The Aberdeen and Grampian Highlands is home to a series of trails which 
will help you see the highlights - the area's coast and maritime heritage, its beautiful castles, its ancient standing stones, and Scotland's national drink.

 
Tourist brochures are available
by advance order from
Aberdeen-Grampian Tourism

or may be obtained at Visitor Information Services at all major airports, coach and train depots.

Or from staffed Tourist Information Centers
 

CASTLES & GARDENS | MALT WHISKEY | PICTS & STONES | COASTAL TRAIL | VISITOR PASSES 

Rugged ruins, fairytale fantasies and the grandest of noble's houses - Scotland's only Castle Trail has the best of fortress and palace architecture.  The trail is signposted from the main travel routes and takes in thirteen of the best examples - including some of the most spectacular gardens and grounds.

Staying at the Mains of Monaltrie places you in the heart of Royal Deeside - and makes you a neighbour to royalty! Balmoral Castle, chosen by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1852 as a personal retreat, is still a royal residence of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh (who traditionally spend August, September and part of October here).  A working estate that hosts upwards of 80,000 visitors a year, Balmoral's not-to-miss attractions include specimen gardens, and ranger-guided walks in its open countryside.

Balmoral Castle, like over fifty other Highland treasures, are not included in the signposted Castle Trail but are well worth incorporating into your day tour.  For a full area map and description of over 50 Aberdeenshire castles accessible within a 2 hour drive of the Mains, consult www.scottish-highlands-holiday.co.uk.  The map also indicates the locations of the ecclesiastical ruins of Elgin Cathedral and Kinloss Abbey, and of award-winning gardens, including the 17th century parterre garden of Pitmedden near Ellon.

A warm welcome awaits you in Speyside - home to more than half of Scotland's whiskey distilleries.  A drive north from the Mains through the Lecht pass and past the garrison castle of Corgarff, places you in the heart of the Malt Whiskey Trail along the Spey River.

More than half of Scotland's malt whiskey distilleries are nestled in these glens, and eight of the best, including a working oak barrel cooperage, are signposted and offer regular scheduled tours.  Many other distilleries are open to the public - some are recognized by name, and others are important contributors to blends under various labels.  A typical guided tour describes the location and sources of the water and malt, then moves inside for a description of the process, and ends with a tasting.

Along with the famous name whiskies, like Glenfiddich, The Glenlivet or Macallan, some of the world's best-known food brands are made here, like Baxters soups and jams, Walker's and Dean's shortbread and Mackie's ice cream.  The rivers, rolling farmland of the Grampian Highlands and the wild waters of the North Sea continue to supply word-class eateries, and these are available locally from award-winning butchers, salmon smokers, bakers, organic producers, farm shops and markets.  For a self-catering holiday, you are not better positioned to economically take advantage of the best of this region!

For a map of all distilleries open to the public, and a guide to farmer's markets and other local producers, consult www.scottish-highlands-holiday.co.uk . 

Grey recumbent tombs of the dead in desert places,  
Standing stones on the vacant wine-red moor,  
Hills of sheep, and the howes of the silent vanished races,  
And winds, austere and pure.   

Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894, from Songs of Travel  
Stevenson wrote 'Treasure Island' at a Braemar cottage in 1881  
 

The North-East region of Scotland is home to one quarter of Britain's stone circles as well as Iron Age forts, Pictish standing stones and stone circles dating from Neolithic times to the Bronze Age.  In fact it is almost impossible to examine an Ordnance Survey map of any community here and not find evidence of its past inhabitants, in the form of overgrown burial cairns, boundary stones and the like.  As numerous are the intriguing legends - of the dangers of 'mistreating' sacred stones, of the mischief of the river kelpies, and of the healing powers of ancient springs.

Learn more about Scotland's Pictish heritage and unique recumbent circles at Archeolink, the award-winning pre-history park at Oyne just north of Inverurie (and nearby to the circle sites of Loanhead of Daviot and Easter Aquhorties. Travel 10,000 years back in time and visit the exhibits, which include an Iron age farm and hill fort, Roman marching camp, stone age camp, a henge, stone circle, bronze age smithy and cist. 

