Everything about Braemar totally explained
Braemar is a village in
Aberdeenshire,
Scotland, around 58 miles west of
Aberdeen in the
Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the
River Dee sitting at an altitude of 339 m (1100 ft).
The Gaelic
Bràigh Mhàrr properly refers to the area of upper Marr (as it literally means), for example the area of
Marr to the west of
Aboyne, the village itself being Castleton of Braemar (
Baile a' Chaisteal Bhràigh Mhàrr).
Locality
Braemar is approached from the South on the
A93 from
Glen Clunie and the
Cairnwell Pass - and from the East also on the A93 from
Deeside. Braemar can be approached on foot from the West through
Glen Tilt,
Glen Feshie, Glen Dee (by the
Lairig Ghru), and
Glen Derry (by the
Lairig an Laoigh).
The village is overlooked (from roughly northwest) by
Carn na Drochaide (818 m), (from roughly northeast) by Creag Choinnich (538 m), (from roughly southwest) by
Carn na Sgliat (690 m), and (from roughly southwest) by
Morrone (859 m).
Braemar is within a one-and-a-half hour drive of
Aberdeen,
Dundee, and
Perth.
History
Historically the village is situated in the upper end of the historical
Earldom of Mar or literally the
Braes o' Mar. In
Scottish Gaelic,
Bràigh Mhàrr (upland of Mar) referred to the general locality rather than the village itself.
The use of
Braemar to specifically refer to the village dates to around 1870. Previously, two independent hamlets existed on the banks of the
Clunie Water named
on the West bank;
Auchendryne, on the East bank;
Castleton, the name referring to
Kindrochit Castle (within the modern-day village) rather than
Braemar Castle The
ruins of
Kindrochit Castle on the east bank of the
Clunie Water, slightly upriver from the bridge in Braemar, are considered to be largely of 14th century origin replacing the presumed timber-construction of the original castle. The name Kindrochit
(bridge end)
Language
In the 1891 census, 59.2% of the population of Braemar spoke the
Gaelic language "habitually", the percentage of those actually able to speak the language (despite not having must opportunity to) would have been somewhat higher. The small crofting township of Inverey (
Inbhir Èidh) was 86.3% Gaelic-speaking, most non-speakers being originally from Lower Deeside. The Gaelic spoken in the Aberdeenshire Highlands shared most features in common with the Gaelic of Strathspey and East Perthshire. The last native-speaker of the local Gaelic dialect died in 1984, though there are still surviving native-speakers of the similar Strathspey dialect.
Braemar Gathering
Known colloquially as
The Games - and originating from those believed to have been held by
Malcolm III - Braemar holds an annual
Highland Games Gathering on the first Saturday in September, traditionally attended by the
British Royal Family.
In
1746 the
Act of Proscription stopped all clan gatherings, but following its repeal in 1782 the old enthusiasms for such events returned.
About 1826 the Braemar Highland Society was created; the first modern-day games taking place in 1832. On the 14th September 1844
Queen Victoria attended the gathering at
Invercauld. In 1866
Royal was added to
Braemar Highland Society and in 1906 the
Duke of Fife gifted 12 acres of
Mar Estate to the Society and
The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park, the current home of the
Braemar Gathering, was created.
Since
Queen Victoria's time the reigning
Monarch has been the patron of the Braemar Royal Highland Society.
Gallery - 2006 Gathering
This gallery shows general views of the 2006 Braemar Gathering
Image:Pr_and_df_mp_01SEP06.jpg
Image:braemargames_2006_01.jpg
Image:braemargames_2006_05.jpg
Image:braemargames_2006_06.jpg
Amenities
Braemar has a golf course, two large hotels (Fife Arms and Invercauld Arms) as well as many smaller hotels and private homes offering
bed and breakfast style accommodation and a large SYHA
hostel. On the southern edge of the village there's also a caravan site. A tourist information centre is located in the building opposite the Fife Arms Hotel.
Morrone Birkwood Nature Reserve
The
Morrone Birkwood Nature Reserve is a
nature reserve on the edge of the village reached from the car park at the top of Chapel Brae.
Gallery
This gallery shows general views of Braemar.
Image:braemar_from_morrone_01SEP06.jpg | Braemar from Morrone
Image:Auchendrynelodge braemar 01SEP06.jpg | Auchendryne Lodge (September 2006)
Image:Fields_Braemar.jpg | Sunset as seen at a field in Braemar
Image:Gordon's tearoomandbakery 01SEP06.jpg | The Gordon's Tearoom and Bakery
Image:Braemargallery and policestation 01SEP06.jpg | The Braemar Gallery, and Police Station
Further Information
Get more info on 'Braemar'.
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