Tour
Historic Drum Castle
Drum
Castle near Aberdeen is probably the oldest occupied castle
in Scotland. Prior to 1975 when it was bequeathed to the
National Trust for Scotland by the 24th and final Laird
of Drum, Henry Quentin Forbes Irvine, it had been the ancestral
home of the Irvine family for more than six hundred and
fifty years.
Drum Castle comprises an original stone tower keep which,
it is believed, was built during the reign of Alexander
lll in the mid thirteenth century. The stone mansion and
Jacobean house which form the bulk of the remaining part
of the building were built by Alexander, the 9th Laird of
Drum and were completed in 1619.
After the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 at which William
Irvine fought alongside Robert the Bruce, the Royal Forest
of Oaks in Aberdeenshire and Drum Castle were awarded to
William Irvine.
Other
places to visit in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeen
'Granite
City', whose speckled grey buildings overlook bustling fishing
port and docks. Art gallery focuses on 18th to 20th-century
painting and sculpture. Provost Skene's House, built 1545,
has fine painted ceilings and local museum. Science and
technology discovery centre.
Banchory
A
resort town in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, situated on
the north bank of the River Dee, 18 miles (29 km) west of
Aberdeen. Founded in 1805 and formerly included in Kincardineshire,
Banchory developed during the 19th century as a tourist
resort and in the late 20th century also as a commuter settlement
for those working in Aberdeen.
Through local meetings of the Strathspey and Reel Society
and the Accordion and Fiddle Club, the people of Banchory
keep alive a strong musical tradition that is associated
with the locally-born composer of fiddle music, James Scott
Skinner (1843-1927).
Balmedie
Beach
Shifting
dunes border miles of sandy beach, safe for swimming, from
River Ythan to River Don. A dozen burns trickle across sands,
where birds and plants live.
Bridge
of Dee
Graceful
seven-arched bridge dates back 400 years. Scene of historic
battle in the 17th century.
Brig
o' Balgownie
Massive
bridge, completed in 1329, spans 62ft in single arch. Bridge
crosses deep pool of river and is backed by woods. Closed
to motor vehicles.
Brimmond
and Elrick Country Park
Park
set in rolling countryside of hills and moorland. Guided
and marked walks, and picnic area.
Broomend
of Crichie
Bronze
Age enclosure, over 100ft wide, with external bank and enclosed
ditch. It surrounds central stone, a later addition, carved
with Pictish symbols.
Camphill
Village Trust
Community
for people with special needs has workshops producing goods
such as soft toys, furniture, metalwork and weaving. Shop
sells wholemeal bread, cakes and coffee.
Catterline
White
cottages perch on cliff tops descending steeply to a craggy
bay. short walk along coast leads to Trelong Bay, where
kittiwakes and fulmars nest in grass-covered cliffs. Remains
of ancient church survive from 12th century.
Collieston
Grey-stone
houses stand above caves once used by smugglers. Sheltered
harbour supported thriving fishing industry. St Catharines
Dub, a rocky headland, takes name from Spanish galleon wrecked
there in 1594.
Cove
Bay
Road
from village approaches harbour set in cliffs. Fishing boats
moor here and salmon nets are hung to dry.
Crombie
Woollens Visitor Centre
Mill
by River Don in Aberdeen has award-winning museum and visitor
centre. Cloth, wool and ready-made clothes for sale. Fishing
and riverside walks.
Cruickshank
Botanic Gardens
Gardens
have extensive collec-tions of shrubs, alpine plants, heather
and succulents. Rock and water gardens.
Cullerlie
Bronze
Age stone circle, 30ft across, with eight boulders around
its circumference. Within circle are number of excavated
burial chambers.
Downies
Rough
road from village leads to cliff-top walk, where views look
over to Cammachmore Bay. Steep path descends to rocky cove.
Drum
Castle
Antique
furniture and paintings enrich castle's interior. Home of
Irvine family since 1323, its original keep adjoins Jacobean
mansion, built 1619. Extensive grounds border old forest
of Drum, where rhododendrons bloom beneath ancient oak and
yew trees.
Dunnottar
Castle
Steep
path from beach climbs solitary rock, crowned by dramatic
castle ruin. Cromwell's troops captured this Royalist stronghold
after months of siege in 1652. Little-changed dungeon housed
167 covenanters in 1685.
Duthie
Park
Park
of 50 acres has floral displays in all seasons, including
spectacular 'rose mountain'. Children's play area includes
trampolines.
Dyce
Incised
symbols and carved relief work cover two Pictish stones
in St Fergus churchyard, to the north. Standing stone circle,
60ft in diameter, lies 2 miles west.
