10 gift ideas from local Aberdeenshire businesses

Whether it’s for Christmas, birthdays, or any other special occasion, if you are wondering what gift to get for someone and you’d also like to support a local business, here are 10 Aberdeenshire businesses to shop from for gifts.

Seal Ceramics

From functional items like mugs and bowls to decorative pieces like vases and adorable little seals, Nicola creates handbuilt pottery from her home studio. As she doesn’t use a pottery wheel, all of her pieces are unique and a great idea for a gift, especially if you know someone who has recently moved into a new home.

Palmsafe

Palmsafe is an Aberdeen based business that went viral during lockdown for their hand sanitiser that doesn’t dry out or crack the skin. They have a ton of different scents and a new edition to their range is their Luxury Hand Wash which I absolutely love and I actually use for shaving too as it leaves my skin super smooth - and it smells amazing! All their products are vegan and cruelty-free. You can use PS20 for 20% off their entire site and if you spend over £35 you get free postage too.

Hungry Squirrel

Hungry Squirrel make award-winning nut butters including Cookie Dough Cashew, Maple Pecan, and Hazelnut Cacao as well as granola and chocolate bars. They’re vegan friendly and gluten-free and they’re a great gift for the foodies in your life. I absolutely love their Cookie Dough Cashew butter and I usually have with oats or on pancakes for breakfast.

Fierce Beer

Fierce Beer is a craft brewery based in Aberdeen, and they now sell their beer all over the UK and over 20 countries. They produce a diverse range of beers, including pale ales, IPAs, stouts, and sour ales and they have a gluten-free and vegan range too. You can also curate a custom case of 12 beers from their shop which is a great way to taste the different unique flavours.

MacKinnon Watches

With their custom tartan watches and designs inspired by the Scottish landscape, MacKinnon Watches create beautiful and timeless products that support local manufacturing such as weavers who have worked on manufacturing tartan within Scotland for hundreds of years. You can use my discount code MARISA20 for 20% off.

“How to travel Aberdeenshire by bus” ebook

I had to include my own ebook here as I think it’s a great gift idea for someone who has revcently moved to Aberdeen or doesn’t have a car. In this ebook you will find more than 50 destinations around Aberdeenshire that you can visit by bus, including how to get to places such as castles, distilleries, hiking trails, villages, etc. and descriptions of each of these places, the names of the bus stops and how to get to the destination from the bus stop. It also includes suggested itineraries to help you plan and make your trips more economical and allow you to visit more places in a day.

 

Singularity Sauce

Singularity Sace make handmade modern and exciting hot sauces with a variety of flavours. They also collaborate with other local businesses to create some unique flavours such as the Fuego De Cerveza in collaboration with Fierce Beer - perhaps you could pair that with a Fierce Beer for the perfect gift?

The Green Cocoa Team

The Green Cocoa Team hand craft dairy-free and gluten-free treats using luxury dark Belgian chocolate. They also have a gift hamper which includes 3 tubs of chocolates and 3 chocolate bars which you can mix and match on their website. Perfect for dark chocolate lovers and your vegan friends.

Rooted

Everyone has that one plant obsessed friend that keeps buying more and more. So what better gift to get them than another plant baby. Rooted has a big selection of indoor plants, seeds, and planters as well as lovely house times such as candles, ceramics, jewellery, and skincare products.

Doric skateboards

Doric Skateboards create designs that celebrate the city of Aberdeen while encouraging people to get excited about skateboarding. From skateboards to different clothes to mugs and stickers, there is something for everyone.

Like this post? Pin it for later!

 

Autumn in Aberdeen | A visual diary

This year I spent my summer exploring Aberdeen/shire, going on long city walks enjoying the sun, hiking in the stunning Scottish nature, and actually got a pretty nice tan. I was quite sad when it ended as I wasn’t ready yet for the cold weather, warm clothes, and of course the shorter days. However, after walking around the city centre a few times, I realised how beautiful autumn in Aberdeen is. I couldn’t believe how vibrant the colours of the leaves were and just how cosy everything was, including grabbing a coffee with a friend in a cute coffeeshop, morning strolls by the river, sipping on hot chocolate in a flask while walking through a park and just so many more beautiful cosy moments. So here’s some of my favorite autumn photos from this year:

