A Stroll Around Aberdeen City

[RicKamila]

With lovely weather forecast for the North-East today, I took the chance to have a stroll around my beautiful city to take in the wonderful architecture and sights that Aberdeen has to offer.

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Starting from the Chapel Street car park (£2 for 2 hours, then £1 per hour up to 8 hours), I walked down Huntly Street and turned left at Summer Street and headed towards His Majesty's Theatre. It is a lovely building built in 1906 and has a restaurant and cafe in the glass atrium alongside. It sits alongside St Marks and the Central Library on the Rosemount Viaduct.

Library, St Marks and HMT

I followed the Rosemount Viaduct uphill. The architecture always feels a little Parisian here due to the rounded buildings. I stopped outside Skene House Hotel to photograph one of their buildings with the Denburn Tower behind it.

South Mount Street

Skene and Denburn

Heading back the way I came, I crossed Union Terrace and headed to Schoolhill and into the St Nicholas Kirk grounds. I am from Adelaide which was settled in 1836, so to see Headstones from before that time makes you realise how young Australia really is.

Older than Adelaide

Kirk of St Nicholas

Heading out of the grounds next to St Nicks Shopping Centre, I went down the laneway that heads to the Tunnel's, home to a very famous club called The Tunnel's.

The Tunnel

Walking through the Tunnel under Union Street, I came out at The Green, home to some fine dining places and carried straight on down to Guild Street, home to Union Square Shopping Centre and the Harbour.

Which way?

Jurys Inn at Union Square

Heading towards the Harbour, I turned left at Market Street and crossed the road before heading down Union Street to the Castlegate. To the left is Broad Street with Marischal College halfway down and the Town House on its corner with Union Street. Along the way I passed Shiprow (Tourist Information Centre is located here) on the right and there has been some development in this area as modern apartments have now appeared there. A great viewpoint for the Harbour is from the Maritime Museum further down Shiprow. A lot of old-style pubs are situated around here.

It looks like it is falling into itself

New development at the Harbour district

Tennant's anyone?

There used to be a castle at Castlegate in Robert the Bruce's time and the password to enter for the townspeople was Bon Accord, hence the towns motto. Some locals were loitering around the Mercat Cross.

Locals at the Mercat Cross

Heading back up Union Street again, I stopped to marvel at Archibald Simpson's architecture and the statue of Ceres on its roof. It used to be the headquarters of the North of Scotland Bank and is now a great starting point for a pub crawl. It sits next to the Town House which has a museum in it which opens over the summer months, a must see if in Aberdeen at that time!!

Archibald Simpson's and the Town House

Ceres

Turning right onto Broad Street, the first thing you notice is the demolition work going on at the old council HQ. It is an eyesore of a building and they are slowly taking it down after the council moved to Marischal College over the road. Provost Skene's House is behind this ugly building, but I didn't pay it a visit today. Marischal College is one of the largest granite buildings in the world. It has been cleaned and renovated after being in disrepair for many years. A statue of Robert the Bruce sits out the front.

Old HQ

Robert the Bruce and Marischal College

Heading back up towards Schoolhill, I passed Bon Accord/St Nicks Shopping Centre. I was lured into Bon Accord by the smell of pretzels and had to satisfy my needs with a Vanilla and Sugar Pretzel at Mr Pretzels. Well worth the £3 paid, if you haven't tried one then you must!! I carried on past Robert Gordon University and back to His Majesty's Theatre

HMT Foyer

From HMT, I stopped and had a look at the William Wallace Statue from across the road. You can walk right around the base of it and there is a story on each side of the plinth. I crossed at the lights and made my down Union Terrace towards Union Street. The view over the top of Union Terrace Gardens is delightful. The steeples, roofs and buildings of Aberdeen sparkling in the winters sun. Winter is the best time for this view as the trees aren't blocking most of it with their leaves.

William Wallace Statue

Robbie Burns and Triple Kirks

Looking over Union Terrace Gardens

Heading up Union Street, I passed numerous designer clothes stores and the ever increasing number of Pound Shops on this (still) magnificent street. There are lots of roads to turn off and explore such as Bon Accord Terrace which will take you to a sunken garden, but I carried straight on to Holburn Junction.

Summer Street from Union Street

Following the road as it bears right into Alford Place (pronounced Ah-Ford), I turned right almost immediately into Victoria Street and then right at the first intersection (Thistle Street) before turning left at Rose Street and heading back to Chapel Street car park.

I was parked on Level 4, but drove up to Level 10 before leaving and took some lovely photos of this sensational city. I am proud to call Aberdeen home!!

The City of Aberdeen from Chapel Street Carpark

University of Aberdeen's Library, the Bastille and back of South Mount Street

Esslemont Avenue

[Benjaminnevis]

Some nice shots er Rick but you missed all the street beggars and they are kind a hard to miss.

[simon-b]

Nice idea to post this, Rick. When I've been in the Highlands and conditions have kept me off the hills, I've had similar wanders around Dundee and Inverness. Aberdeen is a place I haven't visited yet, it looks impressive from your photos.

[foggieclimber]

Good to see some very familiar sites. I stayed in Aberdeen for most of my life but was glad to move away circa 6 years ago. I don't miss the place - it has changed a lot since the 70s, 80s and 90s.

[RicKamila]

Some nice shots er Rick but you missed all the street beggars and they are kind a hard to miss.

Missed, No. Ignored, Yes.

[Benjaminnevis]

Good to see some very familiar sites. I stayed in Aberdeen for most of my life but was glad to move away circa 6 years ago. I don't miss the place - it has changed a lot since the 70s, 80s and 90s.

You are right foggie it has changed and not for the better either although at least the duthie park is getting a much needed face lift. but union st has kind a went to the dogs unfortunately you only have to look at the state of the bells bar it is in a shocking state. Mind you i never realised how much maintenance the old granite buildings required until i got one. its never ending

[morag1]

Really enjoyed looking at your photos, the Granite buildings are beautiful, especially Marischal College

[The Rodmiester]

Aberdeen is very lucky it has some wonderful buildings, and when I go there the Granite just gives the impression it is a very clean place. There is something about granite on a sunny day, it sparkles. Thanks for posting, it's been a while I was last there. Glad to see the Oold Council building coming down just like Tayside house in Dundee, bit of an eyesore.

[fingeez]

Nice wee report

Walk starts hust round corner from my flat and your last pic looks iver the roof of my flat

Def some nice buildings around the city and plenty places to visit

Ross

[Rudolph]

From the Late 70's , as I remember from Scotland the What...

Bredero will soon be improving the toon
Down wi' the tenament up wi the slab
All the auld buidings will have tae come doon
Like Timpsons, Bruce Millars, The Rubber Shop, Marischal college ....

Nearly all gone - and letting the cooncillors into the college in place of the medical dissecting rooms and engineers is surely a step backwards