Aberdeenshire: Scotland's Enchanted Northeast Kingdom

Spreading north and west of the North Sea city of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire encompasses some of the most spectacular landscapes, coastline and history in Scotland

Having visited the region a number of times, I set out to capture the particular magic of this northeast corner of the kingdom.
It’s about a 50-mile drive up the A90 through Ellon and on up to Fraserburgh at the very northeast point of the coast. A working harbor for centuries, the gritty town is home to one of the largest fishing fleets in Britain.
Then, I turned east onto the marked scenic Coast Road 10 miles to Cullykhan Bay and the harbor village of Pennan.

The bas-relief coat of arms of the Gordon lords is among the most noted features of Huntly Castle. The market town of Huntly spread out from the castle supports a vast swathe of arable land and farms—the breadbasket of Scotland. Here they raise acres of grain that thrive in the moist northern climate, principally oats and barley. In the town of Keith, the pagoda domes of the Strathisla Distillery mark where a good deal of that barley is turned into Chivas Regal whisky. Distilleries abound throughout Aberdeenshire.
In every farming village and hamlet, however, the most prominent building will be the Kirk, the Presbyterian Church of Scotland founded by John Knox.