DRIVES

Local Trips

Aden Country Park – cafe, abandoned house and grounds, great outdoor play area, woodland walks, farming museum.

Haddo House – National Trust country park – big house (pay to get in – but grounds are free), lake, walks, outdoor play area, cafe, shop, formal gardens.

Pitmedden – famous National Trust garden.

Stonehaven – lovely old fishing village to the south of Aberdeen

Old Aberdeen – park near the University and explore old Aberdeen, down to the River Don. Seaton Park and  St. Machar Cathedral. Not many people explore this area. 

Footdee (pronounced Fittie) – drive to the extreme south of the promenade road along the beach front in Aberdeen. Pass the cafes. Keep going till you reach the small village at the end. Park and walk through this amazing time capsule – old fishing houses right at the mouth of the Dee as it enters the sea.  Very posh fish restaurant there – the Silver Darling.

Coastal Routes - The Moray Firth

The Moray Firth is a little bit special. It has its own micro-climate, and the sea there feels and looks different from the North Sea – its often more “Mediterranean”.  Start at Fraserburgh (fascinating working harbour, great beach to the south where they surf. Good beach cafe), then follow the coastal route:

Sandhaven (small disused private harbour)

Rosehearty (old fishing village and harbour)

Aberdour Beach (ancient spring and well on the beach)

Pennan (where they filmed “Local hero”)

Gardenstown (fishing village and harbour – see the millionaire houses of some skippers)

Banff and Macduff (really worth a visit. Poke about in these two twin towns – both lost their wealth when fishing went, but amazing harbours and towns. Before entering Macduff from the east, look for signs to Tarlair and go down to see the 50’s art deco abandoned lido. See the aquarium at Macduff. Visit the sands west of Banff – great beaches)

Whitehills, Portsoy, Sandend  (all with their harbours. Portsoy has an amazing old boat festival and nice old pubs).

 Cullen, Portnockie,  Findochty (all amazing little fishing villages and harbours. Try the famous Cullen Skink (Smoked haddock chowder). Don’t say “Findochty” its pronounced “Finnickty“)

Then Buckie (an acquired taste. Seen better days but steeped in fishing history).

From here on the cliffs disappear and its flat sandy shores – Lossiemouth and the RAF base. The windswept mouth of the Spey. There are disused airfields around here from the war. Findhorn has a famous yacht club and alternative lifestyle commune. Access the beach again at Nairn – head for the harbour, park up and walk east – miles and miles and miles of open, empty sandy beaches.

Fort George – an amazing place to visit, and see the dolphins at Chanonry Point then you are nearly in Inverness. A whole different coast starts there northwards – but too much to describe here. 

 

Coastal Routes - South of Aberdeen

Head for Stonehaven, then follow the coastal route south (A92). This is quite a different coastline from the Moray Firth. This is the real North Sea.

Dip into the villages you pass by –  Crawton, Catterline,  Inverbervie, Gourdon, Johnshaven – all are old fishing villages with harbours.

Head for St Cyrus beach (a very sharp left turn off just before the big stone bridge crossing the North Esk). This is an amazing beach with again a very special feel.

Then its the really ancient and fascinating town of Montrose. A great beach there. Or head for the lighthouse on the south side.

Try to dip down to Lunan Bay – another stunning beach. Very unspoilt.

Arbroath with its ancient Abbey and harbour.

Carnoustie and Broughty Ferry (great castle down by the Tay).

Then its Dundee – a really interesting city with the new Tate Gallery and the Discovery Centre with Capt. Scots ship.

Whizz back home on the A90.

River Routes - Deeside

The famous Royal Deeside. There are two roads up the valley, both starting from Aberdeen – the south side and the north side. The north side (A93) is the bigger, faster road where all the towns are. The south side is a smaller, windy road (B9077) but very scenic. There are several bridges across, so you can switch back and forth. The famous places are Banchory, Braemar, Ballater and of course Balmoral. Several castles along the Dee including Drum Castle, Balmoral Castle and several others.

River Routes - Speyside

For us, Speyside is more interesting than Deeside, and the Spey is a more dramatic river than the Dee. Head up the A96 to Keith, then head for Boat o’Brig. From then on, explore !  Aberlour is a lovely town with great places to eat and a famous Distillery. There are walks and woods all along the valley, up to  Granton-on-Spey, which can be a bit touristy. 

There is a disused railway line right along the Spey valley, and this is open to walkers and mountain bikers – see here. There is even part of the old line still operating as a steam train – see here.

Towards the sea there is always Baxters at Fochabers (see the soup being made at the visitor centre) and the amazing area around Spey Bay. If Gordon Castle is open, it is worth a visit, the home of the lovely Gordon Setter.

A Mountain Route

Head up Deeside, through Banchory, Aboyne and Ballater, then watch for the turning to Tomintoul, then down to Granton-on-Spey and home via the Spey valley.