Cairngorms Castle United Kingdom

So who wouldn’t enjoy feeling like a King or Queen of a Castle for a week? Cairngorms Castle offers you a once in a lifetime opportunity to do just that. You will create ever lasting memories in this classic Victorian castle located within the stunning 200 acre Cairngorms Castle Estate on the southern fringe of the astounding Cairngorms National Park. The Estate is situated in one of Scotland’s most rugged and spectacularly beautiful glens. You can relax and unwind with friends and family in this fascinating, historic 10 bedroomed castle. It is the perfect place for a special celebration and if there are more than 20 of you, you can always book one or more of the fabulous cottages on the estate. In total there are six holiday properties on the estate sleeping up to 47 guests in total.
Cairngorms Castle has a wonderful history which is all part of your experience. The first map showing a building on the site was published between 1747 and 1755. The origins of the estate appear to have been Cairngorms Cottage which was built as a hunting lodge and inhabited by the Shaw family from the late 1700’s. Cairngorms Castle was built in the early 1860’s, commissioned by Lord Clyde, Queen Victoria’s banker and designed by Her Majesty’s architect from Balmoral. The estate sold in 1867 at a traditional ‘Roup’ for a reduced price of £10,000 as advertised in the Times! Guests enjoy beautiful scenery and the freshest of air on this dreamy estate. You can fish for rainbow and brown trout or take a trip out on the estate’s private loch in the five person dinghy or fish for salmon or stroll along the River Shee which runs through the estate. Skiers and snowboarders enjoy the close proximity of the famous Glenshee Snowsports Centre ten miles away and walkers love the sensational 64 mile CateranTrail, the second stage of which passes through the estate. You can take a beautiful moorland route to the Tail’s highest point between Strathardle and Glenshee enjoying breathtaking views of the lush glens and rugged peaks. Cairngorms Castle is also a wonderful base for exploring the Cairngorms National Park with its choice of 55 Munros, four of which are the highest mountains in the UK. Those less active can enjoy the very scenic, spectacular drive along the 90 mile Snowroads stretch, starting at nearby Blairgowrie and driving to the Highland town of Grantown-on-Spey.
Guests enter this beautiful estate via a formal driveway which leads to the castle. As you walk through the imposing entrance of Cairngorms Castle and arrive in the spacious reception area you will feel the warm and welcoming ambience. This castle feels lived in and very comfortable. The main corridor runs the entire length of the ground floor with its traditional library, formal dining room, informal breakfast room, kitchen and drawing room running from it. The grand main staircase takes you to seven bedrooms and a small flight of stairs takes you to the remaining three bedrooms.
You will find very generous spaces filled with lavish furnishings, heavy drapes and wonderful artwork. Ancient nods from the past offer atmosphere and character. The library offers a wonderful selection of classic books and beautiful, traditional furnishings. The decor in every room is warm with lots of rich colour, all accessorised with tartans, quality drapes and beautiful ornaments, lamps and paintings. The formal dining room, in sunshine yellow, boasts a magnificent table and chairs for all 20 guests. It provides spectacular views of the estate and enjoys access to the terrace. The informal yet stylish breakfast room leads to a brilliantly equipped, newly refurbished kitchen. It offers a fabulous range of appliances for delicious feasts and hearty Scottish breakfasts including two dishwashers, a glasswasher, two electric cookers, a microwave, coffee maker and a handy larder. The chefs in your group will enjoy the space though you may want to hire a private chef for some of your meals. At the far end of the corridor is the bright and airy drawing room where you can enjoy the Sunday newspapers, roaring fires and evening drinks. It is a wonderful, comfortable space with sumptuous sofas and fabulous estate views.
