We are based in the small village of Gardenstown on the Banffshire Coast, North East Scotland. This a warm and welcoming community nestling between red sandstone cliffs and rolling countryside, where you'll find a friendly village pub, deli, harbourside cafe and a Spar general store. A travelling fish van also visits the village, but for a really authentic taste of the area have a quiet word with one of the small boat owners in the harbour, and they may bring you a gleaming fresh catch of mackerel or lobster.
Gardenstown is also home to a small gallery and a number of artists who regularly open their doors during the North East Open Studios event every September. The village community also runs a number of events through the year including the very tasty Strawberry Fayre every summer, with a smoked fish BBQ and raft making competitions in the small harbour.
This is a peaceful and uncommercialised seaside hideaway where you can spend the morning beach combing (keeping one eye out for dolphins in the bay), and after a lunch explore one of the local walks that fan out from the village. In the county town of Banff 8 miles away, you'll find hotels and restaurants, supermarkets, a hospital, and the major visitor attraction of Duff House, an 18th Century manor house and gallery with adventure playground.
Listed below are just some of the things to see and do within a 40 minute drive. If you have a specific interest, contact us and we will seek out information for you. By the way, if you hear the village being called Gamrie don’t be confused, it’s the name of the parish and is often used to describe the village itself.
The Garden Arms Hotel - our friendly local pub with pool table and dart board in the back room, serving good quality home-cooked meals. www.gardenarms.co.uk
The Gamrie Larder - our local deli and one stop shop for quality food and most of your basic needs, on Main Street.
Edgehill Stores - our local Spar general store, at the top of the village on the Macduff Road.
New Ground Gallery – Tearoom and artworks on display.
Farmers Market - last Saturday in the month at Macduff Harbour
Gardenstown Beach - sand and rock-pool beach framed by red sandstone cliffs soaring up to the headland.
Gardenstown to Crovie – walk along the shoreline to the pretty conservation village of Crovie, a strip of fishermen’s cottages where the sea is literally yards from the door.
Gardenstown to St John’s Kirk – follow the path from the beach up the cliff to the ruined 16th century chapel, standing on an earlier site dated 1004AD, (look for the skull and crossbones on the gravestones). Breathtaking view back over the village and coastline.
The Five Farms Walk – leads from Gardenstown, along the shoreline and through rolling countryside towards Troup Head.
Gardenstown to the RSBP site at Troup Head – this site boasts puffins, razorbills and kittiwakes amongst it’s 100,000 odd seabirds, and is also the only mainland gannet colony in Scotland.
Cullykhan Bay – towards Pennan from Gardenstown, crisp clear water in a hidden bay visited by seals, accessed down a long flight of wooden steps. For map click here.
Wildlife
North 58 boat trips (sailing from Banff) - exhilarating rides in the open air inflatable 'Buccaneer' for eco-friendly bird, dolphin and whale watching. www.north58.co.uk
Puffin Cruisesboat trips (sailing from Macduff) – spot the native sea-life or maybe do a little fishing, on the ‘Puffin’, an ex-fishing boat. www.puffincruises.com
Huntly Falconry Centre – outside the thriving traditional market town, where you can also get up close and personal with birds of prey. www.huntly-falconry.co.uk
Macduff Marine Aquarium - award winning excellant display of fish native to the North Sea swimming amongst a living kelp reef. The deep open-air central tank is the only one of its kind in Britain. Look out for feeding times and touch pools. www.macduff-aquarium.org.uk
Duff House Country Gallery, Banff - stunning example of an 18th centurey manor house designed by William Adam, now an outpost of the National Galleries of Scotland. Also has an adventure playground and wooded walks. www.duffhouse.org.uk
Fyvie Castle - well worth a day to marvel at the immaculate fruit gardens and interiors or wander round the small loch and feed the swans. www.fyviecastle.com
Delgatie Castle – near Turriff, a beautiful family castle with an excellent tearoom. Massive scones! www.delgatiecastle.com
Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, Fraserburgh - glittering display of huge lighthouse lenses, a real lighthouse to climb inside and cafe with seaviews. www.lighthousemuseum.org.uk
Fordyce Village - award winning 18th century conservation village complete with mini castle and a fine tearoom. www.fordyce.org.uk
The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, Portsoy - the 17th century harbour comes alive with an array of small sailing boats, crafts, food and music, held in June/July. www.scottishtraditionalboatfestival.org.uk
Coast Festival - held each year at the end of May, an arts festival with the emphasis on visual art, held throughout Banff and Macduff. www.coastfestival.org.uk.
Surfing
Surf and Watersports Club - Surf school on Banff Links for all ages and abilities, all through the year. wwwsurfandwatersportsclub-scotland.com
Horseriding
Cabin Equestrian - riding and trekking from aged 4 up, in Inverurie about 45 mins drive. www.cabinequestrian.co.uk
Gardenstown is great for kids - it's compact, friendly and peaceful with millions of shells and rocks to collect! Apart from the local area activities listed above there is also
Portsoy Ice Cream Shop - glorious ice cream made on the premises with unusual weekly specials like Jaffa Cake suprise. www.portsoyicecream.co.uk
Tons O Fun Indoor Play Centre at Williamsons Garden Centre near Turriff - huge soft play, also has carting, a large cafe and plant nursery. www.williamsonsgardencentre.co.uk
Harley's Bowling, Macduff - 10 pin bowling with small soft play area and cafe. www.harleysmacduff.co.uk
Moray Leisure Centre, Elgin - 3 swimming pools including toddler pool, flume and ice skating. www.moray-leisure-centre.co.uk
Or just put your feet up and enjoy the sunsets. Between November and March you may even be lucky enough to witness the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, a magnificent natural display of changing coloured lights only seen in the high northern latitudes.
Gardenstown Beach - sand and rock-pool beach framed by red sandstone cliffs soaring up to the headland.
North 58 boat trips (sailing from Banff) - exhilarating rides in the open air inflatable 'Buccaneer' for eco-friendly bird, dolphin and whale watching. 
Huntly Falconry Centre – outside the thriving traditional market town, where you can also get up close and personal with birds of prey. 
Banff Links to Whitehills Marina – clean stretch of white sand and shells, perfect for exercising kids and dogs.
- stunning example of an 18th centurey manor house designed by William Adam, now an outpost of the National Galleries of Scotland. Also has an adventure playground and wooded walks. 
Delgatie Castle – near Turriff, a beautiful family castle with an excellent tearoom. Massive scones! 
- the 17th century harbour comes alive with an array of small sailing boats, crafts, food and music, held in June/July. 
Surf and Watersports Club - Surf school on Banff Links for all ages and abilities, all through the year. wwwsurfandwatersportsclub-scotland.com
Cabin Equestrian - riding and trekking from aged 4 up, in Inverurie about 45 mins drive. 