Aberdeen-Grampian tourism publishes an interpretive leaflet describing the many outstanding Pictish and Roman remains, recumbent stones, menhirs, forts, and souterrains that dot the high plains and coastal areas.  Unlike the Castle- and Whiskey-trails, these sites are not signposted.   However, the sheer abundance of these sites enable the visitor to readily encounter ancient history, whether on a local walk, or on a dedicated tour.  Maps and coordinates, including that of the miraculous Pannanich Well in Ballater, are available at www.scottish-highlands-holiday.co.uk. 

Some of Europe's finest and most unspoilt coastline awaits you on the North East Coastal Trail.  Breathtaking, panoramic views reveal themselves along each and every step of the 165 mile signposted trail, in an area rich in heritage formed by an enduring relationship with the North Sea.

The farthest reaches of the Coastal Trail can be reached from the Mains within a 2.5 hour drive, and the visitor can circle back along the coast, or cut back through the spectacular glens of Speyside.  

Explore craggy cliff tops with secret coves once home to smugglers,  walk the glistening sandy beaches with their wildlife havens, and enjoy the famous Moray Firth whales and dolphins from land or guided boat tour.  Learn about the days of the herring fleet, visit a lighthouse museum, sample the freshest seafood, and don't dare miss Dunnottar Castle perched on its rocky outcrop in the sea.

With some advanced planning, visitors can save significantly on the entry fees for combined historic site visits under the care of the National Trust for Scotland or Historic Scotland.  Regular adult entry fees for the majority of staffed properties are in the £5-10 range.  The map and list of castles and ecclesiastical sites at www.scottish-highlands-holiday.co.uk indicates which sites are covered with the various visitor passes.
   
Historic Scotland's 'Explorer Passes' are available to purchase online in advance of the visit through independent travel partners, through the HS website, or in person at staffed HS historical sites.  To purchase passes in your currency, Google search for "Historic Scotland Explorer Pass [your country]".

Example rates for 2009:

£15.66 - 3-day pass can be used for 3 days within a 5 consecutive day period.  
£22.31 - 7-day pass can be used for 7 days within a 14 consecutive day period.
£26.62 - 10-day pass can be used for 10 days within a 30 consecutive day period.

Prices shown are for ADULT tickets (for an individual aged 16 and over).
The following tickets are also available:
CONCESSION (adult aged over 60 or unemployed) are 25% discounted from the adult ticket price
CHILD (children under the age of 5 are admitted free; aged 5 to 15) are 50% discounted from the adult ticket price
FAMILY (two adults plus two children aged 5 to 15) are double the cost of the single adult ticket price.
** These rates are given as an example based on rates for 2009. Consult the HS website for current prices.

** If you plan to visit Edinburgh, the Historic Scotland Explorer Pass grants free admission to Edinburgh Castle and a 20% discount in the gift boutiques/audio tour rentals.
   
National Trust for Scotland's 'Discovery Passes' are available only to visitors residing outside the United Kingdom.  They must be purchased online in advance of the visit through independent travel partners.  To purchase passes in your currency, Google search for "National Trust for Scotland Discovery Pass [your country]".

Example Rates for 2009:

£20.00 - 3-day passes will be valid for 3 days out of a  7 consecutive day period.
£25.00 - 7-day passes will be valid for 7 days out of a 14 consecutive day period.
£30.00 - 14-day passes will be valid for 14 days out of a 30 consecutive day period.

Prices shown are for ADULT tickets (for an individual aged 18 and over).
The following tickets are also available:

CHILD (children under the age of 5 are admitted free; aged 5 to 18) are 50% discounted from the adult ticket price
FAMILY (two adults plus a maximum of four children under the age of 18 living at the same address) are double the cost of the single adult ticket price.
** These rates are given as an example based on rates for 2009. Consult the NTS website for current prices.