You can also check out my Autumn in Aberdeen vlog on Youtube here

Brig o’ Balgownie

Brig o’ Balgownie

St Mark’s Church

St Mark’s Church

Brig O’ Balgownie

Brig O’ Balgownie

Refillosophy

Refillosophy

Streets of Aberdeen

Streets of Aberdeen

Cinnamon bun by the Vegan Baker at Cult of Coffee

Cinnamon bun by the Vegan Baker at Cult of Coffee

Duthie Park

Duthie Park

The Craftsman Company

The Craftsman Company

Street of Aberdeen

Street of Aberdeen

Old Aberdeen

Old Aberdeen

Travelling Aberdeenshire by bus | 7-day itinerary | Scotland

I’ve been living in Aberdeen for the last 4 years as a student and now that I’ve graduated, I have a bit more time to explore Aberdeenshire further. During my time here, I’ve been hearing people mention how hard it is or sometimes even impossible to see Aberdeenshire without a car! And yes, I’ve been guilty of thinking that as well at some point. However, spending some time doing research, I soon found out that it is very much possible! Not only to get from town to town but to go into the Cairngorms, get to dozens of hiking spots, castles, hidden gems and so much more that this amazing place has to offer.

I decided to get the Aberdeen Zone 6 megarider - 7 day bus pass which covers all of Aberdeenshire. It costs £48.50 which at first I thought was quite pricey but it’s definitely worth it if you’re going to use it at least 3-4 times within the week as a ticket for just one day costs around £16. Also, renting a car for the day would probably cost the same with a week bus ticket. I won’t go into too much detail in this blog post as I vlogged the whole week and uploaded it on Youtube. Here was my itinerary for the week and the buses I took:

DSC06067.jpg

Day 1: Ballater

Bus 201 towards Braemar from Union Square Bus Station to Ballater.

-Visit the visitor centre

-Hike up Craigendarroch Hill (about an hour loop)

-Explore the town

DSC06111.jpg

Day 2: Braemar and Loch Callater

Bus 201 towards Braemar from Union Square

-Get off at Braemar village

-Walk towards Auchallater to the start of the trail (1 hour)

-Hike to Loch Callater (1 hour)

-Explore Braemar village

DSC06237.jpg

Day 3: Dinnet National Nature Reserve

Bus 201 towards Braemar from Union Square

-Get off at Dinnet

-Walk to start of trail (15 minutes)

-Explore Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve

-Go to Burn O’ Vat

DSC06334.jpg

Day 4: Banff, Macduff and abandoned swimming pool

Bus 35 to Banff from Union Square

-Explore Banff

-Cross bridge to Macduff

-Walk to Tarlair Open Air Swimming Pool

DSC06460.jpg

Day 5: Dunnottar Castle

Bus X7 towards Dundee from Union Square

-Walk down to Dunnottar Castle

-Explore Stonehaven

scolty hill

Day 6: Banchory and Scolty Hill

Bus 201 towards Braemar from Union Square

-Hike up Scolty Hill

-Explore Banchory

DSC00939.jpg

Day 7: Slains Castle, Newburgh Beach and Torry Battery

Bus X63 towards Peterhead from Union Square

-Walk to Slains Castle

-Take bus to Newburgh Beach and watch seals

-Take bus back to Aberdeen walk to Torry Battery

-Watch dolphins and sunset

torry battery aberdeen

I really hope you enjoyed this blog post and the Youtube video. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about Aberdeenshire.

-Marisa

Follow me on Instagram for daily travel content @marisa.vogiatzi

Travelling around Fife by bus | On a budget

The Kingdom of Fife is situated on the East Coast of Scotland, about 45 minutes on the bus from Edinburgh. In this post, I am sharing with you my experience with traveling around Fife by bus with a week ticket pass which I will talk about more further on. From cute fishing villages with colourful houses to Scotland’s former capital, Dunfermline, you could spend weeks exploring Fife. Whether you like historic walks and stunning architecture or enjoy hiking and exploring the outdoors, there’s something here for everyone. The following places are just suggestions and ones I visited, however there are a lot more options in the area than the ones I mention below.

