow.

However, my favorite part of the entire walk is...
the royal bothy...
key word royal, as in...
not your average bothy.
Records state 'the hut' was built by Queen Victoria in 1860, where she and her beloved Albert often stayed until his death in 1861.  She was known as a recluse for years after his death and spent much time here.
Although, the stones above the door record 1868...
possibly the completion date?
Interestingly enough...
it is now referred to as Prince Charles' Deeside get-away.
From the lips of the local gossip!

The grounds of the Glas-allt Shiel house are surrounded by a stone wall and protected by tall pines that break the sometimes heavy winds, providing the perfect place to stop for lunch.
Just two hours drive from Aberdeen...
 into the Cairngorms National Park...
provides this worthwhile...
mostly flat, with some rocky incline...
eye-ball popping, 
scenic walk.

Happy Monday.




2 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing! Breathtaking and beautiful way to start the week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you stopped by... have a wonderful week.

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