The land has four main features, the fishing industry, the farming industry, the whisky industry and the mountain touring cum skiing industry. Added to that the famous fishing rivers, the castles and the golf courses and we can see a wide variety of "goings on" well worth a look at.

Let's start on the coastal route from the lovely St. Cyrus through Stonehaven and past Aberdeen itself. Onwards up through Newburgh to Peterhead, on and on to Fraserburgh at the very edge of our island. Round the corner of the coast through Rosehearty and Pennan that place made famous by the film 'Local Hero', and in to Macduff. Each of these villages, and many others not mentioned, were heavily involved in the fishing industry. To visit these towns and villages one notices the clean healthy standard of the buildings. The fisherman's homes with that distinct paint work the colours of which can enthuse the aspiring artist in all of us. These are hardy people as I should know for I am married to a daughter of that trade. To witness these fragile boats entering or leaving harbour out into a rolling sea is quite awesome and for anyone visiting one of these towns I recommend a trip down to the harbour just to see what these men risk their lives for.

Travel the roads of the shire and you will see tractor after tractor at work on this very fertile land. The produce of the area is an important sustenance of the U.K. Every day container trucks and rail containers consign these goods all over the United Kingdom and Europe. The most famous in my mind is the world renowned 'Aberdeen Angus' beef. Even in the darkest times of the day the lights of the tractors can be the only sign of life on a dark country road. Of course in every area little villages have sprung up over the centuries with some evolving into market towns and Aberdeenshire is no exception. The tranquill beauty of these can be very relaxing for a nice day out. Each one has it's own little bit of history which is explained on it's site page.

Castles raise in us all an imaginary vision of ladies in fine garments and their handsome knights in suits of armour. For me my mind wanders back into what I believed it was like in this or that castle. If you want days of dreaming like that then this is the place to come, for it would seem that nowhere on earth are there so many castles to see. So much so that our own Royal Family make a point of staying in one castle or another when they reside in Scotland, and this is where they come.

I can't leave you without talking of the many lovely beaches around the coast. To experience the fun on a summers' day on the clear sands is great for young and old alike but to me the best is a walk along the beach at sunset. If you've never experienced a North of Scotland sunset then you have missed out on one of natures' great displays. Add to that the chance of seeing the 'Northern Lights' or Aurora Borealis and you've seen more than most for it's an unforgettable experience.

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