Best Things to Do in Northeast Scotland

Northeast Scotland covers the area from Aberdeen north to Fraserburgh and west into the Cairngorms and Speyside. The things to do in this region are anchored by four major draws. Dunnottar Castle: a ruined medieval fortress perched on a sea stack on the Kincardineshire coast, the site that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula; the dramatic coastal setting, with the castle on a 50m cliff above the North Sea, is one of Scotland’s most compelling photographs. The Cairngorms National Park, the UK’s largest national park, encompasses five of Britain’s highest mountains (Ben Macdui, 1,309m; Braeriach, 1,296m; etc.), Arctic-alpine habitat, and the only free-ranging reindeer herd in Britain; skiing at CairnGorm Mountain in winter and cycling, hiking, and wildlife watching in summer. The Speyside Whisky Trail: the Spey Valley between Rothes and Grantown-on-Spey has the highest concentration of whisky distilleries in the world — Glenfiddich, Macallan, Glenlivet, Strathisla, and 50 other distilleries are in a 70 km radius; distillery tours range from basic to highly detailed (the Glenfiddich tour is the most visited in Scotland). Balmoral Estate: the British royal family’s Scottish summer residence, purchased by Prince Albert in 1852; the grounds and an exhibition in the ballroom are open to the public from April through July (when the family is not in residence).

Best time to visit

May through September is best for outdoor activities and the most reliable weather. June and July are often the sunniest months in Northeast Scotland. The Highland Games season (June-September) includes the Braemar Gathering (early September), the most prestigious and the only one attended regularly by the Royal Family. Skiing at CairnGorm is available December-March depending on snowfall (highly variable). The Speyside Whisky Festival (May) and the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival are the major distillery events.

Getting around

Aberdeen Airport has connections from London (1.5 hours), Manchester, and Amsterdam. Aberdeen Station is on the East Coast Main Line from London Edinburgh (2 hours from Edinburgh). Rental cars are essential for the Cairngorms, Speyside, and the castle circuit (Dunnottar, Crathes, Craigievar, Kildrummy). Inverness is 90 minutes from Aberdeen by road or rail and serves as the western gateway to the Cairngorms. The Cairngorms Connect ranger station near Aviemore provides hiking information.

What to eat and drink

Aberdeenshire beef is Scotland’s finest — Aberdeen Angus cattle produce excellent steaks and is the foundation of Scotch beef’s international reputation. Local smokies (Arbroath Smokies, hotsmoked haddock) are a local specialty. For whisky, the single malts of Speyside — Glenfiddich, Macallan, Balvenie — are among the world’s most collected. The Craigellachie Hotel and the Highlander Inn in Craigellachie are both excellent whisky bars with extraordinary cask selection for Speyside exploration.