Braemar is a small Highland village at the head of Royal Deeside, set among pines and heather hills about three hundred and fifty metres up, and it is known for cold. It has recorded some of the lowest temperatures in Britain, and winter here is serious, with snow often lying on the ground for months. In summer it is a pleasant, busy village, with outdoor shops, cafes, a couple of pubs and a petrol station, though the stock and hours are limited.
The Braemar Gathering, held every September, is the best known of the Highland Games, and the royal family traditionally attends from nearby Balmoral. Events include tossing the caber, the hammer throw, hill racing and bagpipe contests, and the atmosphere is part sporting event, part family fete. Braemar Castle, a seventeenth-century fortress that was later garrisoned after the Jacobite risings, stands just outside the village and is run by the local community.
Getting here from the south, the road climbs through the Spittal of Glenshee and over the Cairnwell Pass, at about 670 metres the highest main road in Britain. The ascent is a joy, with big open moorland, long straights and some tight hairpins, including the famous Devil's Elbow, though the road has been straightened. The skiing infrastructure of Glenshee stands bare in summer. The weather can be wild, with wind, rain and cold fog, so be ready.
Beyond Braemar the road follows the River Dee towards Balmoral and Ballater, through dense Caledonian pine forest where red squirrels, capercaillie and red deer live. The Cairngorms is the largest national park in Britain, and the landscape around is a mix of granite mountains and heather moor, wonderful for walking. If you can, stop here for a meal and a stretch before the high roads to the north. Fill the tank, particularly if you plan to cross the Lecht, because services are sparse and winter closures are common.