Banchory
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Banchory
Banchory makes a very pleasant base for exploring the area, with the River Dee burbling through, but there's not a great deal to do here, apart from salmon fishing, which is popular in these parts. You can watch salmon leaping spectacularly at the Bridge of Feugh, to the south of town. There is a sad tale, though, of a lady-in-waiting who was staying at Balmoral when the royal family were in residence some years ago. She was standing fishing in the river, in quite deep water, and wearing chest-height waders, when the sovereign rode by. Seeing the king, she curtsied, whereupon the water flowed quickly into her waders and she sank beneath the water and drowned.
The Tourist Information Centre is in the local museum, on Bridge St, behind the High St. It can provide information on walking and fishing in the area. It's open Apr-Jun Mon-Sat 1000-1300, 1400-1700; Jul-19 Aug Mon-Sat 0930-1800, Sun 1300-1800; 20 Aug-27 Oct Mon-Sat 1000-1300, 1400-1700.
Adventure Scotland, Tel. 850332, dlatham@netcomuk.co.uk, is a Banchory-based company offering a wide range of adventure activities, including white-water rafting, mountain biking, skiing and hiking.
Phone code: +44 (0)1330
Accommodation & Eating Out in Banchory
There are some very fine places to stay in and around Banchory. Three miles north of town on the A980 is the very wonderful Raemoir House Hotel, Tel. 824884. A country mansion set in 3,500 acres of woods and parkland, 20 rooms. Late Rooms Availability for Raemoir House Hotel in Banchory
Restored Victorian Family Run Hotel in the village of Dinnet the Heart of Royal Deeside, ideal to explore the Whisky Trail, Balmoral and only 1 hour from Aberdeen Airport. more details about Loch Kinord
Late Rooms Availability for Loch Kinord Hotel in Ballater
Another excellent choice is the Banchory Lodge Hotel, Tel. 822625, a sporting lodge-type hotel superbly situated on the banks of the river near the town centre. It's also a great place to stop and have a bite to eat for lunch. The river runs past the lawn and you can watch the salmon leap as you perhaps enjoy the fruits of their labour. There is also the Burnett Arms Hotel
Also recommended is the Tor-na-Coille Hotel, Tel. 822242, tornacoille@ btinternet.com, outside town on the Inchmarlo Rd. This tastefully furnished Victorian country house hotel is set in lovely grounds and boasts a considerable reputation for its modern Scottish cooking (lunch mid-range; dinner expensive).
There are also plenty of good guesthouses and B&Bs, including Towerbank House, at 93 High St, Tel. 824798, diane@dawps.fsnet.co.uk; and the excellent June Little, 73 High St, Tel. 824666. There's also a campsite, Silver Ladies Caravan Park, Tel. 822800, at Strachan, just outside Banchory.
Aside from the hotels listed above, the best place to eat is probably the Burnett Arms Hotel on the High St, Tel. 824944. There's also Le Bistroquet, which has a varied menu, and The Shieling, a good café and gift shop.
Self Catering in Banchory
- BANCHORY (near) - The Stables - Aberdeenshire Sleeps 2
- BANCHORY (near) - The Coach House - Aberdeenshire Sleeps 3
- BANCHORY (near) - Carriage House - Aberdeenshire Sleeps 6
- BANCHORY (near) - The Loose Box - Aberdeenshire Sleeps 4
- Near BANCHORY - Aberdeenshire Sleeps 6
- Kelpie Sleeps 4
Late Deals for Banchory in Scotland
Lumphanan
From Banchory you can head northwest on the A980 to Alford, in the Don Valley. Roughly halfway is the village of Lumphanan, which was thought to be the burial place of Macbeth, the Scottish king so misrepresented by Shakespeare (he is actually buried on Iona). Macbeth's Cairn is instead a prehistoric cairn. Just to the south of the village is the Peel Ring, a 12th-century Motte, or castle mound, and one of Scotland's earliest medieval sites.
Aboyne
The attractive little village of Aboyne is 30 miles west of Banchory on the A93. There are a couple of very good places to eat in and around Aboyne. In the village itself is The Black-faced Sheep, Tel. 887311, a coffee shop with excellent home baking. A good pub for food is The Boat, on Charleston Road, off the A930. South of Aboyne, in Glen Tanar (see 'Walks in Deeside' below), is Glen Tanar Equestrian Centre, T886448, which offers riding in the forests and hills.
Phone code: +44 (0)1339
Dinnet
A few miles further on is Dinnet. In the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve you can explore the Burn o' Vat, a sheltered valley which attracts many butterflies and dragonflies. During the walk, you'll come to a huge circular stone chamber and, in nearby Loch Kinord, there are crannogs, which are ancient man-made islands.
See Loch Kinord Hotel for high quality local accommodation