Royal Deeside : Crathie Village

The small village of Crathie sits on the edge of the Balmoral estate. It is famous because, when in residence, the Royal Family regularly attend the charming village Church of Scotland kirk. but the village has a long history, dating back at least to the early Christian saints.

The village lies either side of the River Dee about midway between Ballater and Braemar and approximately 50 miles west of Aberdeen. The surrounding countryside is typical of the beautiful scenery of the Eastern Cairngorms National Park with the River Dee sparkling in the fore-ground and Lochnagar majestic in the background.

Hundreds of Residents and Visitors attend the Annual Bazaar at Crathie Kirk Hall

Crathie attracts a great number of visitors each year with Balmoral Castle, Crathie Kirk and the Royal Lochnagar Distillery all being important attractions. The River Dee, which is crossed at Crathie by a bridge designe by Brunel, is an important Salmon River. Lochnagar, the largest mountain in this area, is extremely popular with hill walkers.

The village retains its school and has close links with the nearby town of Ballater. One new development has been the creation of Crathie Opportunity Holidays - a set of self-catering cottages built with physically disabled people in mind.