20 Attractions to Explore Near Craigston Castle

Delgatie Castle is a castle near Turriff, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Like many castles, Delgatie is rumoured to be haunted. A number of reports of a ghostly red-haired figure, supposedly one Alexander Hay, were made by soldiers posted there during the Second World War. The castle's information boards, mostly written by Captain Hay who restored the house in the 1950s, recount that the ghost was first seen when a body was found bricked up in a priest hole.

Duff House is a Georgian estate house in Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, it is part of the National Galleries of Scotland and is a Category A listed building. The house and the associated Fife gates, walled garden, Collie lodge, mausoleum, ice house, Bridge Gates House and the Eagles Gate lodge are designated as Category A listed group of buildings.

Macduff Marine Aquarium features marine life from the Moray Firth, Scotland’s largest bay, in a variety of exciting and innovative exhibits. Visitors come face to face with hundreds of native fish and invertebrates normally only seen by SCUBA divers who brave the chilly waters of the North Sea. It aims to promote awareness, enjoyment and stewardship of the Moray Firth marine environment in an entertaining and educational way.

Fyvie Castle’s 800-year history is rich in legends, folklore and even ghost stories. Discover the amazing collection of antiquities, armour and lavish oil paintings. Stroll around the picturesque loch, or visit the restored glass-roofed racquets court and ice house. It was a magnificent fortress in the heart of Aberdeenshire.

The historic walled garden at Castle Fraser, like many other gardens is situated a little way from the house and provides a sheltered environment for the plantings. These include shrubs, flowers, well trained fruit and vegetables. A new herbaceous border has been created on the south side of of one of the walls.The garden has views towards the magnificent castle which was completed in 1636 and has a fine interior. This includes a magnificent baronial hall, furniture and works of art.

Haddo House is a spectacular country house designed by William Adam and built in the years between 1731 and 1736. Today the house is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and open to the public. The surrounding country park is operated by Aberdeenshire Council, while the extremely large Haddo Estate, of which the country park forms only a small part, continues to function as a farming and sporting estate.

Aden Country Park has 230 acres full of things to see and do, from old buildings to explore to a farming museum to discover. There is something for everyone, you can even bring the family pooch. It is home to the Aberdeenshire Farming Museum, forest walks and a ruined country house. Every year it hosts a pipe band contest which attracts bagpipe bands from around Scotland.

Findlater is one of the most dramatical situated of any Scottish castle, perched on a promontory joined to the mainland by a narrow neck of land, with almost sheer cliffs on the other three sides. The cliffs reach 90 feet in places, while the level surface of the castle promontory is some 30 feet below the level of the surrounding mainland cliffs, meaning that it can only be reached by a steep and irregular path.

Loanhead Stone Circle is one of the best examples of a monument type known as a recumbent stone circle. These monuments are only found in north-east Scotland. They’re defined by a ring of upright stones, with a massive stone slab laid on its side between two upright pillar stones – usually in the south-west arc of the circle. The recumbent setting is at the south-south-west of the circle but the recumbent stone itself is angled somewhat towards the south.

Fraserburgh is a long, golden, sandy beach starting at the south-eastern end of the town and stretching along the Aberdeenshire coastline to the point where the Moray Firth meets the North Sea. The beach’s proximity to all the facilities and fine golden sand make it a popular spot for families and there is usually plenty of room for everyone.

There are two lighthouses located on Kinnaird Head, in Fraserburgh, Scotland, an historical one built in a converted castle, and its modern replacement built in 1991. The original lighthouse now forms part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.

The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses is based in Fraserburgh on the North East corner of Aberdeenshire. Situated by Kinnaird Head lighthouse, the first lighthouse on mainland Scotland, Kinnaird Head Castle contains both the lighthouse and purpose-built museum alongside. This museum tells the great story of the Northern Lighthouse Board, the engineers who built the lights and the keepers who tended them. It is a story of skill, courage, technical genius and brilliant organisation.

Huntly Castle is a ruined castle north of Huntly in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where the rivers Deveron and Bogie meet. It was the ancestral home of the chief of Clan Gordon, Earl of Huntly. There have been four castles built on the site that have been referred to as Huntly Castle, Strathbogie Castle or Peel of Strathbogie. The original wooden castle was built on a motte. The second castle, made of stone, was built on the northern end of the bailey. The third and modern castles were built to the e

Cullen is an attractive, golden sandy beach to the west of the village of the same name. The beach is perhaps best known for its rock formation. The beach is also popular for water sports such as surfing and sailing, and for fishing, and walking. Cullen Bay is well sheltered by the surrounding cliffs and moray dolphins are often spotted from the beach and bay. There are plenty of shops in Cullen town centre, however in the summer months the beach is often serviced by an ice cream van.

Tolquhon Castle is a substantial ruinous courtyard castle with a large tower and some fantastic stone carving on the gatehouse, held by the Preston family and then by the Forbeses, in a quiet spot near Tarves in Aberdeenshire in northeast Scotland. The castle was built by William Forbes, 7th Laird of Tolquhon, between 1584 and 1589 as an extension to the earlier tower house known as Preston's Tower. Although ruined, the castle has been described as "the most characteristic château of the Scots R

Danny and Joan Ross opened the award-winning gallery in rural Aberdeenshire in 1987. They celebrate and promote Scottish art, showing the best emerging artists as well as established modern masters. Several hundred artists are represented by the gallery. All are carefully selected by Danny and Joan, who are always on hand and happy to discuss the work of any artist.

Bin of Cullen is a hill in Moray, Scotland directly inland from Findochty. Bin of Cullen is 320 m in height and visible from considerable distances, such as Longman Hill to the east and Lossiemouth to the West. A good trekking destination and also it offers a good view of this area.

Bow Fiddle Rock is a natural sea arch near Portknockie on the north-eastern coast of Scotland. It is so called because it resembles the tip of a fiddle bow. It is composed of Quartzite, a metamorphic rock which was originally quartz sandstone. This rock is part of the Cullen Quartzite formation which is seen along the coast between Buckie and Cullen. The formation is some 2,400m thick and dates from the Neoproterozoic Era, 1,000 to 541 million years ago.

Dunnideer Castle is one of the most visible castles in Aberdeenshire. It can be see on its hilltop site just west of Insch for many miles, and has extensive views in all directions except the south. The hill it is built on overlooks the Shevock, a burn which flows into the River Urie about four miles to the east. The valley of the Shevock links upper Strathbogie with the Garioch, and therefore the castle guards an important route – which has been important for thousands of years.

The Loch of Strathbeg is a designated Special Protection Area for wildlife conservation purposes. It is located near to Rattray and Crimond in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The loch is maintained by the RSPB and around the loch there are three hides from which visitors may watch the birds and other wildlife. Access to the loch is through Crimond airfield where there is a car park at the edge of the reserve.