Follow that dram on the NE250

The stretch of road from Tomintoul to Fochabers is only 36 miles long but takes travellers on a journey through time and the very heart of Scotland’s whisky country.

As the trail winds its way through beautiful countryside there are numerous picturesque villages, distilleries, castles, historic battle grounds and wild secluded glens, once home to whisky smugglers, to grab the attention of tourists.

Setting out from Tomintoul, on the B9008, the tiny village of Knockandhu, which lies just eight miles to the north-east, is the first stop. The settlement takes its name from the Gaelic ‘Cnoc Cheannachd’ meaning "Hill of Commerce” and is home to two world renowned distilleries of note.

Image of the original Glenlivet Distillery

Knockando distillery was the first in Scotland to be built with electric lighting and the nearby Tamdhu distillery is one of the last distilleries to malt all of its barley on the spot.

Less than two miles further on lies Tomnavoulin, a small hamlet situated a short distance south of the Glenlivet Distillery. Back in the late 1700s this area was full of illicit stills making illegal spirits to be smuggled through the surrounding hills to other areas of the country and abroad.

Copy of the first licence to make legal whisky

However, with the passing of the 1823 Excise Act it was possible to get permission to produce whisky and local farmer George Smith, who had been operating an illicit distillery, became the first person in Scotland to be granted a licence. The original Glenlivet distillery was built at Upper Drumin, not too far from the present site.

Cairn marking the spot of the first Glenlivet Distillery

Today, Glenlivet is the best selling malt whisky in the USA and the second most popular single malt in the world with sales of over 6million bottles a year.

However, there is a darker side to Glenlivet too. As beautiful and tranquil as it appears now this remote glen was the scene of a horrific battle.

On 3 October 1595 the Earls of Huntly and Errol led a force of 1,500 mounted troops and six artillery pieces against a Royalist force of up to 10,000 men, commanded by the Earl of Argyll, and won. It was a bloody lesson in what heavy guns and mounted cavalry could do against infantry.

Further inside the glen there is another monument to an almost forgotten conflict. Close to the point where the Conglass Water joins the Avon lies the ‘Soldier Stone’. A monolith engraved with the date1690 to mark the spot where an unknown warrior fell while escaping the aftermath of the Battle of Cromdale on 1 May that year.

Jacobite clansmen clashed with government troops in the shadow of Creagan a’Chaise on the other side of the Cromdale Hills. Although described as little more than a skirmish some 400 Highlanders were captured or killed compared to less than 100 Redcoats. Many of the Jacobites tried to escape but were hunted down or collapsed from their wounds.

Drumin Castle

Photo by Andrew Stuart CC BY-SA 2.0

Back on the road to Fochabers the route winds its way through the historic hamlet of Drumin, which sits at the junction of Glenlivet and Strathavon.

The settlement takes its name from Drumin Castle, built sometime in the 14th century on the possible site of an Iron Age fort and abandoned some 400 years later.

Situated on a ridge above the confluence of the Rivers Livet and Avon the now ruined tower house stands on land once owned by the notorious Wolf of Badenoch, Alexander Stewart (1342-1406), who burned down Elgin Cathedral in 1390 during a feud with the Bishop of Moray.

Although the castle can be visited there is little left other than a couple of partially standing walls. A much better visitor experience lies less than five miles further along the road at Ballindalloch.

Ballandalloch Castle

Photo by Damian Shields / VisitScotland

Often referred to as ‘The Pearl of the North’ Ballindalloch is one Scotland’s most impressive and most romantic castles.

A private family residence of the Macpherson-Grants it has been lived in continuously by the same family for more than 450 years.

Gatehouse to Ballindalloch Castle

Photo by Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland

Over the centuries the castle has seen, and participated in, many important events of Scottish history. It was here, in 1725, that William Grant, the 9th Laird of Ballindalloch formed an independent company of militia, which were to become known as The Black Watch, to patrol the Highlands against cattle rustlers and smugglers.

Today, the castle is open to the public and is full of personal heirlooms and memorabilia, including a collection of 17th-century Spanish paintings. It also boasts one of best country house libraries in the country and an impressively grand dining room.

Ballindalloch Distillery

Photo by Damian Shields/VisitScotland

The castle remains the centre of a thriving country estate with several different businesses, including the highly popular Ballindalloch Distillery and visitor centre.

From Ballindalloch the NE250 route goes through the hamlet of Marypark, close to the site of the Glenfarclas distillery and on to the 18th century model village of Archiestown. Originally intended to a centre for weaving its is probably best known today for its proximity to the Cardhu distillery.

