Royalty in Scotland, castles, sports, heritage
LIVE LIKE ROYALTY
IN SCOTLAND
This
year the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations will be casting the
spotlight on Scotland's royal connections past and present. Here
Eleanor Kinnaird looks at where to stay and what to do to live the
life of royalty during a holiday in Scotland.
Castles are one of the most conspicuous
legacies of Scotland's dramatic and fascinating history. They are
closely associated with royal dynasties throughout the ages, from
the glories of the Stewart court at Stirling castle to the present
royal family's holiday home at Balmoral Castle.
These days, there are many different types of castle offering accommodation
for visitors. Muckrach Castle, within easy driving distance of Inverness
Airport is one example. Sitting in the rolling countryside near
Dulnain Bridge below the Cairngorm mountains it looks every inch
the classic early Scottish tower-house. With a beautiful log fire
and individual bedrooms off a winding staircase a stay here is bound
to be an atmospheric experience.
Luffness Castle near Gullane on the East Lothian Coast also offers
visitors the chance to live like a King or Queen. Close to Edinburgh
this was a royal castle in the middle ages before being acquired
by the Hepburns, the family of Mary Queen of Scots' third husband.
Accommodation here is available in both the castle's tower house
and within its extensive grounds. It has the added advantage of
being within two miles of eight golf courses including the famous
Muirfield Championship Course.
For those looking for a touch of escapism and solitude Balfour Castle
on the Orkney island of Shapinsay is the ideal place to visit. Described
as the most northerly castle hotel in the world this Victorian mansion
is just yards from the sea and miles of unspoilt beaches. Dating
back to the 1840s guests have access to the main rooms in the castle
including library, dining room and drawing room.
Budget travellers too can experience castle living with a stay at
Carbisdale Castle in Sutherland. Owned by the Scottish Youth Hostels
Association the castle was built in 1917 for the Duchess of Sutherland.
With its huge numbers of rooms, a stunning setting and its own statue
gallery and art collection it has been described as the "most opulent
youth hostel in the world" and it is available from around £14 per
night!
There
are also many activities and events with strong royal connections
in Scotland including hunting, fishing and falconry. There are a
number of falconry centres throughout the country from Dunrobin
Castle, Scotland's most northerly stately home near Golspie down
to Jedforest Falconry in the Scottish Borders.
Horsemanship too has long been a part of royal life and at Gleneagles
Hotel there is a superb range of equestrian facilities available
to all levels of riders. For the more experienced there is the chance
to try out polo, a sport favoured by Prince Charles. The Hayfield
Riding Centre in Aberdeen offers polo tuition as one of its specialised
courses while Edinburgh Polo Club also welcomes both new and experienced
players.
Scottish events traditionally patronised by royalty are Highland
games and gatherings which take place throughout the country mainly
during the summer months.
These fascinating spectacles in their modern form involve sporting
trials of strength as well as competitions in music and dance. Queen
Victoria first attended the Braemar Gathering in the Grampian Highlands
and the current royal family still attend today. The event is held
on the first Saturday of September each year.
Paradoxically, living like royalty in Scotland can also mean the
opposite of opulence and grandeur. Prince Charles, has been known
to get away from it all at a Hebridean crofting hideaway.
A campaign launched last year to highlight the attractions of Scotland's
most far-flung reaches has made escaping from the stresses and strains
of modern life much easier.
Escape to the edge offers a range of holidays from exploring the
wilds of Sutherland on foot and sea kayak to discovering the ancient
history of the Calanais standing stones on Lewis.
For more information on escape to the edge holidays visit the website
at www.escapetotheedge.com
or for more general information about visiting Scotland have a look
at the visitscotland website at www.visitscotland.com
(09/05/02)
Back