Aberdeen and Stonehaven

 I stay at, or pass through Aberdeen 4 times, because it is where the ferry and plane to Orkney and the Shetlands are based.

Aberdeen is an interesting city: there's the Old Aberdeen which has the University, old cathedrals, lots of gardens etc, and the New Aberdeen (which is technically older) which is the shipping/transport hub and commercial hub. It takes about 30 minutes to walk from one section to the other, but Aberdeen has so many buses that there will be one or three heading in your direction.

I first booked in the New section - close to the train station, and ferry hub to take me to Orkney. It is very grey - everything is made from granite and there's a rule in the inner city part that all building must conform to. However, there is street art everywhere, brightening up the grey walls.

It also has something similar to Melbourne happen, in that in the 60s many of the buildings were demolished and tall grey buildings replaced them. This was the oil/gas boom period for Aberdeen - they are the central place for servicing all the oil and gas rigs in the North Sea. 

But first:

A short train ride down the coast is a little town called Stonehaven and bit further along the coastal path perched on the cliff is Dunnottar Castle. This is one of the most photographed sites in Eastern Scotland.


It's an expansive site perched high up on the cliff, with a huge drop on all sides.

I felt for the staff who have to do the walk out to it each day - it would keep them fit!


A close up of the tower part



And here's the entrance



I won't bore you with lots of photos of half destroyed buildings.
This was my favourite part - the building was the Treasury, but I don't understand the door on the turret!



In Stonehaven itself, along the seafront, were an amazing collection of sculptures, created by 'The Stonehaven Banksy' who kept his identity secret for nearly 20 years as he placed these amazing sculptures along the water front. 

Here's his one and only interview https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-48186165




and a close up of some of the quirky characters 




As I returned to Stonehaven I encountered a local group of Morris Dancers!






and ... the original home of the deep fried Mars Bar!


I had to try one


It was actually rather good!





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