Aberdeen & Dunnottar Castle

Our tour of Aberdeen, also known as the ‘Granite City’ or 'Silver City' begins on Union Street or ‘the Granite Mile’ as it’s sometimes referred to locally. I have an apartment in the city centre, so as we walk with coffee through the new £28.3 million pound development that is Union Terrace Gardens, I will point out and explain some of the statues that are located in this area next to His Majesty’s Theatre. As we move on to our first port of call, I will also advise and recommend some of the amazing cafes, bars, restaurants and music nightspots that Aberdeen has to offer.

As you would expect with Aberdeen being a coastal city, it has a rich maritime heritage and thats where we are heading first, to the maritime museum which is located directly opposite Aberdeen docks. We will learn everything about Aberdeens long and often dramatic relationship with the sea, from the earliest days of trading, fishing and shipbuilding, to offshore energy and life in the oil industry, your voyage of discovery starts here! A must visit place for anyone interested in the sea or Aberdeen’s recent history in general.

We then head off to one of Scotlands most spectacular landmarks, Dunnottar Castle, located 2 miles south of Stonehaven which is about a 25 minute drive south of the city.

In Gaelic, Dunnottar means "fort on the shelving slope”. Its located on a rocky headland with ruins dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, although its said to be the site of a fortification since the early middle ages.

Its strategic location on the North Sea means it played a prominent role even during the Jacobite risings of the 18th century, however its best known as the place where the Scottish crown jewels were hidden from Oliver Cromwells invading redcoats in the 17th century. It was opened to the public in the 20th century and is now one of the most photographed castles in Scotland due to its dramatic location on steep cliffs that drop 50 metres to the sea.

You will get the opportunity to visit the twelve listed buildings that remain here, as well as access the beaches and enjoy some short beautiful hikes around the cliff tops. I will also provide you with a drone photograph souvenir at this location (subject to weather conditions).

We then take a short drive to lunch at nearby Stonehaven Harbour, if you didn’t opt to bring a packed lunch with you don’t worry as there are plenty of options here including seafood, traditional and of course fish and chips, there is even a whisky bar if you’re wanting a wee dram.

We then return to Aberdeen to visit the fascinating Tolbooth Museum which is located at Castle Street. As its name suggests, it was first established to collect tolls, however in the 17th century the building went on to be used as a prison and place of execution.

Exhibits explain local history and how punishment of crimes evolved over the centuries. Prison cells with their original doors and barred windows can all be accessed as well as the Tolbooths first guillotine, commissioned in the mid 16th century to execute convicted prisoners. Some of those included Jacobite prisoners as they awaited trial following the defeat at The Battle of Culloden in 1746.

The Tolbooth Museum is a real insight into imprisonment and the treatment of prisoners in times gone by. In 2009 the building was investigated for paranormal activity by the tv show Most Haunted.

Nature lovers will love the next segment of the tour as we venture out towards the north of the city to one of the most prolific places in the UK for spotting marine wildlife.

The short hike to Newburgh Beach is home to a colony of around 400 seals, they live alongside the sandy estuary of the River Ythan very close to the beach and are happy to be seen going about their business and playing hide and seek in the water in front of delighted onlookers.

I will also bring my binoculars along for the trip because Newburgh Beach is also a hot spot for spotting whales and dolphins who are frequently seen in the North Sea close to the beach. Newburgh’s wide and beautifully sandy beach and with its surrounding dunes also makes for the perfect home for bird life with hundreds of species including the largest population of Eider Ducks in Europe.

Its 20 minutes back into Aberdeen but that should leave us enough time to visit a rather quaint location close to the city centre, but whatever the weather brings on your tour there’s plenty to see and do and your sure to have a memorable time visiting me in the fantastic city of Aberdeen.