2025 Aberdeenshire Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in November)

#holidayitinerary #SoloScotland For solo travelers craving dramatic cliffs, whisky warmth, and castle-hopping freedom, this northeast gem offers: Why Solo Road Trip? ✔ Castle Trail Freedom – 19 fortresses at your own pace (no tour groups!) ✔ Coastal Solitude – Park anywhere along the Aberdeenshire Coastal Trail ✔ Whisky Pit Stops – Distillery tours where locals chat freely Must-Stop Sights 🏰 Castle Trio 1. Dunnottar Castle – Cliff-top ruins (arrive by 8AM for foggy magic) 2. Craigievar Castle – Pink fairytale tower (inspired Disney’s Cinderella) 3. Slains Castle – Bram Stoker’s Dracula inspiration 🌊 Coastal Wonders · Bullers of Buchan – Sea stack with puffins (May-July) · Newburgh Seal Beach – Hundreds of sunbathing seals · Fowlsheugh Cliffs – 130m-high seabird colonies 🥃 Whisky Stops · Glen Garioch Distillery – Oldest in Highlands (1797) · Pitstop: The Bothy café in Crovie for Cullen skink soup Perfect 3-Day Solo Itinerary Day 1: Stonehaven to Peterhead · AM: Dunnottar Castle sunrise · PM: Cruden Bay’s sandstone caves + Slains Castle sunset Day 2: Inland Castle Run · Craigievar → Crathes Castle’s painted ceilings · Evening in Royal Deeside (Queen’s summer route) Day 3: Whisky & Wildlife · Glen Garioch tour → Newburgh seals · Sunset at Rattray Head lighthouse Pro Tips: ✔ Rent a compact car – Single-track roads need nimble handling ✔ Download VisitAberdeenshire’s audio guides for solo commentary ✔ Weekday Visits – Empty castle car parks Hidden Gem: Tolquhon Castle’s hidden priest hole Did You Know? Aberdeenshire has 263 castle sites – more per acre than anywhere in the UK! Solo Splurge: Overnight in Glen Dye Cabins – wild swimming + wood-fired sauna Route Essentials: · EV Charging: Aberdeen → Banff coastal route has 12+ stations · Scenic Detour: Snow Roads Scenic Route (A939) Perfect For: 3-5 days of solo adventuring. Those cliffside castle ruins with only the North Sea winds for company? Pure magic. ☁️ #ScotlandByMyself ⚠️ Note: Midges arrive June-Sept – pack Smidge repellent!

#getgoing2025 St Cyrus, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Aberdeen isn't best known for being a spot of natural beauty, but outside the hubbub of the city is Montrose, home to an array of beaches including St Cyrus (once known by the name of Ecclesgreig). Bordered by red granite cliffs and set in a National Nature Reserve, it plays host to a superabundance of wildlife: butterflies and fulmars reign the skies, whilst porpoises are often spotted in the sea. The north end of St Cyrus is also the setting of a grizzly slice of horrible history: set on a rocky outcrop lies the Kaim of Mathers, a castle where a local sheriff was once boiled by a cannibal laird. Luckily, the nasties died out in the 14th century, and it's now simply a serene coastal village.

That was a very fast return moment from Moro Castle coming back to London tonight, which I love too much. I wish I was still there.

I book I booked a Trip.com train to Scotland and then I travel to Balmoral Castle. I love that it was beautiful. United Kingdom.

To make the most of a visit to Deeside in the north of Scotland, including Ballater and Braemar, here’s a detailed itinerary for exploring these charming villages and their surroundings: **Morning:** 1. **Start in Ballater**: - **Breakfast**: Have breakfast at a local café like The Royal Deeside Hotel or The Bothy. - **Explore the Village**: Stroll around Ballater, visit the local shops, and enjoy the picturesque setting. Look for the Ballater Train Station, a beautiful example of Victorian architecture. 2. **Visit Balmoral Castle**: - **Drive to Balmoral Castle**: Located a short distance from Ballater, the castle is a private residence of the Royal Family. Check the opening times and enjoy the gardens and exhibitions. **Afternoon:** 1. **Drive to Braemar**: - **Scenic Drive**: Enjoy the scenic drive from Ballater to Braemar. The route offers stunning views of the surrounding hills and countryside. 2. **Lunch in Braemar**: - **Eat Locally**: Choose a cozy spot like The Fife Arms or The Braemar Lodge Hotel for a traditional Scottish lunch. 3. **Explore Braemar**: - **Braemar Castle**: Visit this historic castle, which offers insights into local history and stunning views of the surrounding area. - **Royal Deeside**: Walk around the village and enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding hills and forests. **Evening:** 1. **Dinner**: - **Return to Ballater or Stay in Braemar**: Depending on your preference, you can either have dinner back in Ballater or enjoy a meal in Braemar at a place like The Gathering or The Royal Highland Hotel. 2. **Evening Walk**: - **Relax**: Consider a leisurely evening walk in the natural surroundings, such as along the River Dee or in nearby woodlands. This itinerary provides a balance of historical sites, natural beauty, and local charm, making for a fulfilling visit to Deeside. #summerdestinations #Deeside #scotland

Aberdeenshire is a fascinating region with a lot to offer. Its combination of rich history, stunning landscapes, and cultural experiences makes it an appealing destination. The area's historic castles and charming towns provide a glimpse into Scotland's past, while the natural beauty of places like Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms National Park offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities. Aberdeen, the largest city in the region, blends modern amenities with historic charm. Overall, Aberdeenshire is a diverse and enriching place to visit for both cultural and natural attractions. - Peterhead - Ballater - Braemar - Stonehaven These are some key towns to visit! #summerdestinations #aberdeenshire #scotland

🏰 Step into the time tunnel and explore the treasures of Scottish history - Fyvie Castle! This magnificent fortress located in Aberdeenshire can be traced back to the 13th century and is said to have been built by Lion William in 1211. 800 years of history have witnessed countless historical ups and downs, and it still stands in the beautiful Fyvie village today. 🖼️ Walking in the fortress, you will be surrounded by various portraits, including the masterpieces of Raeburn, the portrait painter of King George IV of Scotland, and Batoni, a famous Italian painter. The paintings here are like a window from the past centuries of this castle, through which you can glimpse a corner of the grand and passing history! 🕰️ 🌄 Anywhere in Fyvie Castle, you will see fascinating collections of weapons and armor, exquisite furniture and porcelain. But the charm here is far more than that. Fyvie Castle has been rumored to have the 'curse of the crying stone' since ancient times. It is said that unless all three stones taken from the castle boundary markers are put together, the eldest son of the family living in Fyvie will never be able to inherit this castle. And people only found the existence of a crying stone, the other two have never been discovered, this creepy 'curse of the crying stone' may explain the unfortunate fate of each eldest son in the castle family for 600 years.

Lovely Autumnal day at one of the late Queens special places.