Listed below are just some of the things to see and do in the village itself, and within a 40 minute drive. If you have a specific interest, contact us and we will seek out information for you.
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Arts and CultureDuff House Country Gallery, Banff - stunning example of an 18th century manor house that is now an outpost of the National Galleries of Scotland.
Scotland’s Gallery Trail – links larger galleries showing mainly contemporary work across the North East.
The End Of The Pier Show, Crovie – every two years the residents of Crovie open their doors to exhibit a range of high quality work from artists across Scotland.
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.
Food and drinkThe Garden Arms Hotel, Gardenstown - our friendly local pub with pool table and dart board in the back room, serving good quality home-cooked evening meals.
Murray Bros bakery, Gardenstown – tasty local speciality cakes and basic groceries.
William Fraser family butchers, Gardenstown – locally farmed meat, BBQ delights and a small but very fresh range of vegetables.
The Knowes Hotel Macduff - fantastic views over Macduff and the surrounding coast, good quality traditional food.
Duff House Tea Room in Banff – home made soups, sandwiches and cakes in the former Housekeeper’s room in Duff House.
The Portsoy Ice Cream Shop, Portsoy – one of the best kept local secrets, locally made, simply delicious ice cream.
The County Hotel, Banff - good quality French influenced menu.
Downies Fish, Whitehills - award winning fresh fish shop.
Macduff Farmers' Market, Macduff Harbour - local produce every last Saturday in the month. Beaches
Gardenstown - sand and rock-pool beach framed by red sandstone cliffs soaring up to the headland.
Sunnyside Bay – fantastic big empty wild beach, just the place for a romantic picnic or family day out.
Cullykhan Bay – crisp clear water in a hidden bay accessed down a long flight of wooden steps.
Banff Links - awe inspiring stretch of white sand and shells, perfect for exercising kids and dogs.
Active days out
Boat trips with North 58 (sailing from Banff) – exhilarating rides in the open air inflatable ‘Buccaneer’ for eco-friendly bird, whale and dolphin watching.
Watersports - Xtreme Scotland in Banff offer tuition and equipment hire for children and adults.
Golf - The Royal Tarlair Golf Club, Macduff and Duff House Royal Golf Club, Banff both offer 18 hole courses open to visitors, and there are more than 25 other courses within easy driving distance.
Horse riding – available at three centres within an easy drive.
Relaxed days out
Boat trips with Puffin Cruises (sailing from Macduff) – spot the native sea-life or maybe do a little fishing, on the ‘Puffin’, an ex-fishing boat.
Macduff Marine Aquarium - award winning excellent 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 and you can watch divers hand feed the fish daily.
Fyvie Castle - well worth a day to marvel at the immaculate fruit gardens and interiors.
Huntly - thriving traditional market town, where you can also get up close and personal with birds of prey at the North East Falconry Centre.
Fordyce - award winning 18th century conservation village complete with mini castle.
WalksGardenstown to Crovie – walk along the shoreline to the pretty conservation village of Crovie, a strip of 40-odd 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.
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.
Banff Heritage Trail – leads you around this historic Georgian town.
Macduff Heritage Trail – highlights notable buildings from Macduff’s past as a large and active fishing community.
Banff to Whitehills walk – part of ‘Nortrail’, a coastal path that links all the countries around the North Sea.
Duff House to the Bridge of Alvah, Banff – beautiful walk through estate woodland, and along the river Deveron.
Or just put your feet up and enjoy the sunsets. Between November and March you may even witness the ‘Aurora Borealis’, or ‘Northern Lights’, a magnificent natural display of changing coloured lights only seen in the high latitude sky of the northern hemisphere…
Click on the Links tab at the bottom of the page for more information.
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