Prince Albert's Cairn / Balmoral Pyramid

Written by Chris Thornton | 28th of January 2025
Prince Alberts Cairn

Prince Albert's Cairn is a large pyramid built on the Balmoral Estate, not far from the famous Balmoral Castle, the home of British royalty in Scotland. The estate is renowned for its 11 cairns, but Prince Albert's Cairn is the largest and most impressive.

The History of Prince Albert's Cairn

Following his untimely passing, Queen Victoria erected the cairn in 1862 as a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, Prince Albert. Crafted from granite, the monument measures an impressive 41 feet by 41 feet at its base and features a deeply personal inscription honouring his memory. Though unexpected in the rugged landscape of the Cairngorms, this remarkable structure is a poignant symbol of love and history.

The other cairns across the estate commemorate Queen Victoria’s children and their marriages, honouring Princess Royal, Prince Albert Edward, Princess Alice, Princess Helena, Princess Louise, Prince Arthur, Prince Leopold, and Princess Beatrice. Together, they create a narrative of the royal family's enduring legacy amid Aberdeenshire's natural beauty.

Our visit to Prince Albert's Cairn

My wife and I visited the pyramid in mid-April 2024 while touring many of Aberdeenshire's sights. This was our first time on the Balmoral Estate, and we were pretty blind to where we were going. The Pyramid was quite a walk and poorly signposted, and the directions online weren't great. Hopefully, this article will provide more in-depth directions.

Crathie Car Park & Balmoral Bridge

Arriving from the east on the A93, we made our way to Crathie Car Park. We quickly looked below the Balmoral Bridge (erected in 1856 and commissioned by HRH Prince Albert). The River Dee thundered under the bridge and was quite impressive.

Balmoral Car Park
Balmoral / Crathie Car Park.

Crathie / Balmoral Car Park alternate view
Alternate view of the car park.

Balmoral Bridge.
Balmoral Bridge. Built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1856.

River Dee below the bridge.
The River Dee flows below Balmoral Bridge.

For drone flyers, there are signs everywhere saying no drone flights, and if you look on the Drone Assist app, there is a red no-fly zone over the entire estate.

When we visited, Crathie Suspension Bridge was closed for repairs, so if not repaired, you will have to cross the Balmoral Bridge instead of the suspension bridge route as described below.

As we crossed the Balmoral Bridge, we noticed the Balmoral War Memorial on our left. It is dedicated to locals who gave their lives in both World Wars.

River Dee as seen from Balmoral Bridge.
View of the River Dee from the bridge.

Crossing Balmoral Bridge
Crossing the bridge and approaching the castle entrance.

Balmoral War Memorial
Balmoral War Memorial.

From here, we arrived at the entrance to Balmoral Castle. A very posh lady directed the large amount of "people traffic." She asked us where we were going and, without a vocal answer, gestured us to our left to continue along the road to the cairn walk.

Balmoral Pyramid Walk

For your own reference, cross the Balmoral Bridge and follow the road to the left; do not turn right to enter the Castle grounds.

B976.
Following the road to the start of the cairn walk.

Road to the pyramid walk.
This road was fairly quiet for walking.

Crathie Suspension Bridge
Crathie Suspension Bridge, closed when we visited.

Following the B976 was a pleasant walk with minimal traffic. A grassy path on the right side of the road doesn't appear until a fair distance from the castle entrance. The road continued for a fair distance, but finally, we arrived at a burn and then a fork in the road. We turned right, following the sign for Royal Lochnagar Distillery.

Further ahead, we found another right turn leading to a wooden gate with some buildings. This is the first place on the entire route that actually says "Cairn Walks." Relieved that we were on the right track, we entered the gate and followed the path until we reached a muddy path and then a metal gate. This gate was the true start of the path to the cairn!

Brown sign indicating the Cairn Walks.
The first hint of the cairn walks on the path so far.

Balmoral Cairns Walk, muddy path.
It was very muddy when we visited.

Metal gate to the cairn walk.
The metal entrance gate to the cairn walk.

The path to the cairn

Now, at the meat of the walk, we started the slow ascent to the top of the hill. It is about the same distance again from the car park to the start of the walk, but this time up some pretty steep sections. When we visited, it was very muddy so bring some suitable footwear.

Pinewood path
Dense pinewood lines the path.

Steep cairn path
The long steep path!

The forest here was lovely, but the walk was pretty intense. Although I thought I was reasonably fit, I had to stop a few times on the way up, and my heart rate was above 160 bpm!

Thankfully, we arrived at another cairn first. We took a quick break here and stopped for photos. I believe this was Princess Beatrice's Cairn, built to celebrate her marriage to Prince Henry of Battenberg on July 23, 1885.

Balmoral Cairns / Prince Leopold's Cairn
Princess Beatrice's Cairn.

Arriving at the pyramid/cairn

After a demoralising climb up muddy trails, we eventually arrived at Prince Albert's Cairn. The trees opened up, and we could see it in its full grandeur. It was large and impressive and worth the poor walking conditions to reach. At 41 feet wide and 41 feet tall, it's a substantial construction made from dressed granite.

Prince Albert's Pyramid. The cairns commemorate British royal family members and events in their lives.
The pyramid/cairn in it's full glory.

Balmoral Pyramid. Historical cairns.
The great condition of the pyramid is testament to Victorian engineering.

