Holiday Cottages in - Aberdeenshire - Scotland

Aberdeenshire is made up of the city of Aberdeen and numerous rural villages and towns, it provides every type of getaway from a bustling city break, to romantic getaways, peaceful country breaks where you can get away from the hustle and bustle to activity breaks.

The landscape in Aberdeenshire is stunning, consisting of dramatic coastlines, rolling hills and mountains, serene lochs and exalting glens. With so many villages, each unique and with their own attractions it will be difficult to decide where to begin your holiday.

Aberdeenshire contains so many golf courses that there is a golf course to play for each week of the year. It is also home to the highest 18 hole golf course in Britain. At an astounding 12,000ft above sea level you will find Braemar which, is located in the centre of Cairngorms National Park. Jack Nicklaus is in the throes of developing a new golf course at Ury House, near Stonehaven, it is part of a luxury leisure complex.

Take the Coastal Trail where you will enjoy 165 miles of unparalleled beauty with unspoilt natursal beauty and a picturesque coastline. Scattered throughout the trail are cliff tops and coves, beaches and bays and numerous towns and villages. Along the way you will discover a host of visitor attractions, nature reserves, a total of eight and many other places of interest.

Each village and town en-route is unique and has its own maritime history, in fact numerous villages still have traditional fleets operating today. The coast is host to a whole assortment of wildlife with the Moray Firth being home to the biggest colony of bottle nose dolphins in the UK. From this point you will also be able to see seals and porpoises. Don't forget to observe the sky and clifftops when you are out and about otherwise you might miss the opportunity to see ospreys, plovers, puffins and guillemots in their natural habitats.

Throughout the year numerous events and festivals take place throughout Aberdeenshire such as, The Stonehaven Fireball Festival, The Highland Games and the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, there are many more so it is worth checking what is happening in the area.

Queen Victoria liked to visit the area and there is a trail dedicated to the places she liked to visit. You can take this trail by following her distinctive profile on the brown tourist signs. The trail incorporates two distilleries which both produce a distinguishable and flavoursome single malt, and are open to the public. The distilleries are Fettercairn in the Mearns and the other is the Royal Lochnagar Distillery.

Aberdeenshire is home to many buisnesses that display the Royal coat of arms, this means that these businesses supply goods or services to the Royal family. In fact the small town of Ballater has more "By Appointment" signs than any other corresponding place in the world. At Ballater they have completely renovated the Old Station and it proudly showcases a replica of Queen Victoria's royal carriage.

Cairngorms National Park has some amazing landscapes, ranging from wild tundra to pine forests, colourful heathers, rolling moors and many wildlife inhabitants. The visitor attractions will allow you to discover the history of the area, there are folk museums, heritage centres and castles through exhibits, displays and photos. All aspects of the areas history is covered from the turbulent Jacobite rebellions to the more peaceful times, when it became a Victorian sporting venue ofter Queen Victoria opted for Deeside to be her holiday retreat.

All walks of life are attracted to the area of Cairngorm National Park and it is not difficult to see why, it is popular with walkers who can enjoy the established walk routes, or explore the higher areas. Cyclists also enjoy the challenges of the area or the meandering trails through the woodlands or along the River Dee. It is a fantastic attraction to water sport enthusiasts and anglers, with so many lochs and rivers to enjoy. There are also three ski centres located here.

The Royal Deeside is another fantastic place to visit, not least that it was and still remains popular with the Royals. The River Dee flows from its beginnings high in the Cairngorms mountains through 85 miles of absolutely amazing scenery before it reaches its destination at Aberdeen. It is a place of natural beauty and will take your breath away, from the stunning colours, trees, wildlife, rivers and mountains, in fact there are over 52 mountains in the area that are over 900m in height.

No visit to the area would be complete without a visit to Balmoral Castle which, has been home to the Royal family since 1848, it is located in Royal Deeside on the banks of the River Dee. Here you can enjoy the gardens, grounds, and audio and visual exhibits on show. Not all of the castle is open to the public as it contains the Queens private rooms which are still used by her.

When it comes to food and drink you will not be disappointed with what is available. The people of Aberdeen are boastful of their farming, food and fishing production and have every reason to be, the quality is evident in the flavour and choice of food available. The area is renowned for its Aberdeen Angus Beef, Cullen Skink, Butteries, Rowies, Shortbread and don't forget the malt whiskeys. Throughout the shire you will find a whole range of dining establishments from Michelin star restaurants, to cafes and pubs, to family run bistros. Whatever it is you are looking for you will find it in the area from a sandwich to a family meal. There is cuisine from all over the world available as well as local traditional food.

The locals of Aberdeenshire are proud of their heritage and are waiting to welcome you, you will not get a more heartfelt welcome. With the area so easy to access by rail, air, road or bus there is no reason to delay your visit to this spectacular place.