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Aberdeen City

Aberdeen is a thriving city located on the North East coast of Scotland, approximately two hours driving north of Edinburgh. The oil industry has invested heavily in Aberdeen and this is evident through its reputation for being the second largest purchaser of Bentley cars outside London! The airport is located only 7 miles from the city centre and has regular flights all over the UK and international destinations. The city has a large rail station that provides easy access to the Highlands, major Scottish cities and the rest of the United Kingdom. Aberdeen also has a ferry port with regular sailings to Orkney, Shetland and many European destinations. Described as the "Silver City", Aberdeen architecture is predominantly granite. Many large developments are underway, including Aberdeen Sports Village (named as one of the training venues for the 2012 Olympics and 2014 commonwealth games) and a large new city-centre shopping complex.

Deeside and the Cairngorms

The place for Winter and Summer adventure sports - climbing, mountain biking, on- and off-piste skiing, paragliding, kayaking, rafting, shooting, fishing - all in upland wilderness or huge mature forests. For the less active there is Nature watching, many ancient castles, several tourist trails and an abundance of whisky distilleries. Aberdeen City is the gateway to Deeside, a large valley corridor that leads from the west of the city into the very heart of big country and the huge Royal Estate of Balmoral, which is the Queen's rural retreat. Much of upper Deeside is in the recently designated Cairngorm National Park, an upland area of outstanding natural beauty.

North East Scotland

North East Scotland is renowned for its distinctive landscape character. With some of Scotland's finest coastal scenery, it combines ordered and intensive agriculture, small fishing communities, miles of windswept golden sandy beaches, dunes, sea cliffs and small enclosed bays. From Inverness south- and eastward via fast roads, regular trains and buses, through old coastal towns like Nairn, Elgin and Banff, there is much to see. The great untamed rivers of the Dee, the Don, the Ythan and the Ugie each have upper reaches in breathtaking scenery and estuaries filled with ecological interest. Charming, smaller fishing villages abound - gems like Macduff, Grovie, Portsoy, Rosehearty and Cullen (the latter famous for Cullen Skink - fish soup). In from the coastal strip farmland predominates, with crops, fruit orchards, livestock farms dotting the beautiful green landscape. The communities of North East Scotland are very varied. Oil workers move on- and off-shore to platforms and installations, some regularly travelling between Aberdeen, the United States, Africa and the Middle East. The Royal Air Force communities of Lossiemouth and Kinloss comprising aircrew, engineers and other support staff (and, of course, their families) regularly shift location to the hotspots of the World. Small coastal fishing and rural farming communities sharply contrast the hubbub of inner city life, so one must not forget the student population, as Aberdeen plays host to more than 30,000 home and international students, most of whom thrive and commute within the City boundaries.

Culture

Aberdeen and the surrounding areas have a rich supply of galleries, museums and music venues. The City caters for all cultural tastes. His Majesty's Theatre, a magnificent Edwardian building, attracts international companies performing ballet, theatre, opera and light entertainment. The concert halls regularly feature classical, contemporary and rock concerts. Exceptional museums, a well appointed art gallery, the University's own museums and collections, all display the visual arts, local heritage. There are many visiting and standing exhibitions in the region.

Social scene

As a University City, Aberdeen has always taken the student population to its heart. It has much to offer in the way of entertainment and leisure at a range of costs to suit every pocket. The city centre has several busy shopping malls - designer boutiques, major chain-stores, charity shops, antique and speciality shops - as well as a wide choice of nightclubs, wine bars, traditional pubs and restaurants. Cinema-goers also have plenty of choice and there is a thriving and entertaining nightlife.

Sport and Outdoor activities

Aberdeen and the North of Scotland have excellent facilities for sports lovers and outdoor enthusiasts - from modern indoor leisure centres to internationally famous golf courses, horse riding to windsurfing and a range of national league sports for those who prefer to spectate. In few other places in the World can the dedicated sports-fan achieve the feat of windsurfing on a sunny beach and skiing high in the mountains - all in a single day! Fort William, on the West coast, is fast becoming the outdoor adventure capital of the UK and now regularly hosts World Cup mountain biking events. Thurso, to the North, has also played host to international surfing events.

Photographic Galleries

Some of the images on this site have been kindly provided by Nevis Range in Fort William, local photographer Allan Akers from Peterhead and award-winning photographer Neil McIntyre, based in Strathspey.