I’m always on the lookout for good local dog walks, but I had a little bit more time on my hands at the weekend, so decided to head up to the Prince Albert Pyramid Memorial.
This is one of Scotland’s hidden gems, as not many people outside the North East of Scotland know about it.
It’s part of the Prince Albert Cairn Walk by the Balmoral Estate. The pyramid itself is situated through a forest and on the top of a hill, overlooking the estate, and down to the A93. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria, not long after his death in 1862, with the inscription reading:
“To, the beloved memory of ALBERT, the great and good Prince Consort. Erected by his broken-hearted widow VICTORIA. R. – 21st August,1862”
There are a number of routes through the forrest and up to the pyramid, so the walk can last as long or short as you want, however I’d say it’s roughly 90 mins – 2 hours. It does have some steep inclines, but there’s flatter bits to let you catch your breath on the way up.
To start, park at the Balmoral Car Park (this costs £5 a day for a car – worth noting when I arrived there was a sign to say the toilets are closed until April for refurbishment). From the car park head down the small road that heads past fields. Follow that until the road splits and take the right side of the road. Follow this until the end and you’ll come to a white suspension bridge – cross the bridge! You will have to walk on the road for a short time, but there are signs to the Cairn Walk – and you’ll see where to take a left and into the forest. From there it’s a path all the way up!
Perry had a fantastic time and was able to be off lead for the majority of the walk. There are some steep drops, so just be aware of that!
Added bonus – take a look at the Balmoral Estate!
To help you out I did some research before I set off, and here are some of the most commonly asked questions:
Can you visit the Balmoral Pyramid?
Yes, the Pyramid is accessible by foot all year round.
Why does Balmoral have a pyramid?
There’s actually sixteen cairns on the cairn walk, although I have only passed two of them, and the main pyramid itself. The cairns are there to represent members of the Royal Family and events in their life.
How long does it take to walk to the pyramid?
There are two main routes you can walk here, although plenty of paths to zig zag around in. I’d suggest leaving around 45 mins for each way, so around two hours in total.
