Road trips you’ve got to take this summer
25 June 2018
Is there anything more inviting than an epic road trip this summer? Drive the wide roads of Royal Deeside - through mountain passes and great valleys – take in 165 miles of coastline – visiting fishing villages and great dunes along the way, and in the city, find out more our most-talked about history and culture. Ps. if you don’t plan on taking wheels with you, you can hire them when you’re here.
Here’s our list of ultimate road trips you’ve got to take this summer:
The new kid on the block and the best way to get know this entire place (it’s pretty big) is by driving the North East 250 route. We’re talking a journey of local discovery through our famous Granite City, into the depths of the majestic Cairngorms National Park and along the raw coastline.
For history buffs, or just fans of pretty Instagram-able things, we’ve got you covered with our Castle Trail. Known as Scotland’s Castle Country, Aberdeenshire is home to some of the UK’s most famous castles. Discover 19 dramatic castles, including Balmoral Castle – summer residence of the Royal Family and Dunnottar Castle – perched on a crumbling clifftop.
Do you know we have our own Coastal Trail? Take a trip along a pre-planned route making sure you see and experience as much of this extensive rugged coastline as possible. You’ll visit film-famous castles, historic fishing villages and explore wide sandy expanses and great dunes.
Get to grips with the immense Cairngorms National Park as you journey the Snow Roads. You’ll drive through some of our most breathtaking and rugged mountainous landscapes and through Royal Deeside’s regal towns and villages.
Venture off the tourist track and you’ll find “The Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire” – a cluster of distilleries from the 18th and 19th centuries. Get up close to traditional skills in rural settings among picturesque villages, wooded hills and rolling fields at places like Fettercairn or Knockdhu distilleries, out on the coast for Glenglassaugh (its fans say you can taste the sea), or into the Cairngorms for Royal Lochnagar.
It’s a matter of record that Queen Victoria fell deeply in love with what would become known as Royal Deeside; “All seemed to breathe freedom and peace …” she wrote. Royal Deeside is full of age-old Royal heritage waiting to be discover on this road trip – from Balmoral Castle and a by ‘Royal Appointment’ whisky distillery to a worthy railway line and cherished Lochs & Murnos.
And if you want to stay in the city centre take the NuArt and Painted Doors walking tours to discover vibrant artworks or visit Old Aberdeen to discover our long history. For more information about tours and trails in North-east Scotland go to www.visitabdn.com/plan-your-trip/routes-and-trails/.
All information is correct at the time of publishing, we recommend that you check opening times and information for individual places before visiting.