Upstairs you will discover seven spacious and beautifully finished bedrooms off the generous landing, five of which enjoy their own classical bathrooms. Three of the bedrooms also enjoy astounding views of the southern Cairngorms. A small flight of stairs takes you to three further bedroom suites, all with private bathrooms and astonishing countryside views. The master bedroom suite enjoys a fabulous four poster bed draped with gorgeous tartan and dressed with quality linens. There are two double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, two twins with a shared bathroom, four twins with en-suite bathrooms and one room boasting a superb zip and link bed that can be set up as a twin or a superking bed. It also enjoys an en-suite bathroom.
Outside this dreamy castle, you can enjoy the expansive, lush grassed garden with its delightful views over the pond and surrounding natural beauty. You can wander along the rivers and around the loch, fish, enjoy the dense forest and be captivated by the stunning mountain and heather views. You will enjoy much wildlife including roe deer which are especially popular with the young ones. The site of the castle is elevated in the heart of Glenshee overlooking the flat-water meadows of Shee Water which meander into the wooded vale. The views are simply astonishing.
Cairngorms Castle is within easy distance of Braemar, Pitlochry, Dundee and Perth. The peace, tranquility and beauty of this magical estate is perfect to refresh your mind, body and soul. The magnificent Cairngorms Castle is located in the heart of Glenshee, a spectacular glen. Its elevated position above the meadows of Shee Water offers the most breathtaking mountain scenery and very fresh air. It is situated on the southern fringe of the Cairngorms National Park, just 2 hours from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Glenshee translates as ‘The Valley of Peace’ and is known fondly by the the locals as ‘the fairy glen’. The area is famous for its fantastic variety of activities including walking, angling, shooting, golf, cycling and also winter sports. Mountain biking, falconry and pony trekking are also available. The fantastic Glenshee Snowsports Centre is just ten miles from the castle. If that is not enough to get the adrenaline flowing, Nae Limits offer an impressive range of water and land adventures including white water rafting, river tubing and quad biking.
The scenery is absolutely spectacular. The 64 mile Caterlan Trail passes through the estate and takes you to the highest point of the trail with sensational panoramic views of the mountain peaks and deep green glens. The Cairngorms National Park offers scenic drives and 55 Munroes to climb. They are ideal for beginners and experienced hill walkers alike. Kayakers and canoeists enjoy the challenging network of rivers. Instructor led beginner sessions can be arranged.   
Golfers are not left out. There are over 100 fantastic courses including Braemar, the highest course in Scotland and possibly the most beautiful. The Cairngorm Mountains rise up each side of the course. The championship courses at Rosemount and Blairgowrie and the world famous Gleneagles, St Andrews and Caroustie are all within easy reach.
The Cairngorms Castle Estate enjoys a fishing stretch of just under a mile with excellent salmon and trout fishing for novice and experienced fishers on the River Shee. The Shee Water is located at the head of the River Ericht tributary of the whole Tay system and has had a consistently strong run for 40 years. The Ericht has a fish counter on it which regularly sees 10,000 to 15,000 fish through in a season which usually runs from May to August. There is also rainbow and brown trout fishing in the estate’s private loch with the estate’s dinghy available for guests to enjoy.
Another popular excursion is a trip to a distillery. Gin lovers adore the Persie Gin Distillery which is just six miles from the castle. Chocoholics can treat themselves at the award-winning Chocolatier Iain Burnett’s gift shop.
The nearby towns of Blairgowrie and Pitlochry are very attractive. They are an easy drive and offer excellent amenities and plenty of attractions, including the Fish Ladder and Festival Theatre in Pitlochry. At Excellence Luxury Villas we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests. From private chefs to babysitters we can help you arrange those little extras that make it a truly memorable holiday. Simply fill in the
concierge request form or contact Excellence Luxury Villas Concierge Team who will be happy to help. We can typically help you arrange any of the following:
– Maid service/extra cleaning- Private chef/cook/catering- Welcome hamper/pre-stocked fridge- Local day-trips or tours- Airport pick-up/drop-off- Babysitting/childcare services
Please note that all extras are subject to availability and must be requested in advance of the holiday (prices on request). Due to some rural/remote locations, not all services will be available at all properties. However, we will always do our best to fulfill your requests!