We visited Ballindalloch Castle a few days ago. It is only a 25 minute drive away from the Smugglers so we decided to see why it is such a popular attraction. The house is quite beautiful. It takes about an hour to have a good look around and as well as the gorgeous interiors full of fascinating furniture and paintings, there are fresh cut flowers and family photos on show and the owners are obviously very proud of their beautiful castle. It really does give you the sense that it is a working and much loved family home. I would like to think that when the doors to the castle close at 5pm, the family actually use the beautiful rooms we were able to look around.
The grounds are also something to see. A team of gardeners must work nonstop to keep it looking so lovely. When we were there the Rhododendrons with their spectacular flowers were in full bloom and the colours were vibrant and stunning. There is an adventure playground for children and I was able to take the dog for a walk around the grass ‘labyrinth’. We did not have time for the river walk but saw quite a few people emerging from the shade of the pathway, in search of the tea room no doubt! All in all it was a lovely outing. I think we could have spent longer there than we had time for, but I am glad we visited. We were back in Tomintoul in good time to check in our guests!
Kerry