Click here for the video version on YouTube here

DSC03719.jpg

I live in Aberdeen so I took the Megabus down to Halbeath P&R for around £16 return but the price differs depending on the dates you choose and how far in advance you book. From there, I took the local bus (19 towards Rosyth) to my mum’s house in Dunfermline. 

When it comes to bus tickets for getting around, I purchased the Fife 7 day megarider Plus for £30 which covers the whole of Fife as well as getting you to Edinburgh, Stirling, Perth, Dundee and more. See below the area that it covers:

There’s other options as well such as day tickets for around £13, however I found that it works out cheaper to get the 7-day one as long as you travel at least 3 days to get your money's worth.

Note: The bus numbers mentioned in this post are the ones I took from Dunfermline so depending on where you are staying, the bus numbers and times may be different. The Stagecoach website is super easy to navigate though so you can easily find all the bus information from your departure location.

Culross

On Monday my mum and I went to Culross which is a village 30 minutes away from Dunfermline and you can get bus 8 from Dunfermline bus station. It’s a beautiful and insta-worthy village and definitely a must, if you’re in Fife. If you’re an Outlander fan you may recognise some scenes as many episodes have been filmed there. You can even take an Outlander tour!

Culross instagram
Culross outlander

At first we went up one of the little side streets until we reached a viewpoint of the whole village and then we continued walking about 10 minutes until we got to the Abbey. We then walked back down and just explored more of the village and all its picturesque side streets.

Culross
DSC00894.jpg

We sat on a bench at the pier and had our packed lunch. As you will see in this blog, we usually take packed lunches and snacks with us in order to save money and we then get to choose a nice picnic spot with a view.

Fishing villages + St. Andrews

The next day we set off early to go to a few fishing villages and then to St. Andrews. This required getting to Ferrytoll P&R (bus X55) and then getting another bus (X60) to the villages. There is an express bus that goes to St. Andrews but we chose the one that takes a little longer but goes around the villages first.

First stop was Pittenweem, a lovely village with beautiful houses and a harbour. There is also a natural underground cave, St. Fillan’s Cave but unfortunately it was closed for visitors when we went. There are many local independent businesses around the village including a popular ice cream shop and chocolate shop.

Pittenweem
pittenweem

We went to a shop called “Seaweed and stuff” and the friendly shop owner gave us samples to try of all the different jams and chutneys on cheese and crackers. They were all so tasty! I bought the “Smoked Dulse and Onion Relish” chutney and my mum got the “Tomato and Dulse” chutney and the “Bramble and Gin” jam. They are all vegan and she even sold vegan ice cream! I would definitely recommend visiting while you’re there as the shop has some beautiful ornaments too. I’ll leave her website here (not sponsored, just super pleased)

DSC03696.jpg
DSC03702.jpg

Next, we walked on the Fife Coastal Path to the village of Anstruther, which is the largest village in the area. It took us about 30 minutes to walk there and we stopped at a bench with a seaview and had lunch. The walk is beautiful and easy to get from village to village that way. We walked around and admired the harbour and the surrounding buildings and took some more photos. Anstruther is also famous for its fish and chips.

DSC03722.jpg

We then took the bus to the last fishing village of the day, Crail. You might have seen this posted on Instagram quite often as it’s super picturesque and is actually one of the UK’s most photographed harbours!

DSC03802.jpg
DSC03798.jpg

There’s a tea room with outdoor seating and a stunning view of the sea. There’s also a lobster shop where you can eat at the benches around the harbour as well as an ice cream shop. Before getting the bus, we stopped at “Crail Pottery” and had a look around. It has some beautiful things for sale. There is also a cat called Richard who hangs out at the till.

Crail

Last stop, St. Andrews. We took the bus 95 and it took around 30 minutes to get there. By the time we arrived it was almost 5pm so a lot of the little shops were closing, however there were still some charity shops and other local businesses as well as restaurants that were still open.

St. Andrews Fife
DSC03828.jpg

We walked around the town and admired the architecture, and then went down to the St. Andrews Cathedral and the ruins. I really liked all the little streets and the bookshops and just the general vibe of the place. We then took the bus x24 which took us back a different way and was a lot faster than going around the coastal villages.

St Andrews ruins

Note: There are many more fishing villages nearby that are worth exploring such as Aberdour, Elie, St. Monans. We just chose a few because we didn’t have time in one day to do them all by bus.

