A man walked through a forest in Scotland and came across something he didn’t think was possible to see in the UK.
Tom Prout, aged in his 20s, likes to go on solo adventures around the UK in his van and documents his trips on TikTok. He recently went to the Cairngorms National Park in Aberdeenshire where he came across a mighty pyramid.
The solo adventurer couldn’t believe it as he thought you could only see pyramids in Egypt. He shared a video on TikTok explaining how he found Prince Albert’s Cairn, taking viewers along for the journey.
Speaking in the TikTok video Tom said: “So for anyone that thinks you have to leave the UK and fly to Egypt to find pyramids, let me tell you you don’t because today I’m currently in Scotland in the Cairngorms National Park going to find one. And I’m gonna show you guys exactly where it is.”
He shared that until a week ago he didn’t even know a pyramid in the UK was a possibility but as soon as he found it was, he hopped in his van and made his way to Crathie Car Park, AB35 5TL.
Tom then quickly put on some hiking gear and went on a short hike that took 30 minutes to complete, along a “very accessible path.” Starting from the car park he crossed the bridge then followed the round road to the left.
Next, he said to take the road up and then you will get to a point with the sign Cairns Walk which is the “exact trail you want to follow to reach the pyramid of the UK.”
Walking down the trail, Tom was taken through a “beautiful woodland filled with pine trees” that made him feel like he was “living out a movie scene” as the sun shone through the forested area. After walking down the final stretch that gradually rises Tom came to what he “can only describe as the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen here in the UK, a pyramid.”
He added that the pyramid overlooks some “amazing views of the Scottish highlands” but he admitted the “funniest bit” for him was not realising that this pyramid has been in the UK for his whole lifetime as he was “only ever taught that things such as this were in Egypt.”
The solo explorer concluded: “Now I’m not saying this is anywhere near the same scale but when it’s surrounded by settings like this you can’t beat it and if you’re looking to fill that free upcoming weekend with an adventure this is one I’d highly recommend, go and enjoy it.” Tom’s TikTok video has garnered 496,100 views, 72,400 likes and more than 300 comments.
One user said: “I’m 44 from Scotland and didn’t know about it.” Another added: “Thanks so much I never fancied Egypt but this is brilliant.”
A third commented: “No way! That’s so amazing. I had no idea. Thanks for sharing.” A fourth user was in disbelief as they remarked: “I feel like I’m being pranked. How have I never heard of this?”
Prince Albert’s Cairn, also known as the Balmoral Pyramid, is located in Ballater, a Victorian village in the heart of Royal Deeside within the Cairngorms National Park. The sculpture was erected in 1862 by Queen Victoria following the passing of her husband Prince Albert using granite and it measures 41 feet by 41 feet at the base.