Braemar Castle

I drove up to visit my dad yesterday and stopped in by Braemar Castle on the way back to take a photograph. The castle sits at the entrance to the village of Braemar, on the banks of the river Dee.

The castle was originally constructed in 1628 as a hunting lodge. It was then an important military garrison after the 1745 Jacobite uprising. In 1831 the castle was returned to the Farquharson clan, and restoration to provide a family home began under the 12th Laird of Invercauld who entertained Queen Victoria there when she attended the Braemar Gatherings in the grounds of the Castle.

Since 2006 the castle has been leased to the local community. It is run on behalf of the community by a local charity, Braemar Community Ltd, and staffed by local volunteers. An ambitious restoration programme has been started, and it reopened to the public in 2008.

[Graham Thresher]

Super shot.

[Margaret Brown]

Lovely details and info

[Kathy]

It's sort of isolated looking. And very tall and compact. Nice to read the history and good shot of it.

[Lee]

Wonderful castle. I like your composition Issi, the inclusion of the trees and vehicles gives the castle perspective. Fav

[Islandgirl]

What a cool castle!

[Milanie]

Great shot - like it in b&w - looks like I picture a castle to look.

[Taffy]

This is really fascinating. Do you see the shape of a robot holding its arms up in the foreground side of the castle?

[Issi Bannerman]

@taffy I see what you see! Funny! :-)

[Stephanie Swift]

Beautiful castle, and the I like the line of trees beside it and the composition generally. Fav.

[Louise & Ken]

Wow! That's some "Hunting Lodge"! I'd love to visit the interior! Of course a sight like this is unknown to those of us in the States and Canada! I'd love to visit for myself someday!