Speyside Sights
Places Of Interest
Just outside of town, on the A941 to Craigellachie, is the Glenfiddich Distillery, the town's most famous distillery and one of the best known of all malt whiskies. Behind the distillery are the 13th-century ruins of Balvenie Castle, built by Alexander 'Black' Comyn, then added to in the 15th and 16th centuries, and visited by Mary, Queen of Scots in 1562. Apr-Sep Sat-Wed 0930-1630 (closed Thu and Fri), £3, concession £2.30, children £1.30. Tel. 820121 (HS). Four miles north of Dufftown, at the junction of the A941 and A95, is the little village of Craigellachie, site of the Speyside Cooperage and where you can see Thomas Telford's beautiful bridge over the River Spey.
The nearby village of Aberlour is the home of Walkers Shortbread, Tel. 01340-871555. About eight miles southwest of Craigiellachie, on the A95 to Grantown-on- Spey, is beautiful Ballindalloch Castle, a mile west of the village of Marypark. The castle is one of the loveliest in the northeast and has been lived in continuously by its original family, the Macpherson-Grants, since 1546. It houses a fine collection of Spanish paintings and the extensive grounds are home to the famous Aberdeen-Angus herd of cattle, bred here since 1860. Easter-end Sep Sun-Fri 1000-1700, £7 entry, concessions £6, children 3.50, Tel. 01807-500205.
Also in Ballindalloch is the Glenfarclas Distillery. Tours Apr-Sep Mon-Fri 1000-1700; Jul-Sep Mon-Sat 1000-1600; Oct-Mar Mon-Fri 1000-1600, £3.50, children free, Tel. 01807-500257.It offers worthwhile experience. www.glenfarclas.co.uk
A restored old train powered by a diesel engine runs from Dufftown to Drummuir (5 miles) and on to Keith (10 miles) on Saturday and Sunday, Tel. 821181, at 1330 and 1500.