Coastal Villages of Aberdeenshire

based on 28 reviews

Duration:8 hours (approx.)
Location: Aberdeen, Northeast Scotland

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Visit the stunning Northeast Coast of Aberdeenshire and it will steal your heart. On this tour we will visit some of the region's most dramatic coastline.

Taking time to wander through some of the most beautiful fishing villages including Gardenstown and Crovie, to learn about its maritime past and present. Hear stories about a few influential characters and ‘Local Heroes’ who called this countryside home.

From working harbours to abandoned castles and tall cliffs where the seabird colonies cling to nest, this tour will immerse you in the heritage of the northeast and its connection to the sea.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Gardenstown
Explore the north Aberdeenshire coast During the first part of our journey, we make our way through the Aberdeenshire countryside, to the coastal villages of Gardenstown and Crovie. Built into the red sandstone cliffs the villages have a special and remote atmosphere. From the lovely harbour and beach, you can look out over the Moray Firth and perhaps catch a glimpse of the dolphins and other wildlife in the bay. The village of Gardenstown recently celebrated their 300th naming anniversary, and its harbour has a fleet of small fishing boats. On the quayside, you can occasionally see men preparing their lobster pots for the next catch, as well as the Salmon House which contains the Heritage Centre. We encourage you to take a walk along the coastal path which take you to Crovie, dating from the 18th century, if the tide allows. Crovie is the smallest and most remote of Buchan cliff-foot fishing villages, it comprises a single row of houses, most gable-end to the sea.
2. Pennan
We need a Hero Pennan came into existence as a fishing village in the 18th century. The people of Pennan were dependent on the sea and most families had small boats, often multiple generations of the same family lived in the village. With a pebble stone beach and smart houses with colourful windows, there is a charm and peacefulness in the village that tempts you to linger and listen to the waves. Pennan became famous in the 1980s for being used as one of the main locations for the film Local Hero and representing the fictional village of Ferness. Film enthusiasts have come from all over the world to make a phone call in the red telephone box which featured in the film.
3. Fraserburgh
A busy harbour town The town name means, 'burgh of Fraser', after the Fraser Family who bought the lands of Philorth in 1504 and built the family castle at Kinnaird Head. The castle was later transformed into one of the first lighthouses in the northeast in 1787. Fraserburgh is very much an active harbour town, and you will have time to walk around the headland and see the lighthouse, the wine tower and foghorn while making your way past the busy harbour. There is an opportunity to have lunch and refreshments before we continue to our next stop.
4. Bullers of Buchan
Take a walk on the wild side The name Bullers of Buchan refers both to a collapsed sea cave and the little hamlet nestled beside. The collapsed sea cave forms an almost circular hole, about 30 metres deep, where the sea rushes in through a natural archway. The cliffs surrounding the Bullers provide nesting sites in spring for colonies of seabirds, including kittiwakes, puffins, fulmars, shags, razorbills and guillemots along with herring gulls and great black-backed gulls.
5. Collieston Beach
Smugglers and dramatic coastline Collieston provides the first safe harbour in over fifteen miles of beaches and dunes stretching north from Aberdeen. Fishing for herring, haddock, whiting and cod flourished in the 17th century and the village became known for 'Collieston Speldings', salted and sun-dried haddock and whiting, a popular delicacy. The numerous sea caves and small coves with shingle beaches provided ideal terrain for smugglers. Learn about notorious smuggler Phillip Kennedy and his exploits while trying to outrun the exciseman. With views of Aberdeen in the distance, a small bay and sea arch this is a great stop at the end of the day to round off our coastal villages.
6. Cruden Bay (Port Erroll)
Dramatic castles & sands An iconic feature of Cruden Bay is New Slains Castle, perched on the edge of the cliffs. We will take a walk from the village, along the path visitors to the castle would have taken for centuries. The castle is a blend of several different architectural styles and periods. Most of the building was constructed between 1597 and 1664. The castle fell in in ruin in the late 19th century, stripped of all contents and abandoned in the 1920s. Alternatively, you can take a more leisurely walk along the stunning beach. Cruden Bay beach is a vast expanse of soft, pale coloured sand. Why not try dipping your toes in the North Sea and feel the waves washing over your feet.

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Posted By : floridame2
We traveled all over the UK and Ireland in May and June 2024. This “Coastal Villages of Aberdeenshire Tour” was by far the best one we took. There were 4 of us traveling together from the USA. All seniors and cousins. Jacqueline made our tour so exciting. Interesting, and informative. We couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide. She was the best and went out of her way to make us all comfortable and made sure to take us to the best stops. The stops we made were simply spectacular. Such unspoiled beauty. We met some others on our tour and shared our stories, laughs and photos. This is one tour you don’t want to miss.
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Posted On : 2024-06-20 22:06:47

Posted By : 11alisab
This was an AMAZING tour! We got to experience areas we would have never gone! Remote port towns, views to die for and a lovely tour guide. We done a variety of tours but really prefer the small van tours! I can’t say enough about this tour and would encourage anyone who is looking to get out of the city and likes nature to book this tour!
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Posted On : 2024-06-20 04:26:37

Posted By : Audrey_M
The tour was well organized and paced well. Jaime, our guide, was personable, knowledgeable, easy-going and pleasant. ALL of the stops were quite memorable. It's just too bad the morning fog along the coast inhibited views of several of the coastal towns.
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Posted On : 2024-06-10 10:35:01

Posted By : DawnEliz654
Jacqueline was an incredible guide, such a depth and breadth of knowledge, as well as a lovely warm personality, made this trip around the stunningly beautiful Aberdeen coastline such a pleasure. Would highly recommend this trip to see parts of the landscape you may kot even know exists. Well worth the money.
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Posted On : 2024-06-01 05:11:19

Posted By : jack_s
You owe it to yourself to go on this tour. The shore region around Aberdeen is beautiful and rustic. This was a small tour group (7 max) with a great guide (thanks Jamie!!). The weather cooperated most of the time with wonderful views of cliffs and villages and birds. Even when the fog rolled in, the scenes were amazing. On a side note, one of the villages (Pennan) was featured in a charming 1980s movie called "Local Hero" (with a great cameo by Burt Lancaster). Watch it before you go to this region of Scotland. Then you'll understand the importance of the phone booth. :) So, stop reading this review and book the tour. You won't regret it.
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Posted On : 2024-05-21 09:18:38

Posted By : john_c
Seeing the Real Scotland and talking with local residents was rewarding was unexpected and quite special.
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Posted On : 2024-05-18 15:17:10

Posted By : G5087MUevap
Fantastic trip. Our guide Jamie was very good and knowledgeable. We saw beautiful old fishing villages, amazing cliffs, incredible views and castle ruins. Recommend this trip.
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Posted On : 2024-05-05 06:21:15

Posted By : PAMELA_P
The coast and it's villages were beautiful! It was the highlight of my trip to Scotland. Guide was excellent. Recommend this to see a part of Scotland usually missed by travelers.
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Posted On : 2024-04-28 01:14:30

Posted By : Christine H
Many thanks to Jamie for a fantastic time in what would have otherwise been just another wet and wild day. We would never have seen as much as we did without his knowledge of the area and the roads - he packed in so many diverse places and some interesting anecdotes. Picturesque villages, views, wild life, folklore, history & award winning food (fish and chips!). A day well spent despite the awful weather conditions. Great value!
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Posted On : 2024-04-04 07:33:12

Posted By : AmyWags
This was a lovely tour…we were able to visit places we would have had difficulty finding on our own. Plenty of time at each stop to get out and explore and our tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun!
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Posted On : 2023-09-09 04:44:35