The picturesque deeside village of Aboyne was originally known as Charleston of Aboyne.  It is a truly beautiful village which nestles in the valley of the River Dee.  Situated on the main North Deeside road approximately 30 miles from Aberdeen to the east, and 25 miles from Braemar to the west.  The village is not without architectural distinction having buildings such as the recently refurbished Victory Hall, the War Memorial and St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church.

The first mention of a castle at Aboyne appears in the 13th century.  A stone keep replaced the original, which in turn was replaced in the 17th century by a tower house. Part of this tower house still remains at the west end of the mansion house built in 1801.

Aboyne also features a picturesque village green, this was once the site of the first golf course in Aboyne but is now the home of the Aboyne Rugby Club and also the youth Football teams. It is also the home site of the world famous Aboyne Highland Games which started in their present form back in 1867.  It is claimed that the Games are a revival of a much older gathering which was suppressed after the ’45 uprising.

 The area is a great place to explore. If one is on holiday then a drive that is recommended goes from Aboyne to Tarland then on to Ballater returning via the South Deeside Road to Aboyne where a variety of eating spots can be found in and around the village. The round trip taking just over an hour.

A wonderful area for walking is Glentanar a few miles to the West of the village. Great walks are also available along the banks of the River Dee and along the old railway line to Ballater.

Whilst Aboyne was once well served with hotels, sadly, several have now closed with the advent of foreign travel, but those that have survived are of a good reliable standard.  Details can be found on our links page.

Surrounding Aboyne there are the most impressive forests and bleak moors and valleys of the River Dee. The Aboyne Castle and grounds lie to the North of the village, whilst to the North-east lies the picturesque Aboyne Loch which also boasts a Caravan site. The village is literally surrounded by world class scenery.

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