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The North East of Scotland has a variety of
scenery that will bring you back again and again to this quiet
corner of Scotland which has its own unique charm.
The pace of life is that much slower and the quality of living so
much better.
There are towering cliffs, miles of golden beaches, historic
villages, tumbling rivers, surging seas and rolling, rambling
hills.
Take the Whisky Trail and track down some of the world's best
known malts in local distilleries or follow the Castle Trail
which will take you to some of the most spectacular and
picturesque fortified homes in all of Scotland.
The magical North East is steeped in history. Here the massive
invading army of King Canute was massacred before he turned tail
to return later and conquer England. Here Robert the Bruce
rampaged against the challengers to his throne. Here Saints
Columba and Drostan introduced Christianity to ancient Pictland
1300 years ago.
But for a break from culture you can quickly escape to the
seclusion of cliff top walks, long distance cycle trails, fish in
our rivers....or golf on our many wonderful golf courses.
Places to visit
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Slains
Castle is one of the most famous ruins in Scotland. Slains
was first erected in 1597 by the 9th Earl of Erroll. It replaces
an earlier family seat to the south which was destroyed by James
VI as punishment for Erroll's part in a revolt.
Subsequent Earls rebuilt and added to the
castle, the last great reconstruction being completed in 1837.
Johnson and Boswell visited Slains Castle during their travels in
1773 and described how "the walls of one of the towers
seemed only to be a continuation of the perpendicular rock the
foot of which is beaten by the waves"
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Slains enjoyed its greatest days during the
time of the 19th Earl when it often played host to the glittering
actors, musicians and singers of the day. Amongst the guests was
Bram Stoker who was entranced by the surrounding countryside
which inspired many of his supernatural tales. In 1895 he began
writing his best known tale, Dracula, while at Cruden Bay
and he used Slains Castle as the inspiration for the castle of
the evil Vampire. There is evidence in early drafts of the story
that had the evil count coming ashore at Slains Castle. In the
completed book this location became Whitby in Yorkshire, another
place Stoker visited while writing the book.
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Death duties forced the 20th Earl to sell the castle in
1916. the new owner allowed Slains to fall into disrepair until
it was unroofed in 1925. All that remains now is the large ruin.
The castle can be seen from many
viewpoints on the golf course.
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The Bullers of Buchan is an
open cave with perpendicular walls - not for the fainthearted! It
is located off the A975 three miles north of Cruden Bay. This
famous sea chasm is some 200 feet deep, where the ocean rushes in
through a natural archway open to the sky. The cliff scenery here
is some of the most spectacular in Britain.
From the car park you can follow a rough
footpath, (a good head for heights is needed as parts of the path
are very exposed) to the chasm and north to the Scottish Wildlife
Trust's Longhaven Reserve, or follow the footpath south which
will eventually bring you to Slains Castle.
The sea cliffs around this area are home to a
multitude of seabirds.
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The Forvie National Nature Reserve can
be reached by road following the A975 coastal road from Aberdeen
to Cruden Bay. Access to the Reserve can be gained via signposted
entrances from the A975. The road itself skirts part of the
Reserve, The Ythan Estuary.
It is managed by Scottish Natural Heritage. The estuary is the
only one of its type in North-East Scotland, and Scottish Natural
Heritage aims to protect its wildlife and allow visitors to enjoy
the sights and sounds of the Reserve, without disturbing the
wildlife residents.
The sand dune system is the fifth largest in
Britain and the one least disturbed by people, making it a
natural haven for birds. The soft mud flats are an ideal place
for waders to feed and thousands throng here in the autumn and
winter. There can be few sights as thrilling as a cloud of Golden
Plovers wheeling in the sky, turning as one shifting shadow. The
shingle beds are used by Terns to nest and raise their chicks.
The number of bird species recorded to date is 225 with 43 of
these as breeding species.
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The Eider Duck, which nests on the moorland and
in the sand dunes, is the bird which is most associated with the
Ythan Estuary, where it has its biggest breeding colony in the
U.K. with up to 6000 birds coming to the area in the summer. Even
during the winter up to 1000 birds stay on the estuary with the
rest of the population moving south to overwinter on the Tay
Estuary. The reserve also contains the largest breeding colony of
Sandwich Terns in Scotland (approx 1500), along with Artic ,
Common and the rare Little Tern.
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National
Trust Properties - Haddo House, Fyvie Castle and Pitmedden Gardens
Haddo House
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Unusual for Aberdeenshire in that it is not a castle, Haddo House
is proud to be the most homely of the north-east of Scotland's
great houses open to the public. Designed by William Adam for the
2nd Earl of Aberdeen in 1732, but refurbished in the 1880s, the
House elegantly blends crisp Georgian architecture with sumptuous
late Victorian interiors by Wright and Mansfield. Noted for its
fine furniture, paintings and objets d'art, Haddo also boasts a
delightful terrace garden with geometric rosebeds and fountain,
commemorative trees, a lavish herbaceous border, and secluded
glades and knolls.. A magnificent avenue of lime trees leads to
Haddo Country Park with its lakes, monuments, plaques and
memorabilia build up a fascinating account of the Gordon family
who have lived at Haddo continuously for over 400 years. |
Paintings include works by Pompeo Batoni, William Mosman, Sir
Thomas Lawrence and James Giles. Ecumenical chapel services most
Sunday Evenings.
