I stayed at one of the UK’s most famous castles – and nearly bumped into royalty

“IS The King home?” I asked, turning to the ranger who had been strolling the sprawling 50,000-acre grounds alongside us.

Despite being astatine one of the UK’s astir celebrated castles, I hadn’t expected to transverse paths with royalty connected this trip.

As a immense instrumentality of The Crown, I knew a small astir royal protocol and the likelihood of maine really ever gathering a subordinate of the Royal Family (very slim).

So erstwhile the ranger confirmed that King Charles was successful information location and that we whitethorn adjacent spot him strolling circular the lush gardens oregon by the river, it came arsenic a spot of a surprise.

My woman and I were exploring Balmoral Castle, the countryside property successful Scotland’s Aberdeenshire and 1 of the Royal Family’s astir cherished homes.

It was wide from the infinitesimal we stepped ft connected the majestic grounds with its perfectly manicured lawns and odes to the monarchy everywhere.

His Majesty stays successful a cottage, hidden distant from prying eyes portion helium is here, we were told.

Although that doesn’t mean helium is not up for a chat with visitors.

In fact, his extortion officers often promote starstruck visitors to halt him for a conversation, the ranger tells us.

Eyes peeled, we took a agelong meander on the River Dee, and though determination was nary sighting of the King, we did negociate to find a cafe wrong the castle grounds selling delicious pick teas.

We felt similar royalty ourselves, tucking into scones with lashings of jam and sipping connected beverage portion surrounded by pictures of the monarchy.

We adjacent saw 1 of Prince Harry posing and smiling alongside his member and different household members — a alternatively uncommon show these days.

When not scoffing scones, you tin get a behind-the-scenes look astatine royal beingness wrong the ballroom wherever Queen Elizabeth often hosted parties for the Balmoral staff, oregon astatine the cricket pitch, wherever Prince Philip spent galore an hr practising his bowling method with a young Prince William and Harry.

Fans of the royals tin adjacent wage their respects to the precocious Queen’s most-loved companions astatine Balmoral’s pet cemetary.

Make definite you support way of wherever you are venturing, though.

It took america two-and-a-half hours of hiking on countryside paths until we yet recovered our car.

And that was acknowledgment a Canadian mates we met who showed america a telephone app that tells you precisely wherever you are and however to scope your desired location.

If lone we had known.

Luckily, it didn’t instrumentality america rather arsenic agelong to scope our location for the night, the Balmoral Arms successful the beauteous Scottish colony of Ballater.

The edifice is dripping successful tartan and hostelry, with log fires perpetually burning and absorbing ales connected tap.

As appealing arsenic the ales looked, I had alternatively chosen to illustration the section whiskey astatine The Ghillies Bar, portion my woman took vantage of the immense rolltop tub successful our room.

Then it was clip to refill our tummies.

The edifice is location to an fantabulous restaurant, 1852, named aft the twelvemonth Prince Albert purchased Balmoral for Queen Victoria.

We tucked into starters of smoked salmon and Caesar salad, followed by an astonishing 10oz ribeye steak which had been dry-aged successful a Himalayan brackish enclosure and was served with chips, charred babe onions and peppercorn sauce.

After each that grub, a stroll astir Ballater was archetypal happening connected the docket the pursuing morning.

The colony is littered with boutique shops selling handmade scarfs and a butcher’s selling juicy, section sausages — this 1 adjacent has a royal warrant to proviso nutrient to Balmoral, truthful you cognize they indispensable beryllium good.

If you are up for much of a hiking challenge, the edifice tin supply maps for a fig of walking routes done the agrarian countryside.

But nary substance wherever you walk, you are beauteous overmuch guaranteed epic views successful The Scottish Highlands.

Add that to the epic nutrient and the cosy rooms astatine Balmoral Arms and you’ve got yourself an epic mini-break, acceptable for royalty.