Aboyne

Strung along a broad curve of the River Dee, Aboyne is one of the classic villages of Royal Deeside, the stretch of Aberdeenshire that has drawn visitors north-west from Aberdeen since Queen Victoria first fell for the area in the 1840s. The village sits on the A93, roughly 30 miles inland from the city and about the same distance east of Balmoral, and it has the settled, well-kept feel of a place built around a green rather than a high street. The wide, tree-lined village green, laid out in the Victorian era, is still used for the Highland Games and local events, and gives Aboyne a spaciousness that many Deeside villages lack.

What sets Aboyne apart is the combination of river, loch and forest within a short walk of the centre. The Dee runs cold and fast along the southern edge of the village, popular with salmon anglers and canoeists, while the Loch of Aboyne sits just to the north, a shallow, reed-fringed water used for sailing, curling in hard winters, and simply watching the light change over the hills. Beyond both lies the working Deeside countryside of birch, pine and heather moor that rises steadily towards the higher ground of the Cairngorms National Park, giving Aboyne a genuine foot-in-the-hills character without the crowds of the busier Deeside towns further west.

Top things to do in Aboyne

Aboyne rewards a slower pace of visit, most of what makes it worth staying for is within walking or short driving distance of the green.

• Aboyne Highland Games - held on the first Saturday in August and known as one of the most traditional Highland Games in Scotland, with a programme dating back to 1867 covering piping, dancing, heavy events and tug o war on the village green.
• River Dee - fast, clear water running along the villages southern edge, good for salmon fishing (permits available locally) and watching canoeists tackle one of Scotlands great salmon rivers.
• Loch of Aboyne - a shallow loch just north of the village used for sailing and windsurfing in summer and, in cold enough winters, curling; a quiet spot for a walk regardless of the season.
• Aboyne Golf Club - an 18-hole parkland course laid out beside the loch, with views across to the Cairngorm foothills.
• Glen Tanar Estate - a working Deeside estate a few miles south-west of the village, with a network of way-marked trails through Caledonian pine forest, the Braeloine visitor centre, red squirrels, and cycling and horse-riding routes into the hills.
• Deeside Way - the long-distance path and cycle route follows the line of the old Deeside railway through Aboyne, linking the village to Banchory and Ballater along quiet, largely traffic-free ground.
• Craigievar Castle - a distinctive pink harled tower house a short drive north of Aboyne, one of the best-preserved 17th-century castles in Scotland and cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.
• Bellwood Park - a small riverside park in the village, a good spot to stretch your legs before or after exploring further afield.

Getting to Aboyne

Aboyne sits directly on the A93, the main Royal Deeside road linking Aberdeen with Braemar via Banchory and Ballater, making it an easy 45-minute to hour-long drive from Aberdeen depending on traffic. The nearest airport is Aberdeen International Airport, around 35 miles away, and Aberdeen railway station has regular services from the central belt and beyond; from either, a car or the Stagecoach bus service along Deeside is the practical way to finish the journey, since there is no working rail line into the village itself, the old Deeside railway closed in the 1960s and its route is now the Deeside Way footpath and cycleway.

Best time to visit Aboyne

Late spring through early autumn is the easiest time to visit, with long daylight hours for walking, cycling and fishing, and the Highland Games on the first Saturday of August giving a natural focal point to a summer trip. Autumn brings good colour along the Dee and through Glen Tanars pine and birch woods, while winter can be sharply cold but occasionally rewards visitors with snow on the surrounding hills and, in the right conditions, curling on the Loch of Aboyne. As with much of inland Aberdeenshire, midges can be troublesome on still, damp evenings in high summer.

Where to stay in Aboyne

Aboyne has a modest but genuine range of places to stay, from riverside inns with rooms to bed and breakfasts and self-catering cottages tucked around the village and out towards Glen Tanar. Options further along Deeside in Ballater and Banchory widen the choice considerably if you are happy to base yourself a short drive away, but staying in Aboyne itself puts you within walking distance of the green, the loch and the river.

Food and drink in Aboyne

The Boat Inn, a riverside pub with rooms on the edge of the village, serves locally sourced pub food alongside a beer garden overlooking the Dee. The Black Faced Sheep, a long-standing cafe and restaurant in the centre of Aboyne, is known for its baking, cakes and hearty daytime menu. For something different there is Nurtaj, an Indian restaurant, and The Golden House, a Chinese takeaway, while Aboyne Fish and Chips covers the classic option; Morningdog Coffee, a local roaster based near the village, supplies several of these outlets and sells its beans directly too.