Tours!
Several tours have been arranged to take place during the course of the congress. All tours will be accompanied by a Scottish 'Blue Badge' Tourist Guide. Please also see the page on 'sites of interest' and the Children's programme for some other ideas. Pam Wells, who arranged these tours, will be on site during the Congress to help you make your own plans, and make suggestions for places to tour once the congress has finished.
Thursday 22nd July 2010 Aberdeen City Tour - 14.00-17.00 hrs
Travelling in a comfortable coach and with your tour guide, your route takes you through the bustling city centre with its many elegant granite buildings, followed by a visit to Old Aberdeen, the home of the fifteenth century university, where the Chair of Medicine is the oldest in the English-speaking world.
From this point, your tour will head for the coast with panoramic views of the North Sea, miles of sandy beach and a fascinating trip round Aberdeen Harbour, one of the busiest modern ports in Europe. Moving south, the itinerary now enters it final stages with spectacular sights of an intriguing and distinct skyline and short drive along the tranquil River Dee before completing the tour.
The tour includes a visit to the Gordon Highlanders' Museum where there will also be time for a refreshment break (not included in the price of the tour).
Friday 23rd July - Balmoral Castle/Royal Lochnagar Distillery - 09.00 to 18.00hrs
Relax today as you wend your way along Royal Deeside enjoying spectacular views of the famous fishing river - the River Dee. Approximately 50 miles west of Aberdeen, your journey brings you to Queen Victoria's 'Dear Paradise' - Balmoral Castle - where a wealth of treasures awaits you. Follow this visit with a tour and a 'dram' at Royal Lochnagar distillery and you have the markings of a perfect day's touring.
At Balmoral you will be looking out over a scenic landscape of outstanding beauty in the Scottish Highlands. This is the Royal Family's scottish home, and you will be able to see the ballroom with its paintings, artefacts and examples of Royal tartan, the Carriage Hall and the Clan exhibitions. A wonderful variety of walks, gardens and trails, many offering superb views of the surrounding countryside can also be enjoyed. There is a restaurant and gift shop.
Not far from Balmoral, the Royal Lochnagar distillary is a small and intimate distilery established in 1845 by John Begg and visited by Queen Victoria! Follow the age old process which transforms crystal clear Highland water and malted barley into the much sought after Royal Lochnagar Single Malt. Tour the distillery with a guide before enjoying a 'dram' and of course, visiting the shop!
Saturday 24th July - Crathes Castle/Gardens/Dunnottar Castle - 09.30-16.00hrs
A superb opportunity not o be missed while spending time in the north-east of Scotland is a tour of Royal Deeside. Combine this with a trip to one of the National Trust for Scotland's excellent properties - Crathes Castle and its superb garden - and you have a recipe for a perfect visit.
Home to the Burnett family for four centuries, this sixteenth century castle, with its fairytale turrets, wonderful interiors, mysterious 'Green Lady' ghost and fascinating walled garden, has something of interest for everyone. Perhaps you will actually see or even feel the presence of the Crathes' ghost! As well as the castle, you will h ave a chance to explore the gardens in the company of the Head Gardener and ask all those gardening-related questions you've always wanted to. Before leaving, there is more to enjoy - perhaps some time in the shop or choice of different walks around the estate.
Lunch will be arrranged in one of the castle restaurants (included in the tour cost).
On the return trip to Aberdeen your route winds eastwards through the picturesque countryside to the coastal town of Stonehaven. Then heading north again you can enjoy a photo stop at Dunnottar Castle - just south of Stonehaven - a breathtaking spectable of a ruined castle standing on a dramatic rockly peninsula protected on three sides by the sea. This imposign structure appears to breathe history from every nook and cranny and between the ninth and seventeenth century the various fortifications were fought over many times. For three centuries the castle was held by the Keith family who were Grand Marishals of Scotland.
Please see the registration form for costs of these tours. We will post pick up points and times on this page closer to the congress.