This post office was closed for a while and noone was too sure what was happening but thankfully…read moreit's open again and has had a facelift inside. The selection of cards for all occasions has improved, and there is an ok selection of things such as bubble wrap and other things for posting parcels. The staff behind the counter are generaly pleasant and are mostly helpful. On a Saturday, I'd recommend going in early as it's always busy and towards closing time the queue can get so long that it's out of the door as it is not a very big shop. It's not much fun standing in the rain while you wait. There is a postbox right outside which is convenient.

We missed breakfast at our hotel and were suggested to go to the Wellington hotel restaurant. It's…read moreclean easy parking easy to find. Difficult access for disabled. Multiple stairs to navigate. The food was flavorless but the service was friendly.

just opened on the 8th Apr afetr a major refit…read more opening night had a couple of teeting probs as you would expect but went back on sun and had a great meal lots of staff, nice wee bar childrens play area is a bit on the small side

Huntly Castle ranked as my number one family site to visit as part of my heritage travel trip to…read moreScotland in July 2019 and it did not disappoint. The castle, now of the Gordon Clan same as my Grandma Rosemary Gordon who died in February 2023, is located inland from the Eastern coast of Scotland in the town of Huntly. I arrived at the castle a little before 4:00 p.m. on Monday 8 July 2019 and spent over an hour exploring. Parking was available in a lot past the building where I paid the entrance fee and bought a copy of the official souvenir guide to the castle. The castle is part of the Historic Scotland network of sites. Since Huntly Castle was the only site in the network on my list for my trip I opted for the just-Huntly Castle fee, a Historic Scotland pass was also available for purchase here. The entrance fee goes towards the preservation of the castle and lands. Per the informational placards on the grounds of the castle (Tower House placard specifically), the first stone castle at this site was built in the early 1500s by the Gordon Clan, of which foundations remain intact. Each of the areas of the castle came with informational placards providing background about the utility of the room in the past and how it wove into a broader Scotland context. Navigating through the premises was straightforward and the different rooms and hallways did not get clogged even when there were more visitors in a given area. The weather on my visit was clear and sunny, which made exploring the outdoor parts less cumbersome than if it had been rainy. All around thoroughly enjoyed my experience.

We visited here on a grey and a bit rainy day. Not many visitors on that day. Surprising, because…read morethis is a wonderful castle to visit. The earls of Fife built the original castle, the Peel of Strathbogie, around 1190, to guard the crossing-point where the rivers Bogie and Deveron meet. It became a stronghold in the 1300s. The stately palace, begun about 1450 by the newly ennobled Earl of Huntly, is one of Scotland's most impressive late medieval buildings. A lot of the castle is still standing today. In the back of the castle there is a lot more to explore (like the old kitchens). A lot of rooms to visit and lots of ruins to see. A very exciting place to explore and lots to learn about its history. A lot of information is provided everywhere. We did stay here a lot longer than expected. You also can climb up to a certain point. And don't miss out on the prison (and its two mannequin-prisoners that look quite life-like from a distance). Staff in the visitors centre was friendly and helpful. Some good souvenirs can be found here as well. And our Bulldog was also welcome on the grounds. Parking was right next to the castle - for visitors only of course. Since we are members, the entrance was free. A fantastic visit. Surely not to be missed and worth a (longer) drive. Highly recommended!

The officers from the British Transport Police are very helpful. On several occasions, I have been…read moreharrassed by people begging, especially at the bus station in Guild Street and it can be quite intimidating if you are on your own. Once, one of the officers came over and had words with one man who had walked round several times and he left immediately. The officer told me to let them know if I had any problems again. I have spoken to them a couple of times since, once because one of the beggers got abusive and was shouting horrible things at anyone within earshot. An officer came over and they were promply escorted from the station.

I spotted the War Memorial on the hillside overlooking the water when exploring Dunnottar Castle…read more Once spotted, I decided to make time so that when I was done exploring the castle I would try and make it out and back before closing for the day, 6 p.m. After done exploring the castle and the corresponding beach beneath it, I was on the trail at 5:30 p.m. and unsure of the distance to the memorial, so I walked with occasional running spurts to the site. I marveled at the joy of running in the greenery. However, I also realized I was out of shape on this heritage travel trip I was taking through Scotland (in July 2019). It had been a while since I ran a sub-5 minute mile (2012), but my zest for speed was reawakened (my personal best now, at 30 years of age in May 2023, is 4 minutes and 41.27 seconds). While making my way to the memorial I saw various insects and birds, though none of the famous Scotland red squirrels. Pondering this, I also started thinking about if it was time for me to find a new spirit animal, perhaps a Russian hamster... they run 10 kilometers (approximately 6.2 miles) during the night. While my mind, and occasionally my body, raced towards the memorial, I did not lose sight of it and the trail led directly to the memorial site. The memorial honors local people who died in various wars in the 20th century (1900s). The entrance was straightforward to find from the trail, admission was free, and the memorial itself was open to the environment. I liked the design, which helped me spot it from afar. Scurrying back to my car I arrived about a minute or two before closing.

