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Major city · United Kingdom

GardenstownGamrie

Go for one night, not a day trip: the village is 1 h 45 min from Aberdeen by bus and the coast path needs a full afternoon.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Gardenstown (Gamrie) is a small fishing village on the Aberdeenshire coast, built into a steep bay with the houses stacked above the harbour. It is the biggest of three villages on this stretch, with Crovie a walk west and Pennan a drive east. There is one pub with rooms, one small museum and a clifftop path to a seabird colony at Troup Head. Come for a quiet night and coastal walking, not for a list of sights.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (short days, wind and rain)
Airport
ABZ
Nights
1
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.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Gardenstown999 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance999
  • Police non-urgent101
  • NHS non-urgent (24 h)111

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Gardenstown, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea in a village café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£12–18 (≈ US$16–25)
  • BeerPint of beer£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)5 km (3.1 mi) taxicheck; few taxis locally, book from Banff or Macduff£8–12 (≈ US$11–16)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week£6–12 (≈ US$8–16)
  • Budget bedSelf-catering cottage (harbour or High St), a night, per room£90 (≈ US$120)
  • Mid-range bedGarden Arms B&B double, a night, per room£100 (≈ US$140)
  • High-end bedGarden Arms B&B double, a night, per room£120 (≈ US$160)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £75 (≈ US$100) · High £130 (≈ US$180)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Harbour and cliff-stacked housesTroup Head seabird colonyCrovie and Pennan villagesGamrie Heritage Centre
Airports
ABZ Aberdeen (About 1 h 30 min by car; bus via Macduff takes about 2 h 30 min)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    6°C (43°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    8°C (46°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    10°C (50°F)

  5. May

    Best

    13°C (55°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    16°C (61°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    16°C (61°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    12°C (54°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    9°C (48°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

Best: May–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (18°C (64°F)), coolest Jan (1°C (34°F) low), wettest Oct (15 rain days), driest Feb (11). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Gardenstown: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

6°C (43°F)

1°C (34°F)

14 rd

Feb

7°C (45°F)

1°C (34°F)

11 rd

Mar

8°C (46°F)

2°C (36°F)

13 rd

Apr

10°C (50°F)

3°C (37°F)

11 rd

May

13°C (55°F)

6°C (43°F)

11 rd

Jun

16°C (61°F)

9°C (48°F)

11 rd

Jul

18°C (64°F)

11°C (52°F)

12 rd

Aug

18°C (64°F)

11°C (52°F)

13 rd

Sep

16°C (61°F)

9°C (48°F)

13 rd

Oct

12°C (54°F)

7°C (45°F)

15 rd

Nov

9°C (48°F)

4°C (39°F)

15 rd

Dec

7°C (45°F)

2°C (36°F)

14 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car or a bike to link Gardenstown, Crovie, Pennan and Troup Head; the coast road is narrow with passing places. The clifftop path from Gardenstown to Crovie is walkable in about 30–40 min. Watermill Coach 273 runs from Banff and Macduff to Gardenstown in about 30 min, five times Monday–Friday, stopping on Main St above the harbour. From Aberdeen, Stagecoach bus 35 to Elgin every 30 min, change at Macduff.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Crovie

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Clifftop path from Gardenstown, about 30–40 min on foot

A single row of cottages below the cliff; no pier since the 1953 storm. Park at the south end if you drive.

Troup Head

go

Door to door: About 20 min by car

Drive off the B9031, then walk to the headland

RSPB reserve with gannets, guillemots, kittiwakes, puffins and razorbills. Open 24 hours; donation.

Pennan

go

Door to door: About 15 min

Drive east on the coast road

Small harbour village with the red phone box from the 1983 film Local Hero. The Pennan Inn serves food and has rooms.

Banff and Macduff

go

Door to door: About 20 min by car

B9031 west, or Watermill Coach 273

Linked coastal towns with Duff House, shops and the nearest golf courses.

Fraserburgh

caution

Door to door: About 35 min

Drive east along the coast

Large fishing port; the direct bus from Gardenstown has been cut, so drive or go via Banff.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Gardenstown village

The Garden Arms pub with rooms on Main St, plus self-catering cottages at the harbour and on High St. Book ahead: very few beds.

Pennan

About 15 min east by car; the Pennan Inn has rooms and a seafront setting.

Banff and Macduff

About 15–20 min west by car; more choice of hotels, guesthouses and shops if the village is full.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–110 (≈ US$95–150) excl. bed
High
£110 (≈ US$150)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Garden Arms B&B double1 × 1 night × £100£100
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £75£150
Watermill Coach 273, Macduff to Gardenstown, one way2 × £4 · check£8
Stagecoach bus 35, Aberdeen to Macduff, one way2 × £12 · check£24
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £8£16
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£30
Trip total≈ £164 per person per day, bed included£328≈ US$450

Two rooms share a bathroom; check availability

2026 estimate in pounds; travel to the village excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or tea in a village café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course£12–18 (≈ US$16–25)
Pint of beer£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
5 km taxicheck; few taxis locally, book from Banff or Macduff£8–12 (≈ US$11–16)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week£6–12 (≈ US$8–16)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A quiet, low-crime village; the real risks are cliff edges, wet paths, fast weather changes and no mobile signal. Tell someone your route if you walk the coast path alone.
  • Mobile signal is poor or absent in Gardenstown, Pennan and on the approach roads; download maps and tickets before you arrive.
  • The lane into Crovie is too narrow for cars: park at the south end and walk down.
  • The B9031 coast road is single-track in places with passing places; allow more time than the map suggests.
  • Most food stops serving by 20:00; the Spar on Macduff Rd closes at 19:00 weekdays and 17:00 Saturday.
  • Check the Gamrie Heritage Centre opening before you go: it is seasonal and limited to weekday afternoons.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
999
Police non-urgent
101
NHS non-urgent (24 h)
111

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

GardenstownGamrie

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance999
  • Police non-urgent101
  • NHS non-urgent (24 h)111

Embassy

No consulate locally; US citizens use the consulate general in Edinburgh, other countries the embassies in London.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Watermill Coach 273, Macduff → Gardenstown: about £4 (≈ US$6), about 30 min (check)
  • Stagecoach bus 35, Aberdeen → Macduff: about £12 (≈ US$16), about 2 h (check)
  • Taxi Banff → Gardenstown: £15–20 (≈ US$20–30) (check)

Say or show

  • Excuse me — Excuse me
  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Please — Please
  • Sorry — Sorry
  • Where is the harbour? — Where is the harbour?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?

Signal is poor in the village: save this card offline before you travel.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Gardenstown. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (short days, wind and rain) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for ABZ: last bus and coach times to Macduff checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: harbour and Main St, the Crovie path, Troup Head, Pennan.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Gamrie Heritage Centre, Garden Arms food, Spar) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Signal and weather fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources

Ask about Gardenstown

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