Ballater

Ballater is a small town in Aberdeenshire in North East Scotland, about west of Aberdeen. It grew up as resort town in the Victorian era and in 2020 had a population of 1,430. It’s on A93, the main road up the Dee Valley, and is a good base for exploring Deeside and Cairngorms National Park. This pages also covers the area around Strathdon.

Get in
Getting here by public transport means first reaching Aberdeen, which has UK and European flights, trains from England, Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow, and long distance coaches.

Stagecoach North Scotland Bus 201 runs from Aberdeen Union Square via Crathes Castle and Banchory to Ballater (2 hours) and continues via Crathie (for Balmoral) to Braemar. It runs hourly M-Sat and every two hours on Sunday.

Stagecoach Bus 218 runs from Aberdeen, five buses M-F as far as Alford, 80 min. Schooldays only, a single Bus 219 continues from Alford to Strathdon, another hour.

By car, the quickest approach is along A93 west from Aberdeen. A slower scenic route is to follow A93 north from Perth up Glenshee to Braemar then east.

Get around
Attractions are scattered, you need a car or at least a bike.

See

 * See Banchory for Crathes Castle and other nearby attractions.
 * or Bellabeg is a village on A944 where the main sight is the Doune of Invernochty, a set of earthworks and foundations for a 12th-century castle. It's just southwest of village centre and free to stroll. The lane up the valley northwest leads to the little settlement of Lost, which for obvious reasons can't be shown on the map.
 * See Huntly for sights further north, such as St Mary's Kirk and Tap o' Noth near Rhynie.
 * or Bellabeg is a village on A944 where the main sight is the Doune of Invernochty, a set of earthworks and foundations for a 12th-century castle. It's just southwest of village centre and free to stroll. The lane up the valley northwest leads to the little settlement of Lost, which for obvious reasons can't be shown on the map.
 * See Huntly for sights further north, such as St Mary's Kirk and Tap o' Noth near Rhynie.
 * See Huntly for sights further north, such as St Mary's Kirk and Tap o' Noth near Rhynie.
 * See Huntly for sights further north, such as St Mary's Kirk and Tap o' Noth near Rhynie.

Do

 * Golf: is on Victoria Rd, south side of the village. White tees, par 70, visitor round £45.
 * Deeside Way is a walking and cycling path from Aberdeen to Ballater along an old railway trackbed. See Aberdeen for the first section from the city to Drumoak, and Banchory for the sections from Drumoak through Banchory to Aboyne. The last section is from Aboyne along the north bank of the Dee to Ballater,.
 * Ski at
 * You can also ski at Glenshee, see Aberdeenshire.
 * , a Munro of 1155 m (3789 ft), is the signature climb here. The simplest ascent is from Glen Muick: drive up the lane branching south from B976 at Bridge of Muick. The path from the car park is obvious, and does not cross a deer-stalking range. (Other high-level paths may be unsafe M-Sa late Aug - Oct.) Reckon 6-7 hours there and back, 12 miles (19 km) total.
 * Ballater Highland Games are held on the second Thursday in August at Monaltrie Park, with the next on Th 8 Aug 2024.
 * Lonach Highland Games are held in Bellabeg 7 miles north of Ballater on the fourth Saturday in August, with the next on Sa 24 Aug 2024.

Buy

 * The is held on the fourth Saturday of the month 10AM-2PM at Church Green, Ballater.
 * Ballater shops include a, a and a.

Eat

 * Places along Ballater main street include, and.
 * Hotel restaurants (see Sleep) are Balmoral Arms and Darroch Learg.

Sleep

 * B&Bs include at Station Square,  on School Lane, and  on Braemar Rd.
 * is a hotel and restaurant at 56 Braemar Rd.
 * Further out:
 * Further still, but worth the journey and the splurge is
 * B&Bs include at Station Square,  on School Lane, and  on Braemar Rd.
 * is a hotel and restaurant at 56 Braemar Rd.
 * Further out:
 * Further still, but worth the journey and the splurge is

Connect
As of Aug 2021, Ballater, Crathes and the highway between have 4G from EE and O2, and a mobile signal from Three and (if you're lucky) Vodafone. Don't be relying on your mobile in the mountains, there's no coverage away from the main road. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Aberdeen east and Glenshee west are the obvious routes
 * The scenic A939 winds north over the hills to Tomintoul then down into the Spey Valley at Grantown-on-Spey.