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- Pennan
- Peterhead
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- Portsoy
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Pennan
It’s not a stunning piece of Georgian architecture or a centuries-old fisher cottage that can lay claim to being Pennan’s most famous building. That title goes to a less conventional structure – a traditional red telephone box.
The payphone was granted listed building status and Pennan was catapulted into the spotlight after it was used as the backdrop to Bill Forsyth’s movie blockbuster, Local Hero. Everyone who comes to visit makes a call from the iconic phone box where oil executive Mac would connect to his Texas HQ, and drop his coins in when he heard the pips!
It’s possible to visit The Pennan Inn which also featured in the film. However, fans may be a little confused about the interior as scenes in the bar were actually filmed at The Ship Inn along the coast at Banff.
Pennan is a rugged yet enduring village made up of a few dozen houses on a single street. As with most other villages on the Aberdeenshire coast, the collection of colourful houses are all built gable-end to the sea. While Pennan is nothing short of idyllic on a summer’s day, it is equally captivating during winter storms when waves crash onto the pebble beach.
There is an attractive little harbour and a beach which is an excellent spot for watching the wildlife. Pennan is a hot spot for dolphins and grey seals can often be found lounging on rocks to the east of the village.
Getting There
Head north from Aberdeen by car from A90, A948 and A950. There is a bus route via Fraserburgh operated by Stagecoach.
Nearby places include Fraserburgh and Portsoy.