Editing Balmoral Castle (section)

===Extent and operation===

Balmoral Estate is within the [[Cairngorms National Park]] and is partly within the [[River Dee, Aberdeenshire|Deeside]] and [[Lochnagar]] [[National Scenic Area (Scotland)|National Scenic Area]].<ref name=cons>{{cite web |url=http://www.balmoralcastle.com/conservation.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805162711/http://www.balmoralcastle.com/conservation.htm|archive-date=5 August 2012|title=Conservation |access-date=18 June 2014}}</ref> The {{convert|50000|acre|ha|abbr=off|adj=on}} estate contains a wide variety of landscapes, from the [[River Dee, Aberdeenshire|Dee river valley]] to open mountains. There are seven [[Munro]]s (hills in Scotland over {{convert|3000|ft|m|1|abbr=on|disp=or}}) within the estate, the highest being Lochnagar at {{convert|3789|ft|m|abbr=on}}. This mountain was the setting for a children's story, ''[[The Old Man of Lochnagar]]'', told originally by [[Charles III]] to his younger brothers, [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York|Andrew]] and [[Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh|Edward]]. The story was published in 1980, with royalties accruing to [[the Prince's Trust]] (now the King's Trust).<ref name=Balmoral/>{{rp|35–51}}<ref>{{Royal Collection|1101076|The Old Man of Lochnagar, 1980}}</ref> The estate also incorporates the {{convert|7500|acre|ha|abbr=off|adj=on}} [[Delnadamph Lodge]] estate, bought by [[Elizabeth II]] in 1978.<ref name="TimesJan78">"The Queen buys grouse moor near Balmoral." ''The Times'', London, 6 January 1978: p. 3.</ref> <!--data missing, the 7,500 ___ what? is the figure accurate? the lodge article states a different figure -->

[[File:Red deer stag - geograph.org.uk - 1003828.jpg|thumb|[[Red deer]] stag near [[Glas-allt-Shiel]] lodge on the Balmoral estate]]
The estate extends to [[Loch Muick]] in the southeast where an old boat house and the Royal [[Bothy]] (hunting lodge) now named ''[[Glas-allt-Shiel]]'', built by Victoria, are located.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Watson|first1=Adam|author-link1=Adam Watson (scientist)|title=The Cairngorms, Lochnagar and the Mounth.|date=1992|publisher=Scottish Mountaineering Trust|isbn=0-907521-39-8|edition=6th|pages=214–215}}</ref>

The working estate includes [[red grouse|grouse moors]], forestry, and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, [[Highland cattle]], and ponies.<ref name=Balmoral/>{{rp|38–47}} It also offers access to the public for fishing (paid) and hiking during certain seasons.<ref name=Balmoral/>{{rp|36–37}}

Approximately {{convert|8000|acre|ha|abbr=off}} of the estate are covered by trees, with almost {{convert|3000|acre|ha|abbr=off}} used for forestry that yields nearly 10,000 tonnes of wood per year. ''Ballochbuie Forest'', one of the largest remaining areas of old Caledonian pine growth in Scotland, consists of approximately {{convert|3000|acre|ha|abbr=off}}. It is managed with only minimal or no intervention.<ref name=Balmoral/>{{rp|48,51}} The principal mammal on the estate is the [[red deer]] with a population of 2,000 to 2,500 head.<ref name=Balmoral/>{{rp|44}}

The areas of Lochnagar and Ballochbuie were designated in 1998 by the [[Secretary of State for Scotland]] as [[Special Protection Areas]] (SPA) under the European Union (EU) [[Birds Directive]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/SPA/UK9002281.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/SPA/UK9002281.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live |title=Lochnagar SPA: Standard Data Form |publisher=[[Joint Nature Conservation Committee]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/SPA/UK9002781.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/SPA/UK9002781.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live |title=Ballolchbuie SPA: Standard Data Form |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee}}</ref> Bird species inhabiting the moorlands include [[red grouse]], [[black grouse]], [[rock ptarmigan|ptarmigan]], and the [[western capercaillie|capercaillie]].<ref name=Balmoral/>{{rp|38}} Ballochbuie is also protected as a [[Special Area of Conservation]] by the EU [[Habitats Directive]], as "one of the largest remaining continuous areas of native [[Caledonian Forest]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0030030 |title=Ballolchbuie SAC: Site Details |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee |access-date=21 February 2011 |archive-date=13 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013172133/http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUcode=UK0030030 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In addition, there are four [[Site of Special Scientific Interest|sites of special scientific interest]] on the estate.<ref name=cons/>

The royal family employs approximately 50 full-time and 50–100 part-time staff to maintain the working estate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.balmoralcastle.com/employment.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115061807/http://www.balmoralcastle.com/employment.htm|archive-date=15 January 2013|title=Employment |access-date=18 June 2014}}</ref>

There are approximately 150 buildings on the estate,<ref name=Balmoral/>{{rp|35}} including [[Birkhall]], formerly home to [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]], where [[King Charles III]] and [[Queen Camilla]] spent their honeymoon in 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/personalprofiles/residences/birkhall/ |title=Birkhall |work=The Prince of Wales official website |publisher=Household of HRH The Prince of Wales |access-date=23 January 2012}}</ref> Craigowan Lodge is regularly used by the family and friends of the royal family and has also been used while Balmoral Castle was being prepared for a royal visit.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/lifestyle_homes/a22652114/balmoral-castle-the-queen-scotland/|title=Inside Balmoral, the Queen's Scottish retreat|last=Frost|first=Katie|date=7 August 2018|magazine=Harper's Bazaar|language=en-GB|access-date=1 May 2019}}</ref> Six smaller buildings on the estate are let as [[holiday cottage]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.balmoralcastle.com/availability.htm |title=Current Availability |publisher=Balmoral Estates |access-date=23 January 2012}}</ref> The hunting lodge of [[Inchnabobart]] has also been used by the royal family.<ref name="Smith">{{cite book | last=Smith | first=Robert | title=The Royal Glens | publisher=Hyperion Books | publication-place=Edinburgh | date=1990 | isbn=978-0-85976-316-5 | page=12}}</ref><ref name="Spare">{{cite book |author=[[Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex]]| title=[[Spare (memoir)]]|publisher=Penguin Group | date=2024| isbn=978-1-78222-191-3| pages=77–79}}</ref>