Abergeldie Castle

I am lucky enough to drive by this scene every time I go to my dad's - particularly fetching today with the snow on the high tops. This is just beside Balmoral, and you can see Abergeldie Castle in the foreground - which very nearly disappeared into the river in the 2015 floods - you can see how the riverbank has been shored up and new trees planted to stabilise the land. Also, of note is the pyramid cairn on the hillside amongst the pine trees. This cairn (one of many on the Balmoral Estate) was erected by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved Prince Albert after he died in 1861. One can't help but wonder what she'd be thinking today about the shenanigans surrounding the decisions and the future of Harry and Meghan. I'm sure she would 'not be amused'!

[Peter Day]

..very nice photograph but not for me.

[Bep]

Beautiful. Love the snow on the mountains.

[Richard Sayer]

Unless we're looking at the thin side, it's more of a 'castle-ette'! Nevertheless, it's perfectly placed in this scenery.

[Margaret Brown]

Lovely scenery and layers, the cairn looks so out of place in the trees!!

[Pat Knowles]

You’re definitely right there...duty would come before self!
Love the different shades of black & white, light & dark....such a beautiful original building! You have snow too!

[Corinne]

Nice B&W

[Kathy]

Very picturesque.

[Taffy]

What a setting to be simply passing by. Lovely the way you've caught it and processed to bring out all the contrasting textures.

[Issi Bannerman]

@vignouse Absolutely a castle-ette!

[Monique]

Beautiful shot, like the b & w very much !

[Tom]

Wonderful tonal range, textures and layers. Is it just a wall of the castle and the white cupola (is that the cairn) in back of it?

[Issi Bannerman]

@tosee It's a small 'castle' owned by the 79 year old Baron of Abergeldie, John Gordon - who had to evacuate the building when the banks of the river started to wash away during the flood. It's a tower house in reality, but is called a castle. Not sure what gives buildings the right to be called castles. I know of other more imposing buildings locally which are not castles, but merely 'houses'. This view is from the back of the castle though, so not it's best side! The cairn is right up on the wooded hill behind - just on the skyline on the right hand side.