The area’s main attraction has to be the stunning Cairngorms National Park, Britain’s largest, which offers fantastic opportunities for outdoor pursuits. The region offers some of the best mountaineering in Northern Europe, within the parish of Braemar alone there are 24 mountains over 3000 feet. The region also offers skiing and snowboarding in winter, moutain biking, horse riding, ten golf courses, fishing and field sports. 

Deeside is home to the Royal family’s Scottish residence at Balmoral Castle which was built by Queen Victoria in 1852 after she fell in love with the place. She summed up the area perfectly by saying: “A dear paradise where everywhere I look seems to breathe freedom and peace”. There are no large towns in the region although Aberdeen is within reach for a day trip and there are a number of interesting towns and villages. Braemar is famous for its Highland Games, the annual Braemar Gathering, which has been held in the town since the 11th century.