LOWER DEESIDE, STONEHAVEN AND THE MEARNS

The more southerly parts of Aberdeenshire have a wide variety of scenery. The upper parts of Deeside are covered in our Cairngorms National Park section, but lower Deeside too has some fine woodland scenery and lower hills, stretching down from Aboyne through Banchory to reach the very edge of Aberdeen. The area is packed out with forest and riverside walks. The high Cairn o'Mount road offers fabulous views before it descends to link with Fettercairn and the more lowland Mearns. This is Grassic Gibbon country..

The coastline has attractions of its own. Stonehaven has a fine harbour but it is the spectacular ruin of Dunnottar Castle nearby that draws the crowds and photographers - it has one of the finest settings in Scotland. Further south, St Cyrus is a beautiful coastal nature reserve with a sandy beach.