Balmoral’s public opening exemplifies managed access to the countryside

This week, it was announced that Balmoral Castle will be offering new private tours, allowing visitors to explore parts of the King’s Scottish Residence for the first time. Within 24 hours of the release, all tickets were sold out.

The guided tours will take place between 1 July and 4 August, with 40 tickets a day sold at a price of £100, or £150 for those partaking in afternoon tea. In addition to visiting the various rooms, gardens, and exhibitions guests will be taken around Balmoral’s vast grounds in Aberdeenshire.

The tours will run for a trial period, until the King and Queen arrive for their annual break, so estate staff can judge how the fragile building copes with increased footfall.

Since succeeding the throne, the King has made it clear he intends to improve accessibility to the royal residences. Opening Balmoral to the public will not only bring visitors and tourists to its site but the surrounding countryside of the Scottish Highlands. In doing so, it represents a perfect example of providing responsible public access to the countryside and its landmarks, while sustaining owner control and the sustainability of properties.

In recent years, similar decisions have been made to open countryside castles and properties to the public, including Inverness Castle in the Highlands, the Queen Mother’s apartments in Kent, Middleton Castle in Norfolk, and Hay Castle in Powys.

Evidently, there is growing interest from the public in exploring these historic landmarks dotted around the British countryside – and their owners and managers are willing to accommodate as long as access is reasonable and overseen. This is welcome news, as managed access to the countryside allows our nation to reap physical and mental health benefits, as well as offers opportunities for the rural economy. Nearby pubs, shops, and restaurants all benefit when tourists venture to these rural exhibits.

As the right to access land in the UK continues to be a hot topic of conversation, landowners and policymakers should look to Balmoral’s initiative as an example of responsible access.