Region
North East Scotland
Base in Aberdeen or Dundee; use a car for castles, glens and the Moray coast.
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Key facts · United Kingdom
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep
- Currency
- Pound sterling (GBP, £)
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- G · 230 V
- Time zone
- GMT, BST from late March to late October
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
- Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
- United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
- United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
- United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.
North East Scotland runs from the Firth of Forth to the Moray Firth, taking in Fife, Perth and Kinross, Angus, Aberdeenshire and Moray. It is the low-lying east: farmland, old fishing towns, granite cities and the rounded Grampian hills, with the Cairngorms on its western edge. Trains and buses cover the coastal strip well; inland castles, glens and distilleries need a car. Two nights in Aberdeen plus two in Dundee or Perth covers the cities and a day of coast; add three or more with a car for Deeside, Speyside and the Moray coast.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- AberdeenCity guide
Granite city, ferries to Orkney and Shetland, gateway to Deeside and the Moray coast.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND - DundeeCity guide
Tay bridges, waterfront, Angus coast and Pictish sites within reach.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND - Perth and KinrossRegion
A9 corridor, gateway to the Highlands and the southern Cairngorms.
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 2 nights
- Aberdeen 2, coast and one castle by bus or car
- 4 nights
- Aberdeen 2 + Dundee 2, with a day in Angus or Fife
- 6 nights
- Aberdeen 2 + Deeside 1 + Speyside 1 + Dundee 2, with a car
- Fitting Fife, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Moray into three days is mostly transit.
- Inland buses and trains thin out in the evening; the last connection back can be early.
- Snow can close the Lecht and Glenshee ski roads in winter; check before driving.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stonehaven and Dunnottar Castle | Aberdeen | 40 min | check | Train to Stonehaven then a cliff walk; the castle ruin sits on a headland above the sea. |
| Royal Deeside (Ballater, Braemar) | Aberdeen | 120 min | check | Hourly bus 201 up Deeside; Balmoral is a short hop from Ballater. Balmoral and some estate grounds close in winter. |
| Speyside distilleries (Dufftown area) | Elgin | 45 min | check | Most distilleries need a car or a booked tour; only a minority are open to visitors. |
| St Andrews | Dundee | 35 min | check | No railway in town; bus connects to Leuchars station. Golf, cathedral and coast path. |
| Glamis and the Angus glens | Dundee | 45 min | check | Glamis Castle and Pictish stones at Aberlemno; a car makes the loop practical. |
Bags between cities
Left-luggage and bag storage are available at the main city stations; check current hours before relying on them.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal strip (Fife to Moray)Firth of Forth to Moray Firth | cold | cold | ok | best | best | ok | ok | ok | best | ok | cold | cold |
| Inland hills (Cairngorms, Grampians)Western edge of the region | cold | cold | cold | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | cold | cold | cold |
- Coastal strip (Fife to Moray)
- East coast is drier than the west but cooler; sea fog and haar in spring and early summer. Long daylight in June and July.
- Inland hills (Cairngorms, Grampians)
- Colder and wetter than the coast; snow on high ground November to April, and unreliable ski snow at Glenshee and the Lecht.
May, June and September give the best mix of daylight, dry spells and manageable crowds; July and August are busiest and dearest.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Airport (EDI) | Fife, Perth and Dundee | Airport bus or tram to Haymarket, then train north; or direct bus to Halbeath Interchange | ~1 h to Dundee by train from the city | Most northbound trains call at Haymarket; some Perth services run via Inverkeithing instead. |
| Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) | Aberdeen and the coast | Bus or taxi to the city, then onward transport | ~30 min to the city centre | Good flights from London and Europe; onward public transport is fine along the coast, but a car helps north. |
| London Kings Cross | Dundee and Aberdeen | East Coast main line, usually changing at Edinburgh | ~7 h to Aberdeen | A few trains daily run through to Dundee and Aberdeen; otherwise change at Edinburgh. |
| London Euston | Dundee, Arbroath, Montrose, Stonehaven, Aberdeen | Caledonian Highland Sleeper | overnight | Arrives in the early hours at some stops; a daytime train from Edinburgh may suit better. |
| Inverness | Elgin and Moray | Train or bus | ~45 min to Elgin by train | Useful for the western Moray coast and Speyside. |
| Newcastle-upon-Tyne | Aberdeen | Ferry to Orkney and Shetland from Aberdeen; no direct ferries from Europe | overnight | The nearest continental ferry link is Newcastle to IJMuiden near Amsterdam. |
Regional passes
ScotRail trains
buyFrequent along the coast from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Aberdeen; buy on the day or in advance for cheaper fares.
Citylink and competing coaches
buyHourly buses link the main towns to Edinburgh and Glasgow; competition keeps fares low.
Local buses (201 Deeside, 35 Moray coast)
buyHourly buses run up Deeside to Ballater and Braemar, and from Aberdeen past the airport to Banff, Buckie and Elgin; evening services are limited.
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Arbroath smokie (smoked haddock) | Arbroath | A local speciality; buy from a smokehouse or a fishmonger. |
| Forfar bridie | Forfar and Angus | Triangular pastry filled with minced meat, no potato. |
| Cullen skink | Cullen, Moray | Creamy smoked haddock, potato and onion broth. |
| Bar food and hotel dining | Small towns across the region | In villages the hotel bar is often the only option; larger towns have the widest choice. |
Go next
Aberdeen
Train or bus from Dundee, ~1 h 15
Base for Deeside, the coast and ferries north.
Dundee
Train from Edinburgh or Aberdeen
Tay bridges and the Angus coast.
Angus
plannedTrain or bus from Dundee
Pictish stones, glens and the coast.
Moray
plannedTrain or bus 35 from Aberdeen
Speyside distilleries and the Moray coast.
Perth and Kinross
plannedTrain or bus from Dundee or Edinburgh
A9 corridor into the Highlands.
Fife
plannedTrain from Edinburgh across the Forth
Fishing villages and St Andrews.
Scottish Highlands
A9 north from Perth
Continue north for mountains and lochs.
Orkney Islands
Overnight ferry from Aberdeen
Book ahead in summer.
Shetland Islands
Overnight ferry from Aberdeen
The longest ferry route from the mainland.
Edinburgh
Train from Dundee or Aberdeen
Main rail hub for onward travel south.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 3 bases
- Day trips
- 5, 35 min to 2 h
- Nights suggested
- 2–6 nights
- Ways in
- 6 listed
- Best months
- No month is best in every zone
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Sources
- officialVisitScotland
- officialScotRail
- officialNational Rail
- officialAberdeen Airport
- officialEdinburgh Airport
- officialMet Office
- secondaryWikivoyage: North East Scotland, revision 5267317 (CC BY-SA 4.0)