A bit of background: Why there is a pyramid at Balmoral Castle
Officially named Prince Albert’s Cairn, this monument on the royal Balmoral Estate has earned the nickname “the Scottish Pyramid.” Queen Victoria commissioned it as a memorial to honour her beloved husband, Prince Albert, after his death in 1861.
Cairns, essentially piles of stones, have been used throughout Scotland for centuries. Traditionally, they served as markers to guide travellers or as monuments to commemorate significant people and events. Balmoral Estate is home to 11 cairns, each built to mark important individuals or events in the royal family’s history. Prince Albert’s Cairn stands out as the largest and most prominent among them.
The highlight of Prince Albert’s Cairn is it’s location, offering panoramic views of the Cairngorms National Park and the picturesque woodland walk to reach it.
Where is the Scottish pyramid?
Balmoral Estate is located within Cairngorms National Park, near the village of Ballater – here’s how you can get there:
By Car
The best way to get there is by car with parking available at the Crathie carparks. This is paid parking at £5 per day. There are ticket machines within the carpark (you will need to enter your registration number and display the ticket on your car’s dashboard).
Here’s a link to the Crathie carpark that you can use to navigate there on Google Maps.
By Bus
There’s also a bus service from Aberdeen to Balmoral Estate (route 201, getting off at the Crathie, Aberdeenshire stop). Based on my research, the bus ride takes just over 2 hours with tickets starting at £26.80 return. You can view the timetable on the Stagecoach website.
You might also find some day tours running while the grounds are open. They usually give you some free time to explore Balmoral, which you can use for the hike. Just be sure to keep the hike duration in mind as you plan.
Regardless of how you arrived at Balmoral, head to the Crathie car park so you can follow the directions below.
The Route: How to get to Prince Albert’s pyramid from the carpark?
The official AllTrails route begins at Easter Balmoral Village, but here’s how to reach the starting point from the Crathie carpark:
- Leave the car park and cross the green bridge over the River Dee (On sunny days, the water will glisten, and against the backdrop of the pine forest, it’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a fairy tale).
- At the castle gates, follow the road to the left. There’s no footpath, so stick to the side of the road (There’s a raised patch of grass on the right side of the road that we walked along).
- After 800 meters (0.5 miles), look for a sign for the Royal Lochnagar Distillery and take this road on your right.
- At the first intersection (about 100 meters further), turn right toward the small village. This is where you’ll connect with the AllTrails route (I’ve marked the exact spot in the screenshot below).
From here, you can follow the pyramid hike route below:
Before you reach the pyramid, you’ll come across a smaller cairn. This was built for Princess Beatrice (Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter) to commemorate her marriage. The shape and appearance of Princess Beatrice’s cairn is similar to the other cairns across the estate.
Since this hike is an out-and-back route, simply retrace your steps back down to the car park.
How long is the Balmoral pyramid walk?
The walk itself takes about a 1 hour round trip from Easter Balmoral, but you’ll want to add extra time for enjoying the views at the top and walking to the starting point from the car park, which took us around 15 minutes. I’d recommend allowing 2 hours, especially considering the weather, as the path would get muddy when it’s wet.
If you’re looking for a longer walk, the full circular Balmoral Cairns hike takes you past four additional cairns taking about 2.5 hours to complete. Just note that this route is closed if King Charles and the royal family are in residence.
How hard is the pyramid walk?
While it’s called a walk, I wouldn’t say it’s a “casual stroll.” The Pyramid sits at the top of a hill, a while this provides the stunning views—you do have a steep climb to get there. The path feels like it just keeps going up and up with the incline hitting a 24% grade in some spots. This could feel like second nature for some, but for my partner and me, we definitely felt our thighs burning and had to take a couple of breaks on the way up.
If you’re an experienced hiker or have already taken on hikes like the Old Man of Storr during your Scotland trip, you won’t find it too challenging.
Can you visit the pyramid when Balmoral castle is closed?
Yes, you can.
Balmoral Estate is a private residence of the British royal family and closes to visitors when they’re in residence. However, Prince Albert’s Pyramid is outside the castle grounds, so it’s still accessible.
I noticed some comments on AllTrails mentioning that the Crathie carpark was closed during their visit, so you may need to find some alternative parking if they are in residence. You can check if the castle grounds are open here.