Dunfermline

On Wednesday we explored the town of Dunfermline

Fun fact: Dunfermline used to be the capital of Scotland!

Dunfermline
Dunfermline+sunset

We started by walking down the High Street towards the Pittencrieff Park or known locally as “The Glen”. This is one of my favourite places in Dunfermline. You could spend hours walking around and just breathing in the fresh air. When you first walk in, it just looks like a regular grassy park. However, if you keep walking, you will find yourself surrounded by trees and small rivers and you will probably forget you’re in a busy town as you just hear the leaves moving and the birds singing. You will meet lots of grey squirrels on the way and they are definitely not shy so you might see them following you around and coming up to say hi.

DSC09560.jpg
DSC04177.jpg

There is also a glasshouse as well as a beautiful garden in front of it. You can stop for lunch or a coffee at Peacock Rooms cafe which is also great for kids as they have a play corner inside or you can sit outside in the sun while the kids are playing on the grass.

We then walked to the Abbey ruins and then to Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries. This is a must if you’re in Dunfermline as the gardens are beautiful and the museum is very interesting and it’s completely free. However, due to the current covid restrictions, you now have to book a time slot. There is also a gift shop in the building as well as a balcony/viewpoint at the top where you can get a nice view of the gardens, the Abbey and some other stunning buildings.

DSC04202.jpg

Because my mum lives here and I’ve been countless times and have done all the “touristy” things before, we did not go to all the main attractions this time. However, if you’re visiting for the first time, I’d recommend you visit the Pittencrieff Park, the library and museum, the Abbey, Andrew Carnegie Birthplace museum and there’s so much more which you can find online.

Dunfermline library
DSC04212.jpg

Perth

On Thursday, we took the bus to Ferrytoll P&R again and then took the bus X56 to Perth. This was my first time visiting so I was super excited to explore.

Perth

We walked along the river and then crossed the railway to Moncrieffe Island. From there, we continued walking until we got to the other side of the bridge. It’s a beautiful walk surrounded by trees and the river.

DSC03519.jpg

We ended up at Branklyn Garden where we had our packed lunch and then walked to Rodney Gardens where we met the cutest and fluffiest cat! The whole path was surrounded by different flowers and trees with views of the city in between.

DSC03554-2.jpg
DSC03541.jpg

We then crossed Smeaton’s Bridge back to the city and just wandered around for a few more hours.

Perth streetart
Perth

Next time I visit, I would definitely want to go up Kinnoull Hill as it looks really pretty but we just didn’t have time this time.

Edinburgh - cafe recommendations

On Friday I used my bus ticket to go to Edinburgh to meet up with my friends from uni. I’m not going to go into too much detail as I could write pages and pages about Edinburgh but I will definitely write up a blog post specifically for Edinburgh. However, I would love to mention two food places that we went to and I was super impressed with both (not sponsored). 

DSC07197.jpg

Because my friend Stewart is celiac, we went to the GF Cafe which is on Dairy Rd and is 2 minutes away from Haymarket Station. It’s quite a small cafe with two tables, however the owner was very helpful and brought out an extra chair for us and made us feel comfortable and welcomed. You can also get takeout and enjoy your meal in a nearby park or bench. Everything is 100% gluten free and there’s tons of options including sandwiches, salads, pasta, etc. I was very happy when the owner told me that they have vegan cheese and vegan sauces so I ordered the tomato and avocado panini with vegan cheese and pesto. It was really yummy and it cost me £3.95. My friends ordered a chicken, bacon, chorizo and BBQ panini and a sausage roll as well as two empire biscuits and they were also impressed with how good the food was.

GF cafe edinburgh

Another place I would recommend in Edinburgh, especially if you’re looking for somewhere to sit in the evening (that is not a pub or restaurant), is the Holy Cow cafe. It’s 100% vegan and has the tastiest cakes I’ve ever had. You don’t need to be vegan to visit and they have tons of options such as soup, burgers, coffees, tea, juice, etc and it’s right next to the bus station! We had the jaffa cake, the summer fruits gateau, a tea and a turmeric latte with coconut milk.

