Visit to Aberdeen area - any more ideas?

[ChrisC]

Next month I am hoping to visit the North East of Scotland, staying in Aberdeen for 9 nights. I say hoping because this was a trip originally planned for May last year, but I had to cancel it because of a series of RMT and ASLEF strikes at the time which would have made travel to/from Nottingham very difficult. Hopefully there will not be strikes on my rail travel days this year but it could happen.

Over the years I have travelled fairly widely around many parts of Scotland but I have never explored the area around Aberdeen. Having already travelled around Scotland by rail in the past, I'm intending to keep my travel very much within 50 miles or so of Aberdeen and I am going to be using a Stagecoach Bluebird Explorer & Day MegaRider ticket. I already have most of my days planned but as I don't know the area very well I just wondered if I am missing any particularly scenic routes or interesting locations. My preferred locations to visit are remote coastal locations including beaches, walks by rivers and historic towns and villages. I am not so interested in busy larger towns. As I will have 8 days in the area that does leave one day for exploring the City of Aberdeen and not travelling far from the city centre on that day. I have a hotel booked just a few minutes walk from the bus and rail stations.

My plans so far are:
2 days using the 201/202/203 routes exploring the Deeside all the way up to Braemar. Visiting the towns and doing some walking including visiting the Balmoral area.
1 day revisiting the coastal villages on the 35 route between Banff and Buckie, especially spending some time around Portsoy and Cullen, where I had a 2 week holiday around 15 years ago. I will probably travel as far as Fochabers and return to Aberdeen using the Number 10.
1 day revisiting Burghead and Findhorn and perhaps managing to also visit Lossiemouth. More places I would like to revisit after having a 2 week holiday staying in Burghead 25 years ago. With this being a good distance from Aberdeen I will use the train from Aberdeen to/from Elgin before using the 32 and 33A/C buses from Elgin.
1 day visiting some of the coastal locations north of Aberdeen towards Peterhead especially Cruden Bay and Newburgh mostly on the X63 route. I would have liked to visit the area around Rattray Head but I think it could be too far to walk from a bus route.

Therefore I will have 2 days left on my 7 day ticket, although one of these days will be a bit limited as it will be a Sunday. Any ideas? Is it worth travelling anywhere south of Aberdeen towards Montrose and Arbroath or inland to some of the small towns or villages?

 

[The Puddock]

Therefore I will have 2 days left on my 7 day ticket, although one of these days will be a bit limited as it will be a Sunday. Any ideas? Is it worth travelling anywhere south of Aberdeen towards Montrose and Arbroath or inland to some of the small towns or villages?

Yes it is, the east coast between Dundee and Aberdeen is one of Scotland's hidden gems. Stonehaven is a nice seaside town and has a station with a frequent service from/to Aberdeen. The fishing villages of Gourdon and Johnshaven are lovely and accessible by bus. St Cyrus (bus from Stonehaven or Montrose) has a beautiful beach and national nature reserve with walks and a wildlife centre. Montrose is also nice, though the High Street is a bit run compared to 10 years ago, and has an air museum (Montrose was the first military flying station in the UK in 1913) and the House of Dun which is a very elegant country house designed by William Adam, owned by the National Trust Scotland. There's also a great beach and an excellent bird watching centre. Between Montrose and Arbroath there's Lunan Bay which is a spectacular beach but unfortunately it's not accessible by public transport. The inland villages of Edzell and Fettercairn are really nice with riverside walks at Edzell and the latter has a distillery which is worth a visit.

 

[D1024]

I would second the coast south of Aberdeen - take the train though for the best views. Aberdeen to Stonehaven sitting on the seaward side (left going south, right going north) is superb. From Stonehaven you could walk (about 2 miles each way) through the town and then along the coast path to Dunnottar Castle which is rather special.

A couple of other suggestions - Cruden Bay and Newburgh themselves are nothing particularly special (apologies to any members living there ) however from Newburgh you can access the Forvie Sands Nature reserve and from Cruden Bay its pretty easy to get to Slains Castle - a brooding ruin perched high on the cliffs. Also north of cruden Bay are the Bullers of Buchan - another stretch of impressive coastal scenery and with a bus stop on the road. In Peterhead I can recommend the Peterhead Prison Museum - sounds a bit surreal/macabre but is well worth a visit.

Portsoy has a lovely harbour area and dont miss the Portsoy Ice Cream shop!

