The Auld Kirk

About The Auld Kirk

The Auld Kirk is exactly what the name says: a Victorian Scottish Free Church on Braemar Road in Ballater, converted into a bed and breakfast that has become one of the most decorated small properties in the Highlands. It was named AA B&B of the Year for Scotland in 2024 and went on to take a Scotland's Best B&B title in 2025.

There are seven en-suite letting rooms plus a family room, all on the first floor, worked into the shell of the church so that original features — arched windows, high ceilings, exposed stone — remain part of the fabric. The conversion is contemporary rather than fussy, and the scale of the original building means the rooms feel considerably more generous than a typical village guest house.

Breakfast is the main event for residents, but the property is also known locally for its afternoon tea, served with sweet and savoury pastries, freshly baked filled rolls, cakes and desserts, and open to non-residents. Ballater is a short walk away, with its independent shops, butchers and restaurants, and the village sits at the centre of Royal Deeside: Balmoral and Crathie are ten minutes west, Glen Muick and the path to Lochnagar a little further, and Braemar around thirty minutes on.