Shocking pictures show collapsed road at royal property due to snow
A road which is part of a popular route on the Balmoral Castle Estate in Aberdeenshire, has collapsed due to bad weather and snow. It is part of the route leading to the popular Spittal of Glen Muick visitors' car park, which is currently inaccessible as a repair plan takes shape.
The road is said to have been "undermined" by a "high volume" of snowmelt. Balmoral Castle posted a statement on their social media Instagram page: "Unfortunately, due to a high volume of snowmelt, the road at the Spittal of Glen Muick car park has collapsed and undermined the bridge.
"The bridge is now closed to both vehicles and pedestrians. We will begin repair work as soon as possible."
For those visiting the estate, the road and car park is a main access point for Loch Muick and Lochnagar.
Currently, multiple cones have been put up to stop people from attempting to cross the bridge and the car park has been closed to both vehicles and pedestrians.
The start of 2026 brought nearly two weeks of severe snow across the whole of Aberdeenshire, with depths of up to 52cm recorded even in low-lying areas.
Aberdeenshire Council stated on its website, "These extreme weather patterns have placed unprecedented stress on Aberdeenshire's road network. The combination of heavy snow, repeated freeze-thaw cycles and sustained rainfall has caused rapid deterioration of road surfaces, including the formation of new potholes, edge failures, surface cracking and instances of flooding.
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From January 28 to March 22, the grounds, gift shop and restaurant on the Balmoral Estate will be open to the public from 1000 until 1600 on certain dates over the winter months.
The website states: "Please note that from late January until late March there is no charge for general admission and you will be able to enjoy gentle walks around the grounds as well as an opportunity to visit the Mews Gift Shop and the Restaurant."
For parking details visit the website.