If you go to Cullen walk along the beach then up the cliffs to Portknockie with a small detour to see the Bow-Fiddle Rock and return along the old railway line.

Pennan, on the coast between Macduff and Fraserburgh and the main setting for the film Local Hero is another village worth visiting but has a very limited bus service.

A little further West is Gardenstown again well worth a visit and has a better bus service (from Macduff)

Enjoy your visit!

 

[SteveM70]

Another vote for Stonehaven and Dunnottar Castle

 

[ChrisC]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. It definitely looks like a trip down to Stonehaven and a coastal walk to Dunnottar Castle will be on my list of trips to do. I will be travelling by train up to Aberdeen from Nottingham so will do the line between Stonehaven and Aberdeen then. Therefore, as I will have paid for a 7 day bus ticket I will do the journey down to Stonehaven and perhaps beyond by bus. St Cyrus was also a place south of Aberdeen that I had considered visiting.

My day planned for Newburgh and Cruden Bay was to walk to coastal locations and not especially to visit the villages. I had thought about Forvie Sands Nature Reserve near Newburgh or a walk on the beach on the south side of the river estuary. Slains Castle and the Bullers of Buchan looks like an interesting walk up the coast from Cruden Bay.

I know the coast around Gardenstown and Pennan quite well from previous visits and remember walking from Gardenstown to Crovie. Although it’s a lovely area I will give them a miss as they are not so easy to reach by bus.
I did the walk along the beach from Cullen to the Bow Fiddle Rock when I had a 2 week holiday staying in Portsoy about 15 years ago but walked back the same way. I think this time I will stop off at Portsoy for just one hour as it will be good to revisit it. Then I will get the bus along to Cullen before doing a good stretch of the railway walk at least as far as Findochty before continuing by bus.

I hope that train strikes don’t result in cancellation like they did last year as I’m really looking forward to visiting the area. Also I have got quite a good deal in a hotel in Aberdeen which will be annoying if I have to cancel.

 

[lachlan]

This is the area I grew up in and I would highly recommend walking to the Castle and War Memorial there. If you still have a spare day it's worth exploring Aberdeen itself - you can walk along the harbour and go dolphin spotting or up to Footdee and walk along the seafront. The art gallery and maritime museum are both worth a look and the old Aberdeen area (including the University of Aberdeen campus) has some nice scenery and interesting buildings. Seaton Park and the old Bridge of Don are worth a look.

 

[GusB]

@ChrisC While the Bluebird Explorer ticket covers journeys within the Bluebird area (essentially the former Grampian region), there are some extensions that may allow additional possibilities. It's valid on service 10 to Inverness and the X7 towards Dundee and Perth. The ticket terms and conditions specifically mentions these services, but the Stagecoach journey planner also indicates that this ticket is also valid on the M96 and the 35. I'd suggest checking that this is actually the case before travel, though; it could just be that the T&Cs haven't been updated since the introduction of the M96 and extension of the 35. Services such as the 11 group between Nairn and Inverness are definitely not covered.

If you're looking for river walks, there's a footpath along the River Nairn that'll take you to Cawdor. Cawdor Castle is there to visit if that's your thing and I've heard others say that the Cawdor Tavern is good for food (never tried it myself). There are some nice beach walks around Nairn too. While it's a nice little town, there's not much open on Sundays, unfortunately. My go-to place for food is Cafe Nairn, where they do a fairly decent breakfast.

Forres has the Dava Way, which takes you along the old railway alignment towards Grantown-on-Spey. If you're looking for a spot of lunch, McKenzie and Cruickshank (garden centre) has a cafe that's reasonably priced. It's on the outskirts of Forres, but just off the A96. There may be some scope for walks by the Findhorn. Brodie, a bit further out towards Nairn, has the castle and Brodie Countryfare, another place that does reasonably priced lunches (don't let all the Range Rovers put you off). There are some forest walks around that way too.

I live along the route of the 32 to Burghead/Findhorn/Forres. It doesn't run on a Sunday and evening services don't run much beyond 7pm. Findhorn to Burghead can be a nice beach walk, but probably easier when the tide is further out. There are also forest paths around Roseisle. If you don't fancy the whole journey, the 32 will stop at Roseisle Forest road end and you can either walk back to the Broch through the woods or along the beach. Burghead has no pubs remaining, but the Bothy is quite popular for food if you need a bite to eat.
You'll probably be aware that the headland is the site of an ancient Pictish fort, but there has been quite a lot of activity in terms of archaeological digging in the last few years. I went to a tour and talk last year which was very interesting and they also opened up the old Burghead well. The old Coastguard lookout is now a (small) exhibition centre; there's no entry charge, but there is a donation box.

