In Memory Of...

My bike was due back to the shop for its first check-up, which gave us a good excuse to spend a day around Ballater.  We went in search of the Balmoral Cairns, which 20+ (for me) and 40+ (for the Don) years in the area we'd never heard of until randomly during the Easter holiday two lots of folks we know visited them.  Turns out the Clan visited the most impressive one way back in 2009 when we Christmased in Crathie, but I think I'd returned with the girls to the Don and orr wee toon for an actual Christmas with papa and the Don's family.

Wonderful memories (pre this blog)!

There are eleven stone cairns on the Balmoral estate in Deeside, and a single cairn on the adjoining Birkhall estate, all commemorating members of the British royal family and events in their lives.  The majority of the cairns were erected by Queen Victoria and commemorate the marriages of Victoria's children (Princess Royal, Prince Albert Edward, Princess Alice, Princess Helena, Princess Louise, Prince Arthur, Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice) to the great and good of European Royalty, though Victoria's son Price Alfred is unique in not having a cairn dedicated to him.  And it was a fair 10km hike - on what turned in to a warm and sunny day - getting to the majority of them!

Princess Helena's cairn

Princess Louise's cairn

The Purchase Cairn was erected in October 1852 to commemorate
the purchase of the estate by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Stunning views over Deeside

Prince Leopold's cairn overlooking Balmoral Castle,
and a fine place to stop for lunch

Prince Arthur's cairn

Views to Lochanagar

Princess Alice's cairn

Princess Beatrice's cairn

The largest cairn was erected by Victoria in memory of her husband Prince Albert after his death in 1861. 

To the beloved memory of Albert the great and
good Prince Consort. Erected by his broken-hearted
widow Victoria R. 21st August 1862

Prince Albert's cairn is just visible through the trees - if you know where to look!

  

It was a great walk, on a stunning day, though it definitely left us looking forward to going home and putting our feet up for a few hours!  Not so for Lightning who had an hour's swim training in the pool to get back for bwa ha ha ha.