Dunnottar Castle
A ruined fortress on a sheer promontory south of Stonehaven, reached by a steep path down and back up. The Honours of Scotland — the crown jewels — were hidden here from Cromwell's army.
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Hidden gems in Aberdeenshire & North East
Clifftop ruins, whisky country, and a coast that stays quiet
The North East is the part of Scotland that visitors most consistently skip, which is exactly why it rewards going. It has more castles per square mile than anywhere else in Britain, the greatest concentration of malt whisky distilleries in the world along Speyside, and a granite coastline of fishing villages and sea cliffs that stays empty even in August.
Below: the landmarks, the towns, and the independent businesses working in them.
Local businesses
Independent businesses in Aberdeenshire & North East
This region is just getting started.
We're still building out this region.
If you run an independent business in Aberdeenshire & North East, a free listing here puts you on the map — literally — for people searching for what you do.
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Map
Map of Aberdeenshire & North East
The towns and landmarks of this region. Business pins appear here as listings are added.
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Towns & villages
Where to look in Aberdeenshire & North East
Places worth slowing down for in this region. We don't have listings in any of them yet — if you trade in one, you can be the first.
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Stonehaven
A harbour town with an open-air art deco lido and Dunnottar Castle on the cliffs south of it.
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Ballater
A Royal Deeside village with a strong independent high street, near Balmoral.
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Dufftown
The centre of Speyside — several working distilleries within walking distance of the clock tower.
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Portsoy
A 17th-century harbour on the Moray Firth coast, known for its traditional boat festival.
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Banchory
A Deeside town on the river, good for walking and salmon.
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Aberdeen
The Granite City — a working port with a long beach and a mica-flecked skyline.
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Landmarks
The famous bits
Worth seeing in their own right, and a good way to get your bearings in the region.
The Cairngorms
The largest national park in the UK, running west from Deeside — arctic plateau, ancient pine forest, and Britain's only free-ranging reindeer herd.
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Balmoral Castle
The royal family's Highland home since Victoria and Albert bought the estate in 1852. The grounds and ballroom open to visitors in spring and early summer, before the family arrives for August.
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Craigievar Castle
A pink-harled tower house finished in 1626, with turrets and corbelling that look invented rather than built. Widely claimed as an influence on the Disney castle silhouette.
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Crathes Castle
A 16th-century tower house near Banchory with original painted ceilings still intact upstairs and eight linked yew-hedged garden rooms outside.
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Bow Fiddle Rock
A natural quartzite sea arch off Portknockie on the Moray Firth, shaped like the tip of a fiddle bow. Reachable on foot from the village and best at sunrise.
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The Speyside Whisky Trail
The densest concentration of malt whisky distilleries in the world, centred on Dufftown and Rothes. Around fifty working distilleries sit within a short drive of each other.
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