There's a very easy coastal path along the old railway alignment between Burghead and Hopeman. It used to be very overgrown in places, but there have been significant improvements over the years and the path is tarmac as far as Cummingston. At the Hopeman end of the line, there is a bar/restaurant (Bootleggers) on the edge of the caravan site (situated on the site of the old Hopeman station). The beaches are nice, but can be busy if it's a particularly nice day. There's a gallery at the harbour that also does coffees etc. For food, there's the Hopeman Sands cafe and the Braemou Inn, which does food more or less all day. If it's a hot day, Stew & Drew's Ice Cream shop is a must! (that's a pint ye owe me, Stewart ) It's possible to carry on to Lossiemouth from here, but the path is a bit harder going towards the cliffs. Cove Bay, to the east of the village, is a pretty spot.

From Lossiemouth there's a walk along the railway alignment back towards Elgin, although I'm not sure how far its possible to go. Now that the bridge across to the east beach has been replaced, it's once again possible to walk eastwards along the coast towards Garmouth/Kingston.

Elgin itself is fairly walkable and has a nice river walk along the Lossie. The cathedral is worth a visit if you haven't been and there's also Spynie Palace, which is a couple of miles out of town - the 33A/C drops you off on the main road and it's not too far to walk from there.

Heading south from Elgin, there's Rothes, Aberlour and Dufftown along the 36 bus route. The route passes by the Keith and Dufftown Railway at the southern end and the 10/M96 serve Keith at the northern end, so another thing to consider. There's also the Speyside Way which gives walking opportunities. If you're looking for a couple of hours in a tranquil spot, consider Millbuies country park, just a few miles south of Elgin (36); it's basically a path that goes around a loch in a forest, but it's a lovely place and not too far out.

Heading east from Elgin, Garmouth is another village with a "quaint" feel to it. It sits alongside the Spey and there's a short walk from there to Kingston. While it is accessible directly by bus, the route (334) is operated by the council, it's infrequent and doesn't run on weekends; your Bluebird Explorer isn't valid, either. However, there is a path running alongside the Spey from Mosstodloch to Garmouth and from there it's possible to cross over the old viaduct to Spey Bay and walk along the old Morayshire Railway alignment to Buckie, where you can pick up the 35 (or continue walking towards Cullen).

 

[ChrisC]

@ChrisC While the Bluebird Explorer ticket covers journeys within the Bluebird area (essentially the former Grampian region), there are some extensions that may allow additional possibilities. It's valid on service 10 to Inverness and the X7 towards Dundee and Perth. The ticket terms and conditions specifically mentions these services, but the Stagecoach journey planner also indicates that this ticket is also valid on the M96 and the 35. I'd suggest checking that this is actually the case before travel, though; it could just be that the T&Cs haven't been updated since the introduction of the M96 and extension of the 35. Services such as the 11 group between Nairn and Inverness are definitely not covered.

If you're looking for river walks, there's a footpath along the River Nairn that'll take you to Cawdor. Cawdor Castle is there to visit if that's your thing and I've heard others say that the Cawdor Tavern is good for food (never tried it myself). There are some nice beach walks around Nairn too. While it's a nice little town, there's not much open on Sundays, unfortunately. My go-to place for food is Cafe Nairn, where they do a fairly decent breakfast.

Forres has the Dava Way, which takes you along the old railway alignment towards Grantown-on-Spey. If you're looking for a spot of lunch, McKenzie and Cruickshank (garden centre) has a cafe that's reasonably priced. It's on the outskirts of Forres, but just off the A96. There may be some scope for walks by the Findhorn. Brodie, a bit further out towards Nairn, has the castle and Brodie Countryfare, another place that does reasonably priced lunches (don't let all the Range Rovers put you off). There are some forest walks around that way too.

I live along the route of the 32 to Burghead/Findhorn/Forres. It doesn't run on a Sunday and evening services don't run much beyond 7pm. Findhorn to Burghead can be a nice beach walk, but probably easier when the tide is further out. There are also forest paths around Roseisle. If you don't fancy the whole journey, the 32 will stop at Roseisle Forest road end and you can either walk back to the Broch through the woods or along the beach. Burghead has no pubs remaining, but the Bothy is quite popular for food if you need a bite to eat.
You'll probably be aware that the headland is the site of an ancient Pictish fort, but there has been quite a lot of activity in terms of archaeological digging in the last few years. I went to a tour and talk last year which was very interesting and they also opened up the old Burghead well. The old Coastguard lookout is now a (small) exhibition centre; there's no entry charge, but there is a donation box.