The pyramid was in fantastic condition and did not look 163 years old. Its only writing is on two engraved plaques on the far side.

Plaque 1:

To the beloved memory of Albert the great and good Prince Consort. Erected by his broken hearted widow Victoria R. 21st August 1862.

Plaque 1
Plaque 1 inscription.

Plaque 2:

He being made perfect in a short time, Fulfilled a long time, for his soul pleased the Lord. Therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked.
Wisdom of Solomon Verses 13 and 14.

Plaque 2
Plaque 2 inscription.

The countryside views from the pyramid are stunning and worth the climb alone. Queen Victoria must have really loved her husband to make such a remarkable memorial in such a fantastic location.

Pyramid view
View next to the pyramid.

Pyramid panorama
Panoramic view from the pyramid.



Discovering the Other Balmoral Pyramids

Once you’ve admired the grandeur of Prince Albert’s Cairn, you can easily return the way you came to the car park. However, exploring the remaining Balmoral Cairns is a rewarding experience for those with a sense of adventure.

The estate is home to 11 cairns, each commemorating a significant royal event. Among them are:

  • Princess Royal’s Cairn – Commemorating her marriage to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858.

  • Princess Alice’s Cairn – Marking her engagement to Prince Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1862.

  • Princess Beatrice’s Cairn – Celebrating her marriage to Prince Henry of Battenberg in 1865.

  • Princess Helena’s Cairn – Honoring her engagement to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein in 1866.

  • Prince Arthur’s Cairn – Commemorating his marriage to Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia in 1870.

  • Princess Louise’s Cairn – Celebrating her marriage to John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll, in 1871.

  • Prince Leopold’s Cairn – Marking his marriage to Princess Helena of Waldeck in 1882.

  • The Purchase Cairn - Commemorates the buying of Balmoral Estate.

Prince Alfred’s Cairn is located on Ripe Hill, and Prince Albert Edward’s Cairn (later King Edward VII) is near Birkhall.

The full walk to explore all 11 cairns covers approximately six miles and takes around three to four hours to complete. While it requires some effort, many visitors agree it’s well worth the journey to experience the beauty and history of the Balmoral Estate in its entirety.

On this occasion, we just opted to visit Prince Albert's Cairn and then return to the car park.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's Cairns
A pyramid is an usual sight in Scotland.

FAQs on Prince Alberts Cairn

Directions to Prince Albert's Cairn from Balmoral Castle

  1. Park at Crathie Car Park, near Balmoral Bridge and the entrance to Balmoral Castle.

  2. Cross Balmoral Bridge, but don't turn right into the castle grounds; instead, follow the B976 road that curves to the left.

  3. Follow this road for some distance. On the right-hand side, a grass path follows the road.

  4. Eventually, you will reach a fork in the road. Take the right here, marked "Royal Lochnagar Distillery." If you head past the white bridge, you have gone too far.

  5. Take another right into a gated area a short distance up this hill. This is the first place with a brown sign mentioning "Cairn Walks."

  6. Follow the obvious path, passing some of the buildings and homes until you reach a forest path and eventually a metal gate.

  7. The path takes you up a fairly steep hill first to an initial stone cairn and then further up to the pyramid itself.

Does it cost anything to visit Prince Albert's Cairn?

No, it's free. The car park is not free at around £5 per car and £10 for motorhomes, but this is for all day parking.

What's inside Prince Albert's Cairn?

Nothing is inside it; it is not a burial site or mausoleum. Prince Albert's body was laid to rest at the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore and was eventually joined by Victoria when she died.

Can the cairn be visited at all times of year?

The castle and cairn walk can be closed if the Royal family is staying there. They are most likely to be closed from August through October. April through July is the best time to visit to see both the castle and the cairns.

Is Prince Albert's Pyramid accessible?

Sadly, no. It would be challenging to get a wheelchair to the pyramid. You need reasonable fitness to climb the long, steep track, which can be muddy and rough. The metal gate on step 6 above is as far as a wheelchair would get.

Are there other pyramids in Scotland?

I'm sure there are; the only other one I know of is the Duchess of Richmond Memorial Cairn near Fochabers in Moray, northeast Scotland.

Prince Albert Cairn
View from a little futher down the hill.

Key Information

  • Prince Albert's Cairn is a large pyramid found within the Balmoral Castle Estate grounds.

  • The pyramid was erected by Queen Victoria in 1862 as a tribute to her late husband, Prince Albert.

  • The pyramid is not within the main castle grounds but the wider estate.

  • Located within the Cairngorms National Park.

  • The best place to park is at the Castle/Estate car park, as shown in the image above.

  • There are many other cairns nearby on the Balmoral Cairn Walk.

  • The walk to and from the pyramid will take approximately two hours, with part up steep sections. Plan for four hours to do the entire Balmoral Cairn Walk.

Conclusion

Visiting Prince Albert's Cairn is a rewarding experience. It offers a mix of history, stunning views, and exercise. The walk might be a bit of a challenge, especially in muddy conditions, but the views and the impressive pyramid make it well worth the effort.

For those who enjoy exploring further, the Balmoral Estate has plenty more to offer with its other cairns and scenic trails. Whether you’re a seasoned walker or just looking for a memorable day out, this part of Aberdeenshire is worth visiting.

All information was correct at the time of writing, please check things like entry costs and opening times before you arrive.

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