Coastal Villages of Aberdeenshire
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
Visit the stunning Northeast Coast of Aberdeenshire and it will steal your heart. On this tour we will visit some of the region's most dramatic coastline.
Taking time to wander through some of the most beautiful fishing villages including Gardenstown and Crovie, to learn about its maritime past and present. Hear stories about a few influential characters and ‘Local Heroes’ who called this countryside home.
From working harbours to abandoned castles and tall cliffs where the seabird colonies cling to nest, this tour will immerse you in the heritage of the northeast and its connection to the sea.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
WiFi on board
Lunch
What To Expect
Gardenstown
Explore the north Aberdeenshire coast During the first part of our journey, we make our way through the Aberdeenshire countryside, to the coastal villages of Gardenstown and Crovie. Built into the red sandstone cliffs the villages have a special and remote atmosphere. From the lovely harbour and beach, you can look out over the Moray Firth and perhaps catch a glimpse of the dolphins and other wildlife in the bay. The village of Gardenstown recently celebrated their 300th naming anniversary, and its harbour has a fleet of small fishing boats. On the quayside, you can occasionally see men preparing their lobster pots for the next catch, as well as the Salmon House which contains the Heritage Centre. We encourage you to take a walk along the coastal path which take you to Crovie, dating from the 18th century, if the tide allows. Crovie is the smallest and most remote of Buchan cliff-foot fishing villages, it comprises a single row of houses, most gable-end to the sea.
Pennan
We need a Hero Pennan came into existence as a fishing village in the 18th century. The people of Pennan were dependent on the sea and most families had small boats, often multiple generations of the same family lived in the village. With a pebble stone beach and smart houses with colourful windows, there is a charm and peacefulness in the village that tempts you to linger and listen to the waves. Pennan became famous in the 1980s for being used as one of the main locations for the film Local Hero and representing the fictional village of Ferness. Film enthusiasts have come from all over the world to make a phone call in the red telephone box which featured in the film.
Options
North East Coast Tour
Reviews
64 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
What a beautiful day!
ChrisM13615,
Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Right from the beginning of the tour you can tell Jacqueline loves Aberdeen and with good reason. What a beautiful road trip we had. The scenery is spectacular! Jacqueline was a great guide and went above and beyond to make sure I saw everything on my bucket list. I highly recommend Jacqueline and Grampian Escapes Tours and would book with them again in a heartbeat.
Aberdeenshire with Alex Duncan
583jeannettec,
Oct 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Alex Duncan, our guide and driver, was excellent and congenial: engaging, deeply knowledgeable and conversational about a wide range of topics related to the coastal villages and Aberdeenshire in general, appropriately flexible to the group's preferences, a professional driver. I would welcome opportunities to take more tours lead by him.
Do yourself a favor & book this!
Pam K,
Sep 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had 7 on our tour + Alex our guide. What a beautiful day we had! Alex was fantastic. Knowledgeable, funny, as well as helpful. The coastal views were gorgeous. W/o a tour, we would not have been privileged to see the beauty that is Aberdeenshire. Alex made it all come alive. We had a great group of people. Enjoyed it very much. Spend the money and sit back and enjoy! Thanks Alex!
What a wonderful day out
Guide50379845965,
Sep 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful day out with the nicest guide possible. Lovely landscapes. I've been waiting for some time to visit Scotland, I've seen so many movies and documentaries and I have to say, it was all worth it. Highly recommend.
Alec was very personable...
Bonnie C,
Sep 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Alex was very personable and informative. Loved that there were only 7 people on the tour and we definitely drove places that I’d never trust myself to drive to! Beautiful photo stops! I would have preferred to stop somewhere else than Peterhead for lunch. The town has definitely seen better times. I loved all the other stops/drives. Seeing hundreds of seals at Newburgh Beach was a great ending! And thanks to Alex for the dinner recommendation at The Globe! It was a perfect end to a fun day!
Aberdeenshire coastal village tour
James L,
Sep 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great way to see some old coastal fishing villages and spectacular scenery. Jaime the guide was fantastic and very knowdable.
Fantastic
Deb A,
Sep 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Alex was fantastic, knowledgeable, and kind! We had so much fun. The day was beautiful and we had such a wonderful time. We would highly recommend this tour.
Incredibly beautiful
422kimg,
Sep 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I signed our group of five up for this tour based on the description and especially that It took us north up the coast from Aberdeen. This tour was one of THE best I’ve ever been on, and it’s all because of our guide, Alex. Alex knew the history of everything, the areas were incredibly beautiful. He was patient with us when we diverting for a bit of shopping, many photo shoots and a local fish restaurant right on the docks. We parted at the end of the day, making new friends and forever memories. All 5 of us(in our group and the other couple) were highly impressed and excited about it, we would’ve hired him for the week to take us all over. Definitely worth taking this tour, ask for Alex and you’ll enjoy the experience. I would’ve given 10 stars!⭐️ !
Worth the trip
Cruiser62374094539,
Aug 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jamie was a great guide, and loves to show off treasures in Scotland's northeast. The sites were interesting and the landscape beautiful.
What a great tour! Thank...
Kellie S,
Aug 12, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00What a great tour! Thank you Alex. Enjoyed all the stops and great information about Scotland snd the places we stopped. Highly recommend!!!
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Operated by Grampian Escapes Tours Ltd