There's a very easy coastal path along the old railway alignment between Burghead and Hopeman. It used to be very overgrown in places, but there have been significant improvements over the years and the path is tarmac as far as Cummingston. At the Hopeman end of the line, there is a bar/restaurant (Bootleggers) on the edge of the caravan site (situated on the site of the old Hopeman station). The beaches are nice, but can be busy if it's a particularly nice day. There's a gallery at the harbour that also does coffees etc. For food, there's the Hopeman Sands cafe and the Braemou Inn, which does food more or less all day. If it's a hot day, Stew & Drew's Ice Cream shop is a must! (that's a pint ye owe me, Stewart ) It's possible to carry on to Lossiemouth from here, but the path is a bit harder going towards the cliffs. Cove Bay, to the east of the village, is a pretty spot.

From Lossiemouth there's a walk along the railway alignment back towards Elgin, although I'm not sure how far its possible to go. Now that the bridge across to the east beach has been replaced, it's once again possible to walk eastwards along the coast towards Garmouth/Kingston.

Elgin itself is fairly walkable and has a nice river walk along the Lossie. The cathedral is worth a visit if you haven't been and there's also Spynie Palace, which is a couple of miles out of town - the 33A/C drops you off on the main road and it's not too far to walk from there.

Heading south from Elgin, there's Rothes, Aberlour and Dufftown along the 36 bus route. The route passes by the Keith and Dufftown Railway at the southern end and the 10/M96 serve Keith at the northern end, so another thing to consider. There's also the Speyside Way which gives walking opportunities. If you're looking for a couple of hours in a tranquil spot, consider Millbuies country park, just a few miles south of Elgin (36); it's basically a path that goes around a loch in a forest, but it's a lovely place and not too far out.

Heading east from Elgin, Garmouth is another village with a "quaint" feel to it. It sits alongside the Spey and there's a short walk from there to Kingston. While it is accessible directly by bus, the route (334) is operated by the council, it's infrequent and doesn't run on weekends; your Bluebird Explorer isn't valid, either. However, there is a path running alongside the Spey from Mosstodloch to Garmouth and from there it's possible to cross over the old viaduct to Spey Bay and walk along the old Morayshire Railway alignment to Buckie, where you can pick up the 35 (or continue walking towards Cullen).

Thanks for that very comprehensive list of ideas. Reading it brings back many memories of places I visited 25 years ago when I stayed for two weeks in Burghead. I remember quite well that it was August 1999 as I came up with my mother just a few months after my dad had died. When so many people were heading down to Cornwall to view the total eclipse we came up to Scotland where it was to be only a partial eclipse. I can remember it happening as we were walking on the beach between Burghead and Findhorn and even that far north it became very still and the temperature dropped.

So many of the places you mention we visited during that holiday. I remember visiting Garmouth and walking over the Spey Viaduct also visiting Kingston and Spey Bay. I also liked Nairn and the walk along the beach there. The place I remember the most was Findhorn and the walk from the village by the estuary to the sea. It will be good to visit Elgin again and I certainly want to go back to Burghead and Findhorn. As already mentioned around 15 years ago I had another 2 week holiday staying house up on the cliffs at Portsoy and so I am also very familiar with that area.

The main purpose of staying in Aberdeen will be to explore Deeside and the the coast north and south of Aberdeen but I also would love to spend a couple of days revisiting some of the places closer to you.

 

[Willie Bee]

My wife and I have had several mini breaks over the past 18 months so we are looking for somewhere new, either for late 2024 or early 2025. We sometimes just visit one place at a time, but often we visit two places over a few days (x2 2-day breaks)

I had actually considered 2 days in Aberdeen, followed by 2 days in Inverness, so this posting has been helpful.

By the time we go, we would have already had 2 trips to Glasgow and 3 to Edinburgh. Living near Newcastle, Scotland is easy to get to and the fares are reasonable.

We've been to London (twice) Manchester, Liverpool, York and Leeds too.

Other 'new' considerations are : Birminghamn, Sheffield, Chester, Llandudno and Cardiff