WITH the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in full flow, a pair of hardy riders went head to head in a penny farthing race around Balmoral Castle today.

Sandy Lindsay, 64, of Inverurie beat off competition from Donnie Fraser, 20, of Alford as the cyclists got in the saddle of the 135-year-old bikes for a four-lap race around Balmoral as they launched a major extension to Queen Victoria’s beloved Scottish holiday destination on the eve of her great-great granddaughter’s Diamond Jubilee.

There was even time for an impromptu race with Dalry grandmother Grace Lamont, 75, on her motorised scooter around the iconic point on the Victorian Heritage Trail.

The Victorian Heritage Trail aims to attract additional visitors to Royal Deeside, which been the favourite holiday spot of the Royal Family since Victoria and Albert first visited Balmoral Estate in 1848.

As well as the iconic Balmoral, the trail now includes other points from the Victorian era such as Royal Deeside Railway and Ballater Old Royal Station which served the royal family and crowned heads of Europe on their journey to Balmoral until it was closed in 1966. Braemar, home of the Braemar Gathering which Queen Victoria originally patronised in 1848 when the Highland Games were held in the grounds of Braemar Castle, is also featured. Organisers at the Royal Deeside and Cairngorms Destination Management Organisation (DMO) hope that the interest in the Diamond Jubilee will bring increased numbers of tourists to the area they refer to as ‘Scotland’s Crowing Glory’.

As well as a new website section (www.discoverroyaldeeside.com/VHT), tens of thousands of new leaflets have been printed and a media campaign begins this weekend. “Generations of the Royal family have chosen the majestic scenery of the Dee and Don valleys as the backdrop to their own holiday retreat,” explains Claire Bruce, chairman of the Royal Deeside and The Cairngorms DMO.