Driving in the area is a pleasurable experience, so much so that the North East 250 has been developed as an adjunct to the hugely popular North Coast 500.  The NE250 is a 250 mile circuit which will take you through Speyside’s distillery country before running along the wild and beautiful north coast of Moray, Banff and Aberdeenshire before heading south again and along Royal Deeside back to Ballater.

 

Transport history is well catered for with several excellent preserved railways nearby along with the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford where you can see cars, trams, buses and lorries from yesteryear.  Steve often shows his 1960s Morris at nearby car shows and will provide help on any local events and running days.

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If you are planning to bring your classic car to stay with us in Ballater, or represent a classic car club, please contact us before booking for a special owners discount.  

 

Trains ran to the historic railway station opposite The Gordon until 1966.  Many royals from Queen Victoria onwards have disembarked there for the short onward journey to Balmoral.  The station now boasts a small museum including a preserved royal train carriage.  In its latter years the Deeside line used an unusual battery powered train known locally as Sputnik.  This has survived into preservation and is to be found at the Deeside Railway centre just beyond Banchory.

 

Useful links

https://www.northeast250.com/

http://www.gtm.org.uk/

https://www.strathspeyrailway.co.uk/

https://www.deeside-railway.co.uk/

https://caledonianrailway.com/

https://keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk/

 

Example driving times:

Royal Deeside Railway, Banchory 35mins

Grampian Transport Museum & Alford Valley Railway, Alford 40mins

Strathspey Railway, Broomhill 1h5

Caledonian Railway, Brechin 1h5

Keith & Dufftown Railway 1h10