Ballater Scottish Gaelic:Bealadair
Glenmuick Parish Church, in the square
Ballater Location withinAberdeenshire
Population	1,430 (2022)[1]
OS grid reference	NO369958
• Edinburgh	76 mi (122 km)
• London	400 mi (644 km)
Council area	Aberdeenshire
Lieutenancy area	Aberdeenshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BALLATER
Postcode district	AB35
Dialling code	01339
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Scottish Parliament	Aberdeenshire West
List of places UK Scotland 57°02′41″N3°02′58″W / 57.0448°N 3.04942°W /57.0448; -3.04942

Ballater (/ˈbælətər/,Scottish Gaelic:Bealadair) is a village inAberdeenshire,Scotland, on theRiver Dee, immediately east of theCairngorm Mountains. Situated at an elevation of 213 metres (699 feet), Ballater is a centre forhikers and known for itsspring water, once said to curescrofula. It is home to more than 1400 inhabitants and has had a long connection with theBritish royal family.

Themedieval pattern of development along this reach of theRiver Dee was influenced by the ancienttrackways across theGrampianMounth, which determined strategic locations of castles and other Deesidesettlements of theMiddle Ages.^[2]

In the early 14th century, the area was part of the estates of theKnights of St John, but the settlement did not develop until around 1770; first as a spa resort to accommodate visitors to the Pannanich Mineral Well, then later upon the arrival of the railway in 1866 it was visited by many tourists taking advantage of the easier access thus afforded. TheVictoria and Albert Halls, opposite the railway station, were completed in 1895.^[3]

Ballater railway station, the former terminus of theDeeside Railway, was closed in 1966, but remains in use as a visitor centre with an exhibition recording the village's royal connection. Many buildings date from theVictorian era and the centre of the village is aconservation area. The old visitor centre was substantially damaged by fire in May 2015 but has subsequently been restored and reopened.^[4]

After the bridge over the River Dee had been built the village developed with a "Centrical Church" replacing the churches atTullich,Glengairn andFoot o' Gairn which had become ruins.^[5]

A foundation stone was laid in 1798 and the first service was held on 14 December 1800. The church was designed by Mr Massey of Aberdeen and cost £670. It measured 72 feet (22 m) long by 34 feet (10 m) wide. Doors, at the east and west ends, each had a stair leading to agallery. The building had four windows at the front and two gable windows, all glazed with plain glass. In the interior was a pulpit, a sound board, alatron and stair and rail. In 1879 a clock was manufactured byMessrs Gillett & Brand of Croydon; the winding mechanism was electrified in 1982. Avestry was added in the early 1850s.^[5]

Balmoral Castle, theBritish royal family's holiday home, lies 7 miles (11 kilometres) west, and the family has visited the town frequently since the time ofQueen Victoria.Birkhall lies 1 mile (1.5 kilometres) southwest of Ballater.Victoria Barracks is used by theRoyal Guard for the castle.^[6]

For decades, local stores hadroyal warrants bestowed upon them. Five years after the death ofQueen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who had granted them, the warrants lapsed and, to the chagrin of many townsfolk and especially shop owners, they were not renewed.^[7] Shops which still display the arms marking the royal warrant include the butchers H. M. Sheridan.^[8]

In September 2022, following thedeath of Queen Elizabeth II, the cortège bearing her coffin passed through the village, on its way to Edinburgh.^[9]

A Met Office weather station collects weather data at Balmoral, just over 7 miles (11 kilometres) west of Ballater. Like most of Scotland and theBritish Isles, Ballater experiences amaritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. Its upland position means temperatures throughout the year are cooler than lower-lying areas, and snowfall more plentiful during winter months.

Ballater is a centre for tourism inRoyal Deeside, with theCairngorms andBalmoral Castle nearby. There are two bike hire shops in the village.

The oldBallater station, containing Queen Victoria's waiting room, was for many years a visitor centre with a replica royal carriage.^[14] However, the building was almost completely destroyed by fire in 2015. The rebuilding of the station, bistro and adjoining visitor centre was undertaken and subsequently completed in Autumn 2018.^[15]Balmoral Castle is a 10-minute drive from the village.

There are manywalks from the village. For the easy going walker, there isCraigendarroch, a small, peculiarly shaped hill near the village. About 12 km (7 miles) south-west of Ballater isLoch Muick. From there experienced walkers can head up the prominent mountain,Lochnagar. Ballater is the home of many challenging walks due to the abundance ofMunroes in the area.

There are many well-mapped cycle routes from Ballater into the surrounding areas, includingthe Deeside Way and a number of popularmountain biking trails. The forests atCambus o'May have trails for experienced riders.^[16]

TheRiver Dee flows through Ballater, and is famous for salmon fishing.

Events in the town include:

• The Ballater Walking Festival each May attracts manyhillwalkers of all levels.^[17] Participants are guided through the hills and valleys of the easternCairngorms.
• The Ballater Boules Challenge, on alternate Sundays from November to March each year, provides an alternative sport when the weather is not cold enough for the traditional game ofcurling.^[18]
• Victoria Week, held annually in August, is a celebration of Ballater's connection with Queen Victoria and Balmoral Castle.^[19]

The village has its own 'tongue in cheek', on-line newspaper, theBallater Bugle.^[20]

Recently five Ballater residents refurbished theAutomobile Association'sPatrol Box atCambus o'May, one of only an estimated 8 to 10 such historical call boxes remainingin situ in Great Britain.^[21]

There is a bus garage located near the village centre which provides an hourly public service to Aberdeen's Union Square bus station. The bus company was granted permission to build a new site at Pannanich Road in December 2014.^[22] In April 2015 the former bus station was re-opened as aCo-op supermarket.^[23]

• Sir Patrick Geddes (1854–1932),biologist andbotanist^[24]

• In local government Ballater and Crathie share a combinedCommunity council of 13 members.^[25]
• In theUK House of Commons it is represented by theCounty constituency ofWest Aberdeenshire and Kincardine.
• In theScottish Parliament it is represented by theCounty constituency ofAberdeenshire West.

• Aboyne, a village, 11 miles (18 km) to the east, along theA93
• List of burghs in Scotland

Wikisource has the text of the1911Encyclopædia Britannica article "Ballater".

• Official website at visitballater.com
• Ballater information guide at Aberdeenshisre, Scotland
• Ballater tourism guide at myvoyagescotland.com

• Ballater
• Towns in Aberdeenshire

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