The Stonehaven War Memorial is extremely atmospheric all the year round. It dominates the views to…read morethe south of the town as I think is only fitting for something commemorating those who gave their lives in the service of their country. When I was in my teens and lived in Stonehaven they used to hold the town's Remembrance Service up at the memorial every November which made the impact of the service even greater as it really brought it home to you that those who had died had been a part of the town and the landscape in all its beauty. It's free to enter the Memorial. There's a steep walk which is more than rewarded by the view, but this means that it may not be a suitable destination for those of limited mobility.

The Bridge of Don crosses the River Don in Aberdeen in a roughly north to south direction, though…read moretraffic goes both directions. There is a small ledge on the inside of the bridge next to the lanes for vehicles that is open to foot traffic. Constructed in the early 1800s, I found it to have a newer feel when I visited for the first time in July 2019 as part of a Scotland heritage travel trip. The bridge was clean on each of my crossings. I traversed it both via vehicle (as a driver and a passenger) and on foot and found the surfaces were smooth, hence not interfering with my drive nor my gait.

We visited Crathes Castle in May, visiting from the United States to trace our Burnett family…read morehistory. We visited the castle several times over three days, including meeting Laird Jamie Burnett, our family Chief. The castle and gardens are immaculate, and many exhibits throughout. I was so delighted to see the Horn of Leys, dating to the 1300s. A cafe and gift shop are also on site, along with wilderness trails for exploring. This was a bucket list item for our family, and we were happy to see so many other families visiting as well.

Very few NTS places are open in November, so finding Crathes still open was an unexpected treat…read more Even more unexpected was the guided tour - in the summer months you are free to wander round the house yourself, but out of season they take you round in small groups. Our guide, Drew, turned out to be a hugely entertaining character. I'm sure he must be a star in the local AmDram society. His patter, his delivery, his charm and his jokes had us all feeling right at home from the start. I can honestly say that I haven't enjoyed a guided tour as much as this in years. The house (calling it a 'castle' is a bit of an exaggeration) and part of the Leys estate was donated to the National Trust in 1951. It had been lived in by the Burnett family for 350 years prior to that, and the 13th Baronet left almost all the furniture and fittings as well, which gives the place a very homely feel - it's not a museum piece where the Trust have had to stock it with period furniture; there is a great spread of history from the medieval to post-war. The painted ceilings in several of the rooms are quite spectacular, one depicting nine heroes of medieval life, others virtues to be aspired or grisly warnings about straying form the path of righteousness, all with exquisite pictures and Gothic scripting along the beams. And of course there are ghosts. Nine of them to be precise, although our guide only told us about two. One of these, the Green Lady, is commonly seen by visitors and is thought to have been a servant girl who fell pregnant and disappeared shortly after she gave birth, along with her unfortunate child. Recent renovations discovered the bones of a small child beneath the hearth in the 'Green Lady's Room'. Another ghost that was spotted in two different locations this year is that of a small boy - our guide was keen to suggest links with the unfortunate servant girl, so maybe he will become the Green Lady's son with another couple of seasons' retelling. It wasn't the best time of year for the gardens, but the walled garden has some impressive topiary and was well worth a stroll in the November sunshine. We finished with lunch in the stable block (soup and a sandwich) and, avoiding the temptation to visit the Go Ape! centre, had a quick look round the gift shop (not that impressive) before heading off.

Walking down Dunbar Street in Old Aberdeen the morning of Sunday 7 July 2019, I noticed a building…read moretucked back a from the street with the walk-in open. I had been exploring the area on foot and had encountered mostly residences up to then. Interested in what it was, I made my way inside the half wall topped with a fence. A red door had stone raised lettering above the door that read "St Machars Hall A.D. 1886" with the name of the hall stylized in all caps. The raised lettering had weathered a bit, so I found getting closer useful for reading it. From the front, the building looked like a tomb to me, so I dubbed it St Machars Tomb for my personal log. To the left of the red door was a bulletin with some posted information.