Aberdeenshire

The castle country of northeast Scotland, featuring Royal Deeside, the Cairngorms mountains, and the North Sea coast.

Aberdeenshire is located in northeastern Scotland, stretching west into the Cairngorms National Park and east to the North Sea, and is famous for its abundance of castles. The Deeside area features Balmoral Castle, the royal summer residence, along with Braemar Castle and Crathes Castle, while Craigievar, Fyvie, and Castle Fraser each have their own unique character. In the mountains, you can climb Lochnagar and Ben Macdui, or hike around Loch Muick. On the coast, Stonehaven is a lovely harbor town, Newburgh is prime for seal watching, and the Bullers of Buchan cliffs are a haven for seabirds. Spring to autumn is the best time to visit, as the mountains can be snow-covered in winter. Gateways include Aberdeen Airport and railway station, providing access to the rest of the county.

Destinations

• Royal Deeside
• Aberdeen
• Cairngorms & Aviemore

Itineraries

• Eastern Scotland: Fife to the Cairngorms – Travel from the fishing villages of Fife to Dunnottar Castle, then cross Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms, returning vi…
• Classic Highlands and Isle of Skye Loop – Depart from Edinburgh and loop clockwise through the Highlands via Glencoe, the Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, and Pitlochry.
• Shetland and Orkney: Northern Isles – Take the overnight ferry from Aberdeen north to Shetland, then head south to Orkney to explore brochs, seabirds, and Ne…