Findon
Good
walk from village leads through fish-farm research station
to two rocky coves, and on round cliffs to Portlethen village.
Fowlsheugh
Nature Reserve
Two
miles of cliffs echo with the calls of kittiwake and guillemot
pairs that arrive for summer breeding season. Path to reserve
leads from Crawton village.
Glenbervie
Robert
Burns memorial cairn lies in scattered parish surrounded
by wooded hills. Nearby churchyard holds ornate tombs.
Gordon
Highlanders Regimental Museum
Museum
has many relics of regiment, first raised by Duke of Gordon
in 1794.
Haddo
Country Park
Woodland
walks span 180 acres rich with wild flowers and plants.
Picnic areas and playground.
Haddo
House
Fine
gardens enclose mansion, designed by William Adam in 18th
century for Earl of Aberdeen. Antique works of art, books
and ceramics adorn rich interior. Nature trail skirts forest
clearings, where roe deer graze.
Hallforest
Castle
Ruin
of powerful fortress dating from 14th century can be seen
from road. Old residence of Keith family, Earls of Kintore.
Hazlehead
Park
Largest
park in Aberdeen, contains extensive woodland and well-tended
rose, heather and azalea gardens. Children's corner has
chickens, lambs and rabbits. Walk-in aviary. Adventure play-ground
and bumper-car track. Impressive maze has over a mile of
twisting paths.
Hill
of Barra
Site
of Battle of Barra fought between Robert Bruce and John
Comyn in 1307. Comyn is thought to have camped in Pictish
fort on hill. Fine views from hill over the Garioch basin.
Inverurie
Town
museum displays local archaeological and geological finds,
including arrowheads, stone axes and flint knives. In cemetery
is SOft mound, the Bass, site of Norman castle. Brandsbutt
Stone bears Pictish symbols. Seventeenth-century Scottish
poet, Arthur Johnston, was born at Caskieben Castle -- now
part of Keith Hall.
Kinkell
Church
Ruin
of parish church, built in 16th century, retains ornate
details. Unusually designed sacrament house dates from 1524.
Kintore
External
stone stairs enhance elegant town house, built 1737. Old
bell chimes in house clock tower with original slate roof.
Early Pictish stone stands in churchyard. Well-preserved
Balbithan House lies in quiet dell to the north-east, across
River Don.
Kirkton
of Maryculter
Nursery
rhyme and fairy-tale characters greet visitors, young and
old, to make-believe garden world of Storybook Glen. Tropical
palms and waterfalls enhance landscaped gardens.
Muchalls
Picturesque,
white-painted village, dating from 19th century. To north,
coast has spectacular rock formations including stacks and
deep caverns.
Muchalls
Castle
Fine
plaster-work distinguishes Great Hall of 17th-century castle.
Smugglers' tunnel, now blocked, once led to Gin Shore Cove.
Old
Slains Castle
Ruined
tower remains from Earl of Erroll's fortress, set above
shingle beach. James VI had it destroyed in 1594 after learning
of the Earl's plot to land Spanish troops on Scottish coast.
Pitmedden
Garden
Formal
gardens established in 1675 with central fountain, pavilions
and sundials, all laid out in four great rectangles. Box
hedges form elaborate designs and Latin mottoes. Museum
of Farming Life includes furnished farmhouse.
Portlethen
Village
Once-busy
fishing village is now community for people employed in
Aberdeen. Steep road leads to small cove, hemmed in by cliffs.
St
Machar's Cathedral
Cathedral
founded in 1131, though main part of building dates from
15th century. West front has twin towers. Painted wooden
heraldic nave, dated 1520, is in use as parish church.
Stonehaven
New
town, with amusement park and beach, dominates old town
of fishermen's cottages by harbour. Local exhibits found
in 16th-century Tolbooth Museum, where Episcopal clergymen
were imprisoned in 1748. Panoramic view from war memorial
on hill.
Tarves
Gothic
and Renaissance styles evident in fine altar-tomb of William
Forbes, resident of nearby Tolquhon Castle in 16th century.
Tomb lies in Tarves parish church.
Tolquhon
Castle
Impressive,
pink sandstone castle ruins, set in wooded glen. Large quadrangular
mansion, built by William Forbes adjoins keep, dating from
15th century, called Preston Tower. Two round towers with
grated windows stand beside remains of gate-house with ornate
gunports.
Tolquhon
Gallery
Work
of Scottish artists, including prints, paintings, ceramics
and glass, exhibited in changing programme. Sculptures are
displayed in garden.
Udny
Green
Above
village is Udny Castle, tower house dating from 14th century,
crowned by ornamental turrets. Churchyard has stone and
slate 'morthouse', built 3832, to protect unburied dead
from clutches of resurrectionists.