Cardhu Distillery

Photo by Damian Shields/VisitScotland

Cardhu was established in 1824 by former whisky smuggler John Cumming and his wife Helen. Before turning legit the couple used to make and sell illicit spirits to passersby from the kitchen window of their farmhouse. Being located on a hill Helen could see any approaching Excise men and used to cover herself in flour and pretend she’s was baking bread to disguise the smell of the whisky.

The distillery is now run by Diageo and the produce makes up a major part of the Johnnie Walker whiskies.

Cardhu Distillery

Photo by Damian Shields/VisitScotland

Next stop on the route is Aberlour or Charlestown of Aberlour, to use its formal title. Although officially founded in 1812 there is evidence people were living in this area for around 1,000 years before that.

The origins of the village can be found at the west end of the modern settlement where the Burn of Aberlour is crossed by an ancient pack horse bridge built before 1624.

At the other end of the village is where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army crossed the Spey on the way to Culloden.

Although overwhelmingly associated with whisky - the Aberlour distillery is a popular attraction for visitors - the village is also home to the world famous Walker’s Shortbread and can claim to be the birthplace of Alexander Cameron Sim, the man who introduced lemonade, aka ramune, to Japan.

World famous Walkers Shortbread

photo by Damian Shields/VisitScotland

Just under two miles from Aberlour lies the beautiful village of Craigellachie, marking the confluence of the Rivers Spey and Fiddich. The impressive bridge which dominates the village was built around 1814 by the celebrated engineer Thomas Telford.

There is evidence of habitation in the area going back to at least the 7th century. In 2013 archaeologists discovered the Dandaleith stone, a 5ft 7in piece of pink granite carved with Pictish symbols, including the engravings of an eagle and a bear. It is now on display at Elgin Museum.

Craigellachie Bridge

Photo by Damian Shields/VisitScotland

The current village dates back as far as 1750, when a ferry used to carry travellers across the Spey, and has two malt whisky distilleries, the Craigellachie Distillery and The Macallan, which has an excellent visitor centre which includes Easter Etches House. This magnificent country house, with crow-stepped gables and turret, was built for Captain John Grant in 1700. It’s maintained as the spiritual home of Macallan and an image of it appears on every bottle.

Near the village is the Speyside Cooperage, where 100,000 barrels a year are made or repaired. The whisky industry relies on these stocks for creating the flavour and character of the spirit stored in them for a minimum of three years.

Easter Elchies House

Photo by Damian Shields/VisitScotland

One other claim to fame is that the location in British Columbia where the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven in to signify completion of the transcontinental railroad is named after this Scottish village.

Moving on from Craigellachie, three miles down the road, lies the village of Rothes which can trace its origins back to AD600.

Situated in a position to command the surrounding countryside of Strathspey it was the site of an impressive 13th century castle complete with portcullis and drawbridge. Now a ruin it’s known to have hosted King Edward I of England in 1296 during his invasion of Scotland.

Main street, Fochabers

Photo by Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland

Sometime in the late 14th century the castle passed to the Leslie family but was destroyed in 1692. Many of the oldest houses in Rothes were built using recycled stones from the castle.

Today, Rothes is renowned for its four distilleries - Glen Grant Speyburn-Glenlivet, Glen Spey and Glenrothes. The village’s Station Hotel, featured in issue 30 of Scotland Correspondent, has an impressive wall of over 500 whiskies to tempt the connoisseur. It also makes an excellent place to stop for a meal or overnight stay.

The final 10-mile long section of this part of the NE250 route takes travellers from Rothes to Fochabers.

Although people have lived here for centuries the village, as we know it today, was founded by the 4th Duke of Gordon in 1776 as a model community. With its wide, straight streets, rectangular layout and central square it is regarded as one of the best examples of an 18th century planned village.

The village is home to the world famous family run food manufacturers Baxters, which has been supplying traditional Scottish fare to outlets around the world for four generations.

4th Duchess of Gordon

Other claims to fame include being the former home of Jane Maxwell, 4th Duchess of Gordon (1748-1812) who founded the Gordon Highlanders with a rather unusual recruitment strategy. The attractive Duchess toured the region dressed in a military uniform and large highland bonnet. She offered any man who enlisted a shilling, held between her lips, which volunteers received by kissing her. In less than a year she recruited 940 men for the regiment raised in 1794.

The village is also the birth place of Sir James Cantile, co-founder of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and pioneer of First Aid, and of Alexander Milne who emigrated to the USA and helped build New Orleans.

Gordon Castle

On the outskirts of Fochabers lies Gordon Castle and gardens. As the principal seat of the Dukes of Gordon it was once one of the largest country houses in Scotland. Much of it has since been demolished but the 200-year-old, eight-acres of walled garden remains a major visitor attraction as one of Britain’s largest and oldest working kitchen gardens.

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