Things To Do

Things Close to Our Venue

Experiences near Aberdeen. Honorable Mentions: Aberdeen Whisky Shop + Tasting Room, Brew Dog, Seal Beach in Newburgh, Prince Albert’s Pyramid (near Balmoral)

Aikenshill House

The most AMAZING experience ever! The tour was 20 pounds and you get to meet many of their Highland Cows (heilan coos). Feed and comb the coos, they love chin scratchies. You'll meet all ages from babies to the bull. Around an hour north of Drumtochty Castle. Right next to Newburgh which is a quaint town. Here you can go visit Seal Beach and see lots of seals and walk the beaches of the North Sea.

Dunnottar Castle

Coolest Castle we've visited but also the hardest hike. There are a lot of stairs, obviously the climb down wasn't bad but the climb back to the car was rough. Difficulty: 4/5 Melissa died. Only 25 minutes from our venue in the small town of Stonehaven. This castle is on a rock and surrounded by the North Sea. We suggest buying tickets online. We spent an hour and a half here but could have spent more time. They have paths along the coast you can walk along to get different views of the castle, as well as a herd of cows near their War Memorial. Highly recommend! You can always pull into the parking lot and take in the castle from afar. No charge to park. But get there around opening because the car park fills up.

The Glendronach Distillery

An hour and 15 minutes north of Drumtochty Castle is Glendronach Distillery. We had an amazing time here! Our tour was fabulous and we met some amazing people. If visiting we highly recommend requesting Lizzy for your tour guide and hopefully you'll meet her husband John. We did the whisky and chocolate pair tasting which if you aren't a fan of whisky definitely try it with the chocolate they provide (it's their own), because it makes the taste more palatable (Melissa liked it).

New Slains Castle

An hour and 20 mins north of the venue (via highway) are the ruins of New Slains Castle. Thought to be part of the inspiration for Dracula's Castle due to the octagonal room inside. No fees to view the castle or for the car park. The castle is on the cliffs, so it is a 0.6 mile walk from your car. Completely flat not difficult at all. We spent about an hour here.

Balmoral Castle

The Royal Family's Castle in Scotland. About an hour drive from Drumtochty Castle. So beautiful to visit, with stunning gardens and some highland cows! It is a bit of a walk from the car park, which you pay for (5 pounds). You can spend a lot of time here because of how large the grounds are and there are a few hikes you can take as well. This is where you can find Prince Albert's Pyramids. There are 11 in total but the most famous one, is a bit of a hike (30-45 mins). We didn't get the chance to see it so we're not sure how difficult it is.

Cairngorm Herd

Meet the only free range reindeer herd in the UK! Drive: Almost 3 hours from Drumtochty Castle or 2.5 hours from Aberdeen or 1 hour from Inverness. The Cairngorms is the UK's largest national park and you will be driving around it to get to the reindeer. There are AMAZING hikes here and so many beautiful Lochs. We would recommend spending more than 1 day here if you like hiking. The hike is a short walk, not difficult (1.5/5) there are some steps and elevation but overall very flat. Definitely wear boots because you are walking with the reindeer and the ground gets muddy. You'll get to feed the reindeer but no petting. This was so much fun!

Favorites of Edinburgh

If you are stopping in Edinburgh here are our favorite spots!

Topping & Company Booksellers of Edinburgh

Such a fun bookstore in Edinburgh. This is more on the outskirts but still a nice walk. Other bookstores to consider: Waterstones on Princes St - go to the cafe and you’ll find a beautiful view of the castle. Armchair Bookstore in Grassmarket - you’ll find first editions and very very old books here. This is a famous place on social. Gently Mad - this is a tiny store but very cool

The Devil's Advocate

Such a great dinner! Love the entire vibe of the place and they always have great food and drinks. Definitely make a reservation far in advance as this place books up.

Islander Handbag Experience

Make your own Harris Tweed Bag! This was such a fun experience. They have 4 locations in total so you don’t have to do this exact one, but we had a blast. You can choose between multiple options and colors!

Farther Away: Isle of Skye

Truly a special part of Scotland. Our favorite area we've visited. Be prepared for a lot of single lane roads, just take your time the locals are very nice and will let you pass or will pass you. Weather: Unpredictable. You'll get all four seasons in 24 hours. Make sure to have waterproof boots and jacket.

Old Man of Storr

Truly a special part of Scotland. Our favorite area we've visited. Be prepared for a lot of single lane roads, just take your time the locals are very nice and will let you pass or will pass you. Weather: Unpredictable. You'll get all four seasons in 24 hours. Make sure to have waterproof boots and jacket. The Old Man of Storr: Hike is 4/5 on difficulty because there are a lot of stairs. The elevation is steep but so so worth it. You can go to the summit of the Old Man or you can keep going to the photographers spot which we recommend. Definitely try to do this in the morning because of how packed it gets.

Mealt Falls

There's a parking lot and you can see it easily from there, no hike required.

Fairy Pools

Hike difficulty 3/5 there is a steep incline on the way back to the car. Getting here was an adventure because of the single lanes, just take your time.

Other Places To See

Glencoe

Such a magical village. Highly recommend visiting here if you don’t want to go farther north. You’ll see wildlife and just beautiful scenery.

Loch Ness

Go on a boat ride to spot Nessie, or you can stop at Fort Augustus which is right at the bottom of Loch Ness for food. Along the loch you can also hit Urquhart Castle!

Oban

Melissa’s favorite town in Scotland. This is a cute seaport town on the west coast of Scotland. Easy train if you wanted to travel from anywhere else. Has AMAZING food. Melissa’s favorite restuarant ever is here: Cuan Mor. They have the best Mac and cheese and Sticky toffee pudding.

Puck's Glen

The most magical forest/hike we’ve ever seen. This is Southwest of Edinburgh but so worth the trip! And it’s right next to the Benmore Botanic Garden which you need to dedicate at least a day to because of how large they are. Absolutely adored this hike, and it wasn’t terribly difficult or long.