Location: Off B999, 4m N of Pitmedden, 19m N of
Aberdeen and 10m NW of Ellon.
Opening times: house, 21 Apr to 30 Sep, daily
1.30-5.30; weekends in Oct, 1.30-5.3- (last admission 4.45).
Generally guided tours, Mon-Sat. Occasionally some rooms may be
closed to public view due to family occupation. Shop and
restaurant, weekends in Mar, Apr and Oct, 11-5.30; 1 May to 30
Sep, daily 11-5.30. Garden, 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 9.30-6; 1 Nov
to 31 Mar, daily 9.30-4. Country Park, all year, daily
9.30-sunset.
Fyvie Castle
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Fyvie was once a royal stronghold, one of a chain of fortresses
throughout medieval Scotland. From 1390, following the Battle of
Otterburn, five successive families created probably the finest
example of Scottish Baronial architecture. An old tradition
claims that these families - Preston, Meldrum, Seton, Gordon and
Leith - each built one of Fyvie's five towers. |
An air of mystery is created by the ghosts and
legends associated with this castle. The oldest part dates from
the 13th century, and within its ancient walls is a great
wheel-stair, the finest in Scotland. Contemporary panelling and
plaster ceilings survive in the 17th-century Morning Room and the
opulence of the Edwardian era is reflected in the interiors
created by the first Lord Leith of Fyvie. A rich portrait
collection includes works by Batoni, Raeburn, Romney,
Gainsborough, Opie and Hoppner, and there is a fine collection of
arms and armour, and 17th-century tapestries.
The grounds and loch were designed as a
landscaped parkland in the early 19th-century. The old walled
garden is being re-created to show traditional Scottish fruits
and vegetables. Visitors can also enjoy the restored racquets
court, ice house, bird hide, restored earth closet and beautiful
lochside walks.
Location:Off A947, 8m SE of Turriff and 25m NW
of Aberdeen.
Opening times: Castle, 21 Apr to 31 May and 1
to 30 Sep, daily 1.30-5.30; 1 Jun to 31 Aug, daily 11-5.30;
weekends in Oct, 1.30-5.30 (last admission 4.45). Tearoom and
shop open at 12.30 when castle opens at 1.30. Grounds, all year,
daily 9.30-sunset.
Pitmedden
Gardens
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The centrepiece of this property is the Great Garden, originally
laid out in 1675 by Sir Alexander Seton, 1st Baronet of
Pitmedden. In the 1950s re-creation of the elaborate floral
designs under the guidance of the late Dr James Richardson, three
of the formal parterres were taken from designs possibly used in
the gardens at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh in 1647.
The fourth parterre is a heraldic design based on Sir Alexander's
coat-of-arms.
On the 40 ha (100 a) estate is the Museum of
Farming Life, Visitor Centre, herb and wildlife gardens.
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The Peterhead Maritime
Heritage Centre, in Europe's premier white fish port, is
set by the sea above the harbours of Peterhead, the Marina, and
the Lido beach and caravan site. Visitors to this award winning
building are taken on an informative voyage through the seafaring
history of Peterhead. There is also a pleasant cafe and
children's playground, with ample parking.
At the town nearby town Marina there is a watersports centre and
sailing club.
Location: on approaching Peterhead from Cruden Bay go straight
ahead at the roundabout and the Centre is on your right as you
approach the town.
The Aden Country Park
and Farming Museum near Mintlaw attracts some 200 000
visitors every year. As well as the farming museum and craft
shop, you can visit Hareshowe working farm, a 1950's style
farmhouse which was uprooted from its original location at New
Deer in 1993. There is also a cafe and caravan site.
Location: Mintlaw is on the A92 about midway between Ellon and
Fraserburgh. Travelling north, turn left at the roundabout and
the park is on the right. Admission free. Open 1st May to 31st
September, daily 11am - 4.30pm.
The Grampian Transport
Museum at Alford traces the history of road transport in
the locality. There are regular exhibitions (tel 019755 62292 for
details). In the railway museum you can see the recently restored
Cruden Bay Hotel tramcar, which a century ago carried the wealthy
hotel guests on the trip between the train station and the hotel.
This elegant electrically powered vehicle is the last surviving
reminder of the luxurious railway hotel which was meant to
transform the Buchan village and its historic golfing links into
the St Andrews of the north. The Alford Valley Railway, a 2ft
narrow guage passenger railway, takes half hour trips from Alford
Station to Haughton Country Park, then to Murray Park.
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