LOOKING OVER TO THE RIVER DEE (RISING IN THE CAIRNGORMS TO RUN EAST SOME 90 MILES THROUGH BRAEMAR, BALMORAL, BALLATER, BANCHORY TO ABERDEEN) NEAR MAR LODGE, ABERDEENSHIRE.

ABERDEEN

Aberdeen is a lively, cosmopolitan city with a vibrant nightlife and plenty of good pubs and restaurants. The city has a wide range of arts and culture, with venues including His Majesty”s theatre, The Music Hall and The Lemon Tree - an all-year round festival fringe venue. Its sparkling granite buildings make up the ‘Granite Mile’ along Union Street - gateway to numerous shops, restaurants and bars. Nearby, the Aberdeen Art Gallery exhibits the work of young contemporary Scottish and English painters, as well as a selection of modern textiles and jewellery. Further north of the centre between the distinctive spires of King”s College Chapel and St Machar”s Cathedral, lie the cobbled streets of Old Aberdeen. Most fascinating is the city”s maritime heritage positioned on the north east coast, you can visit the impressive Maritime Museum which depicts the history of early fishing to high tech oil exploration. Known as the City of Roses, Aberdeen has been a regular winner of Britain in Bloom competitions. Duthie Park is home to the stunning Rose Mountain, the Winter Gardens provide colour and scent throughout the winter.

Must See & Do
Aberdeen Maritime Museum, Aberdeen
Visitors can discover what it is like to live and work on a massive oil platform in the middle of the North Sea. Using models, real equipment and computer displays, the exhibitions bring the North Sea experience to life. The museum has sleek models of fast clipper ships, fishing displays and outstanding views of the harbour.

Duthie Park Winter Gardens, Aberdeen
Europe's largest indoor garden collection. Flora and fauna "from around the world, fish, birds and "talking" cactus "during the summer.""

Provost Skene”s House, Aberdeen
Sir George Skene, or Provost Skene, was Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Scotland in the 17th century from (1676-1685). Today he is most famous and widely known not for his time as Lord Provost, but for his house which is a major tourist attraction in Aberdeen. Originally built in 1545 and located on Guestrow, the house was bought by Provost Skene in 1669. It has since changed hands a number of times privately but became a museum in 1953 after two years of restoration beginning in 1951.
 
Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen
One of the City's most popular tourist attractions Aberdeen's splendid Art Gallery houses an important fine art collection with particularly good examples of 19th, 20th, and 21st century works, a rich and diverse applied art collection, an exciting programme of special exhibitions, a gallery shop and café.

Satrosphere, Aberdeen
This is a Science & Discovery Centre where people can get “hands-on” with science and learn through discovery and exploration.

St Machar's Cathedral, Aberdeen
St Machar's Cathedral is a fortified twin spired Cathedral with Celtic origins. There has been a church on the site since circa 580 AD when, according to legend, Machar, a companion of St Columba, founded a church here. St Machar's is a working church, open every day of the year for visitors, schools and groups.   

Balmoral Castle- Royal Residence
Balmoral Castle on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland is the private residence of The Queen. Beloved by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Balmoral Castle has remained a favourite residence for The Queen and her family during the summer holiday period in August and September. The Castle is located on the large Balmoral Estate, a working estate which aims to protect the environment while contributing to the local economy. The Estate grounds, gardens and the Castle Ballroom are open to visitors from the beginning of April to the end of July each year, under the management of the Balmoral Estate Office.

LOOKING ACROSS THE FIRTH OF TAY TO THE CITY OF DUNDEE, WITH THE ROAD BRIDGE ON THE LEFT, AT SUNSET.

DUNDEE

Dundee has in recent years become a magnet to visitors because of its diverse and fascinating heritage sights. The city proudly remembers its industrial and maritime heritage with award winning attractions such as the RRS Discovery, berthed at Discovery Point and the ship that made the first expedition to the Antarctic by Captain Scott, and Verdant Works - a heritage centre recalling the city”s industrial past.  The city has a pedestrianised centre which makes exploring by foot so much easier. There are many events to tempt visitors too, including the annual festival of street entertainment, a Guitar Festival, a Mountain Festival and the annual Dundee Food and Flower Festival held in September and now the largest in Scotland. The city is also an excellent base to tour the surrounding Angus Glens which provide great walking, climbing and pony trekking, and are a magnet to birdwatchers and botanists, particularly Glen Cova. There are many fascinating and historic attractions to visit in the nearby towns and villages too. Kirriemuir is gateway to the glens and home to J M Barrie, creator of Peter Pan. The area is also Scotland”s ancient and historic heartland, whose roots begin from the early Scottish Kings and the Declaration of Independence in 1320 to the ancestral home of the late Queen Mother at Glamis Castle, which is open to visitors.

Must See & Do
Discovery Point & RRS Discovery 
This ship was built in Dundee to take Captain Scott to Antarctica. Get on deck and feel the history on board this Antarctic adventurer.

Broughty Castle & Museum
This was a 15th Century coastal fort. It is now used as a museum of local history and wildlife. It also has an armoury and an observation post. Displays illustrate the history of whaling in the Dundee area. Situated in a fantastic location for panoramic views of the Tay estuary.

Verdant Works
The story of jute and the story of Dundee are inseparable. The industry employed 50,000 people in the city at its peak and supplied much of the world's demand for jute goods. Verdant Works takes you on a tour of the trade, from its beginnings in the Indian subcontinent to the end product in all its myriad forms.

Dundee Contemporary Arts- Galleries, print studio, 2 cinemas, centrespace, shop and cafe.

Botanic Gardens, Dundee
Relax in 21 acres of tree, shrubs and plants collected world-wide. Tropical Temperate plant houses with fruits, flowers and giant Victoria water lily. Coffee shop, plant and gift sales. Disabled facilities.

Angus Folk Museum
Where will you find crusie lamps, pirn winders, cloutie rugs, bannock spades and a thrawcrook? These fascinating items and many more are to be found at the Angus Folk Museum. The domestic section is housed in 6 charming 19thC cottages in Kirk Wynd Glamis. An agricultural collection in the farm steading opposite illustrates changes in the Angus countryside in the last 200 years.

Glamis Castle, Glamis
Family home of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne and the childhood home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Legendary setting of Shakespeare's play Macbeth. Guided tours, gardens, shops and restaurant.