More than meets the iCentre

Set in a picturesque and historic Royal Deeside village popular with tourists, Ballater iCentre is housed in the beautifully-restored and award-winning Old Station.   

The stunning building is home to an enthusiastic and knowledgeable group of VisitScotland staff, who provide visitors of all ages and nationalities with information and inspiration to get the most out of their visits to the area.   

Famous faces to have come through the doors to chat with the friendly staff over the years have included well-loved comedian Billy Connolly (who always bought a tea towel!) his wife Pamela Stephenson and Aberdonian singer, Annie Lennox, who used to call in when she babysat for a family in Braemar, as a young girl. 

Members of the Royal Family have also graced the iCentre, as Visitor Services Advisor Pat Crawford explained: “Zara Phillips came in with her young daughter to use the toilet and invited me to go outside to see the new baby.

“Sophie Wessex brought a friend and children to view the carriage on the platform when that part of the building was still a museum and at the end of the visit offered to pay the entrance fee. I did not have the heart to charge them the entrance fee of £2. I did, however, invite them to sign the visitor book, which they did!”

The iCentre stocks a range of gifts, including a range of VisitScotland Shop Local items. The Shop Local retail scheme was created to assist local artisans, designers and craft producers/associations with a local ‘shop window’ to retail their products within VisitScotland iCentres - from textiles, silks and scarves, to candles, diffusers, jewellery and honey.

Community is a very important part of life in Ballater and VisitScotland plays its role in this, with staff involving themselves in many community projects - from litter picking and flower-watering, to path-checking and most recently, assisting with running the Scarecrow Trail as part of Ballater Victoria Week. 

iCentre staff also work closely with the rangers of neighbouring estates as well as the Cairngorms National Park, in promoting responsible tourism in the area to visitors. 

“However it can sometimes cause confusion among visitors, some of whom have entered and expected to buy a train ticket for Glasgow, Inverness or Aberdeen!”

The iCentre team are on hand to answer any questions visitors might pose, though Visitor Services Advisor Pat Crawford remembers a few particularly challenging ones, including one little boy asking for holiday activities for his dog and a lady insisting on checking out the colour of the paintwork in the hotel room before confirming her booking.

With Balmoral Castle on the doorstep, there are also often questions about the activities of the Royal Family – Pat recalls one unusual visitor request being to sit next to the Queen at Crathie Kirk during the Sunday service. 

In addition to the area’s royal connections, there is a plethora of other attractions for visitors to enjoy and staff have a few hidden - and not-so-hidden - gems up their sleeves. Some of their favourites include: 

·         Glen Tanar, a Caledonian Scots Pine forest, towering over the crystal-clear Water of Tanar with its picturesque stone bridges, which provides the perfect location to take a tranquil woodland wander or to indulge in a spot of forest bathing. 

·         The wonderful views of Lochnagar from viewpoints around Ballater, stunning at all times of year - from sunshine to snow. 

·         A loch for all seasons, Loch Kinord with its wildlife and waymarked trails, pictish stone and pothole cave. 

·         Ballater Curling Pond where, during the summer, visitors can watch the shimmering flights of dragonflies.

·         Tomnaverie Stone Circle, a recumbent stone circle, distinctive of the kind found only in North Eastern Scotland. 

·         Craiglich Hill, a scenic walk close to The Queen’s View – Queen Victoria’s favourite viewpoint en-route to Balmoral. 

·         Mar Lodge Estate, Scotland’s newest Nature Reserve comprising 7% of the Cairngorms National Park, which has something for everyone. 

 For more information and inspiration, call in to Ballater iCentre, open from 9.30am to 5pm, seven days a week. More information here: http://www.visitscotland.com/about/practical-information/vic/“>www.visitscotland.com/about/practical-information/vic/

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