Local Area Information
Banff is a town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron. It is a former royal burgh, and is the county town of the historic county of Banffshire.
Check Local Websites for a more detailed and updated description of Local Area Information.
Portsoy Boat Festival - Every year in June.
Castles - Banff is the starting point to the castle trail featuring 11 of the most interesting castles and fortified houses, many have coffee shops within.
Local Highland Games - website is scotlandsbestbandbs.co.uk then click on Events tab for Either Food & Drink Festivals or Highland Games it shows everywhere.
Highland Games & Events - Very Interesting, Website is https://Scotlandwelcomesyou.com
Bagpipes - Pipe band competitions calendar Website is https://www.Rspba.org
North East 250 Route - The North East 250 explores everything for which Scotland is famous in a unique Scottish road trip taking you through the whisky distilleries of Speyside, the spectacular mountain passes of the Cairngorms National Park, the famous castles of Royal Deeside, the Granite City of Aberdeen, the rugged North Sea coastline to the east, and the picturesque seaside villages of the Moray Firth Coast.
The Malt Whisky Trail - The whisky trail is on our doorstep. All distilleries are within easy driving distance, they offer tastings, tours and visitor shops. The Malt Whisky Trail is made up of nine locations, each one sitting in the Speyside whisky region. Check website for full details.
Fishing - Day permits can be purchased for River Deveron
Golf - This is golfers heaven. Locally are the excellent Duff House Royal, Royal Tarlair and Cullen, but the list could go on and on. From parkland to links and championship courses, the area has it all. Duff House Royal Golf Club Banff or Royal Tarlair Golf Club in Macduff
Walking - See web for plenty walks (Walkinghighland.co.uk) Macduff Aqu, Scotstown to Whitehills Harbour 2 mile
Eating Out/Takeaways - There are a great selection of places to eat which Include Banff Springs Hotel, Market Arms Pub (Upstairs) The Fife Lodge, The County Hotel, The knowes Hotel (Macduff) Seafield Arms (Whitehils) The Galley Waterfront Cafe and Seafood Restaurant (Whitehills) Indian Garden, Crown Chippy, Fredies Chippy many more to choose from.
Interest - Banff Marina, Duff House, Banff Castle, Findlater Castle, Macduff Outdoor Pool (Tarlair) Macduff Marine Aquarium, River Deveron.
Macduff Marine Aquarium - Britain’s most northerly aquarium featuring the sea life of the Moray Firth.
Hundreds of fishy creatures and a live camera to Troup Head’s colony of gannets looking right into the nests.
Bars/Entertainment - The Deveronside Club provide live music with tribute acts on weekends, Bingo, Darts. The Market Arms is a cosy local Pub which provides great meals, Banff Spings Hotel, Knowes Hotel Macduff, The Railway Inn.
Wildlife & Nature - The whale and dolphin centre at Spey Bay, a boat trip to see the gannets at Troup Head or the dolphins (Macduff Harbour), whales and seals. The area is a treasure trove for nature lovers, deer, red squirrels, badgers, pine marten, foxes, wildcats in our forests.
Beaches - Banff Links Inverboyndie, Cullen, Sandend & Cullykhan Beaches worth a visit.
Deveron Community & Sports Centre - Swimming Pool.
Small Fishing Towns/Villages of Interest - Whitehills, Sandend, Portsoy, Cullen, Macduff, Gardenstown, Crovie & Pennan.
Dolphins - Boat trips are available from Macduff Harbour contact (Harold Napier 07910132686) or you maybe lucky to see them from Banff/Cullen/Porknockie.
Surfing - Surf/Sup Centre Banff or surfing, bodyboarding & standup paddleboarding Sandend.
Northern Lights - The aurora is the effect that is caused when charged particles in solar winds are pulled into the atmosphere by the earth’s magnetic force. This force is also what channels them towards our geomagnetic poles.
When these particles collide with the gas atoms and molecules of earth’s atmosphere, the lights of the aurora are emitted. The more collisions there are, the brighter the lights are.
The different colours of the aurora are created by the particles colliding with the different gasses in our atmosphere and because earth has two magnetic poles, we get the aurora borealis at the North Pole and the aurora australis at the South Pole. Northern Scotland is on the same latitude as Norway and Alaska which means you have every chance of seeing it.