In Pictures: Balmoral blanketed in snow as Scotland faces worst of the cold snap

More than 54 schools shut in the Highland Council region on Friday because of the snow and at least 27 more closed in Aberdeenshire.

Published 5 hours ago

Balmoral Castle has been covered in snow and ice as Scotland faces the brunt of the cold snap on Friday.

Temperatures reached as low as minus 6C at Tulloch Bridge on Thursday night.

The Met Office issued an amber alert for central-north Scotland and yellow warnings across the UK ahead of Storm Bert, which is set to arrive on Saturday and bring “heavy rain, strong winds and disruptive snow to parts of the UK through the weekend”.

Milk is left in the snow by the gate at the entrance to Balmoral Castle — Milk is left in the snow at the entrance to Balmoral Castle (Jane Barlow/PA)

The sun rises over a partially frozen river — Sunrise over the partially frozen River Dee (Jane Barlow/PA)

A man smiles while walking his Siberian husky in the snow outside Balmoral Castle — Ryan Phillips walks Arty the Siberian husky in the snowy grounds of Balmoral (Jane Barlow/PA)

Balmoral Castle surrounded by snow and ice (Jane Barlow/PA)

A wall of Scots pine trees covered in snow on the Balmoral Estate (Jane Barlow/PA)

Autumn weather Nov 22nd 2024 — Fresh snow in Ingleton, North Yorkshire (Danny Lawson/PA)

A bundled-up visitor walks between fountains in Hyde Park, London (Jonathan Brady/PA)