Cairnton Cottages

The Area

Royal Deeside

We are very lucky..

to live in such a spectacular part of Scotland. Royal Deeside, which runs from the Cairngorms in the west to Aberdeen in the east, often doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. But there’s a reason that Queen Victoria, and subsequent generations of the royal family, choose to make Balmoral their holiday home of choice.  

Named after that royal connection and the famous River Dee which has its source in Braeriach, the UK’s third highest peak, Royal Deeside follows the course of the river as it winds its way to the sea in Aberdeen. Flowing past the charming towns of Braemar, Ballater, Aboyne and Banchory, the countryside morphs from dramatic in the west to gentle as you travel further east. The North East 250 passes our doorstep and the old Deeside railway line once ran straight through our land. Visit the restored section of railway at Crathes to learn more about the history of Royal Deeside.

Geography

We enjoy a particularly pleasant microclimate, a result of the Grampian mountains beyond, and our nearest town Aboyne regularly records the hottest temperatures in the UK during summer months. Despite this, our lush countryside shows the benefits of regular rain fall and we enjoy proper seasons, as demonstrated by the fact that two of Scotland’s best ski resorts, Glenshee and The Lecht, are located within an hour of our farm. 

Royal Deeside is truly an outdoor adventure playground. In addition to our own outdoor activity park, walking, skiing, golf, fishing and mountain biking are just some of the many outdoor activities available to visitors to this area. Royal Lochnagar, standing at 1156 metres, is one of Scotland’s most popular munros and for those who like a more gentle stroll, Loch Muick at its foot or the beautiful Glen Tanar Estate provide excellent alternatives.

Lifestyle

If outdoor activities aren’t your thing, we are in castle country, with many historic properties, including Crathes, Drum, Craigievar and Braemar all within easy reach of our cottages. And, if you fancy a tipple, visit Royal Lochnagar Distillery for one of the finest Scottish single malts, or Lost Loch Spirits where we can personally recommend their eeNoo gin. 

For eating out, come and see us at Deeside Activity Park for a delicious lunch menu featuring our own Cairnton Aberdeen Angus beef or pop to nearby Aboyne, where there are a number of renowned eating places including The Boat Inn and The Black Faced Sheep amongst others. Further west in Ballater, the luxurious Rothesay Rooms is located in The Old Royal Station which was recently rebuilt following a devastating fire in 2015. We’d be happy to recommend other local restaurants and coffee shops at your request. 

We recently had our 4th stay at Cairnton Farm Cottages and our most recent visit was as fantastic as the previous ones. Our kids love playing with Skye and Boo, the resident Labradors and seeing the other farm animals. The Bothy is lovely and cosy in autumn and winter due to the underfloor heating and log burner and the surrounding area is perfect for outdoor activities such as cycling and hillwalking.

#1

We stayed at The Stables over the May Bank Holiday weekend and couldn’t ask for a better weekend. Ken and Margaret have a gorgeous set up here, the house is lovely and spacious. The fire is ready for lighting and so cosy. The hot tub is brilliant for relaxing in after a day quad biking at the local Deeside Activity Park. Can’t ask for a better stay. Will be back and will recommend to friends and family.

#2

Cosy and welcoming! Underfloor heating, log burner filled for us arriving, fab hot tub ready for us! Skye and Boo the labs were adorable! At the door every morning for cuddles. Got up close to the animals, saw a calf the day it was born! Ken the farmer! What a guy! Will be back as soon as there’s availability.

#3

Lovely well equipped cottage with spectacular views. The cottage itself was very cosy with underfloor heating and 2 fireplaces. Our kids enjoyed seeing all the animals and playing with games/jigsaws left in The Bothy, while my husband and I enjoyed relaxing in the hot tub. Lots of walks nearby to suit all. We can also highly recommend the steak pie, lasagne and steak from the local farm shop.

#4

We had 5 nights in The Bothy. It’s quite remote on a working farm but the location and view is wonderful. We had sun on the deck every day. Use of a BBQ and hot tub was great. The cottage is a decent size, good shower and comfy bed.

#5

Just spend an amazing week at The Bothy. From the moment we walked in everything was wow. The view from the dining room, the decked out hot tub, the location, the cows and horses and everything. Argh, it was all just lovely!! Farmer Ken and his gorgeous doggos in tow made sure we were utterly and completely happy in our little cottage. Thanks everyone at Cairnton Farm!!

#6

Just back from a stay in The Stables with family and thoroughly enjoyed our short break. The location and cottage were perfect for our family. The under floor heating, log burner and of course the hot tub were a welcome addition after a day sledging after being snowed in unexpectedly! We loved the location of these cottages, set up in the hills with lovely views. Enjoyed having a wee walk down to see the cows on the farm. Highly recommend these cottages for a quiet break.

#8