20 Attractions to Explore Near Lecht Ski Centre

Corgarff Castle is a tower-house, located on sloping land to the south of the River Don. Built as a hunting-lodge in the mid-sixteenth century, it was converted into a Hanoverian garrison in 1748. The lodge was reputedly built by the Earl of Mar, but passed to the Forbes family soon after. Corgarff itself briefly housed a distillery in the 1820s. A small whisky still from the period is displayed in one of the two pavilions added to the castle by the army.

Glenbuchat is a good example of a late 16th-century Z-plan tower house, located in remote Strathdon countryside between the River Don and the Water of Buchat. The builder of Glenbuchat was John Gordon of Cairnburrow, who erected the new house to mark his marriage to Helen Carnegie, his second wife, in 1590.

Blairfindy Castle is a tower house of the Grants and Gordons which sits high on a slope overlooking the River Livet. Although possibly containing remnants dating to the first occupation of the Grants in the 15th century, the majority of the fabric and recorded history dates to the 16th century. It consists of a 4-storey, L-plan tower house built of whin and sandstone random rubble in lime mortar with rough granite dressings. The walls are founded on large boulders just at ground level.

The Glenlivet Distillery, Scotland sits in a wild and remote glen, its history laced with drama and intrigue. So in every bottle of whisky we make, we capture as much of the spirit of the glen as we can. We invite you to the heart of Scotland’s whisky-making country to explore the turbulent history of the whisky smugglers, delve into the intriguing mysteries of distilling and sample the golden magic that is The Glenlivet.

Ben Avon is a very large and complex mountain sprawling over more than 30 km2. The summit plateau is dominated by granite tors, one of which forms the summit. From the broad summit plateau ridges lead in almost every direction, allowing access from Glen Avon to the north, from Beinn a' Bhùird to the west and from Gleann an t-Slugain in the south. To the west of the summit lies the massive corrie, Slochd Mòr, with its rocky cliffs, and the approaches from the south and west take you close to the

Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, having been first leased in 1848. The castle is an example of Scottish baronial architecture, and is classified by Historic Environment Scotland as a category A listed building. The new castle was completed in 1856 and the old castle demolished shortly thereafter.

Crathie Kirk is a small Church of Scotland parish church in the Scottish village of Crathie, best known for being the regular place of worship of the British royal family when they are in residence at the nearby Balmoral Castle. Crathie Kirk is now united with neighbouring Braemar to form a single parish with two places of worship. Eventually this parish will be further enlarged to include Glenmuick. The minister is the Reverend Kenneth Mackenzie. Mackenzie was previously minister of the Church

Abergeldie Castle is a modest 16th century four-floor tower house overlooking the River Dee a short distance downstream of the Royal family’s hunting lodge of Balmoral Castle. It consists of a single rectangular tower with a round turret which serves all three floors and the attic, and is not accessible to the public. Behind it rises Creag nam Ban, a rounded granite hill about 527 metres high, and across the river to its front is the cairn-crowned Geallaig Hill, rising to 743 metres.

Drumin Castle is a ruined tower house near Glenlivet, Moray. The lands were granted by King Robert II to his son Alexander Stewart in the early 1370s. It passed from the Stewart family to the Gordon family in 1490. The castle was abandoned in the 18th century and fell into disrepair. Brown tourist signs direct you to the castle from a considerable distance away, and there is a good parking area close to the bridge over the River Livet at the foot of the bluff immediately to the east of the castl

Royal Lochnagar distillery is situated on the south side of the River Dee close to Balmoral Castle. Age old traditions and craftmanship produce one of Scotland's most exclusive whiskies. A visit to Royal Lochnagar is a timeless experience. Today Royal Lochnagar is leased by Diageo from the Abergeldie Estate, and the distillery produces a relatively small amount of whisky, most of which is used in Johnnie Walker black and blue label.

Beinn a'Bhuirid is a great hulk of a mountain with a tiny summit cairn. Grass and heather slopes on its west side contrast with the huge cliffs and coires on its east side. It offers skiing and also beautiful spectacular views form the summit and also it will be a new experience for you.

Kildrummy Castle was once one of the most magnificent and imposing castles in Scotland. It was built in about 1250 by the Earl of Mar. The castle was intended to consolidate the Mar dynasty's hold over north-eastern Scotland and was located where it could command important routes across the region. It may have replaced an earlier castle built on a motte a mile to the north east and since occupied by Kildrummy Kirkyard.

A 17th century castle with a colourful past and an exciting future. Built by the Earl of Mar in 1628, it has been hunting lodge, fortress, garrison and family home. The castle is centred on a round tower set within a curtain wall, and defended by an iron yett. The interiors feature fine furniture, including pieces by Chippendale and Hepplewhite. In summer it was a hunting lodge, but its main purpose was to defend the Mar estates against the neighbouring Farquharson clan of Inverey.

Muir of Dinnet is a national nature reserve situated close to the village of Dinnet in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The reserve extends 1166 hectares from the River Dee to Culbean hill, and encompasses a wide range of habitats including dry heath, raised bog, woodland, and two lochs: Loch Kinord and Loch Davan. Muir of Dinnet is owned by Dinnet Estate and managed by NatureScot, who provide a visitor centre and a range of other facilities including waymarked paths and a car park.

Ben Rinnes is the highest freestanding mountain in Moray at 2733ft (841 metres), and is classified as a ‘Corbett’ – a summit lying between 2500ft and 2999ft. The mountain has one main path and can be easily accessed from the nearby car park. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and running.

Beinn a' Chaorainn is a Scottish mountain in the heart of the Cairngorms range. It is quite a remote hill, being located roughly 19 kilometres south east of Aviemore and 14 kilometres north west of Braemar. The mountain stands on the border of the Moray and Aberdeenshire council areas. The hill's name used to be spelt as Beinn a' Chaoruinn, but the spelling of the word caorunn was altered to caorann by the Gaelic Orthographic Convention's attempts to standardise spelling.

Loch Kinord is a small, freshwater loch at Muir of Dinnet, Aberdeenshire, Scotland just north of the River Dee and 5 mi east of Ballater. The loch is also known as Loch Ceander and Loch Cannor. It is approximately 1 mi in length and was formed from a glacial kettle hole. The loch sits within the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve and is immediately south of Loch Davan.

The Braemar Gathering is known colloquially as The Games and originating from those believed to have been held by Malcolm III, an annual Highland Games Gathering is held at Braemar on the first Saturday in September and is traditionally attended by the British Royal Family.

Beinn Bhreac is a twin-peaked Scottish mountain located above Glen Derry in the Cairngorm Mountains approximately 11 kilometres north-west of Braemar. It is commonly approached from the Linn of Dee to the south and is often combined with the neighbouring Munro Beinn a' Chaorainn. From its summit there are extensive views to the surrounding giants of the Cairngorm Mountains including Ben MacDui, Great Britain's second highest mountain.