Holy Cow
Holy cow edinburgh

On Saturday I used the bus ticket to take me to Halbeath P&R so I can get my Megabus back to Aberdeen. There’s so much to do and see and I would definitely recommend you spending a full week in Fife. There’s a lot of hiking spots as well as beautiful towns and villages to explore. Will definitely see some more places next time I’m down.

A lot of people think that you can’t explore Scotland without a car but it’s definitely possible! I can’t drive and I still get to go to new places every week easily with public transport. I really hope you enjoyed this blog post and found it helpful. Comment down below what your favourite place in Fife is.

-Marisa

5 walks to take in Aberdeen | Without a car

DSC02988.jpg

For someone like me, who does not drive, it can be quite hard sometimes to get to places to hike or walk, especially during lockdown, when I can’t take public transport and I have to stay within the city. I have been missing hiking and travelling so much lately but luckily Aberdeen has so many beautiful places to go that do not require a car or public transport and you can really immerse yourself in nature. Within an hour’s walk or less, I found myself in some new places surrounded by nature and felt so relaxed and even forgot that I was still in a city. I usually take my own food with me as there are plenty of spots to sit down and enjoy a picnic. Plus the views are absolutely stunning!

  1. Tollohill woods - 1 hour from Union Street

  2. RGU, River Dee and Cults - 1 hour from Union Street

  3. Old Aberdeen - 35 minutes from Union Street

  4. Torry Battery - 40 minutes from Union Street

  5. Kincorth Hill (The Gramps) - 1 hour from Union Street

DSC08850.jpg

1. Tollohill Wood

Across the river from the Robert Gordon University campus, Tollohill Wood is a great place to escape the city and enjoy peace and quiet. It’s about an hour’s walk from Union Street. You can get there by walking by the River Dee towards Bridge of Dee. Once you cross the bridge, turn right onto Leggart Terrace and continue walking for around 10 minutes until you see on the left side a sign that says “Farm shop” (I didn’t seem to find the street’s name). From here it’s uphill for around 15 minutes and then you’ll spot the wood entry.

DSC08762.jpg
DSC08902.jpg

There’s multiple paths that take you around and plenty of big rocks under the trees to sit on for lunch. You can also walk up to the monument located within the forest and from there you can see some amazing views of Aberdeen City.

DSC08836.jpg
DSC08950.jpg

2. RGU, River Dee and Cults

Depending on where you live, you can start this walk either from Union Square and walk down to the river from there or at the Robert Gordon University campus. I definitely recommend exploring the campus first as it is definitely one the most beautiful ones I’ve seen and it’s a great place to take photos.

DSC08585.jpg

No matter where you start from at the river, as long as you just follow the River Dee past the university, you will find yourself surrounded by trees, flowers, the river (obviously!), ducks (sometimes seals too), and then some beautiful fields. The whole trail is surrounded by nature and has some stunning river views. 

DSC08558.jpg
DSC08613.jpg

You will also see a reservoir, and the old St. Devenick's Bridge, which is not accessible to walk on but still interesting to see. When you get to a golf course, just continue walking on the trail until the golf course ends and you see a field of cows and then turn right. You will end up in a little forest and will see signs that lead to the main road of a village called Cults. It has some super cute and pretty houses as well as shops and a pub.

DSC08604.jpg
DSC08626.jpg

You can either walk back from where you came from or walk through the village instead. Public transport is also available from there, with plenty of bus stops on the way.

3. Old Aberdeen

One of my favourite areas in Aberdeen. It’s about 35 minutes walk from Union Street and there’s so much to see.

Once I arrive in the area, I always start from walking around the cobbled streets and admiring all the pretty houses and buildings. The University of Aberdeen is absolutely stunning and it just feels like you are in Hogwarts. Make sure to also check out the Sir Duncan Rice Library as it has a very unique design. Some other places you will come across are the Powis Gate, King’s College, the Old Aberdeen Town House Museum, and Cruickshank Botanic Garden.

DSC08262.jpg
DSC00373.jpg
DSC08244.jpg

As you continue walking towards St. Machar’s Cathedral, you will arrive at Seaton park, one of the city’s largest parks.

DSC08269.jpg
DSC08277.jpg

The River Don runs through the edge of it and there’s so many different paths that you can take to explore this beautiful area. My favorite part is walking down the path that is parallel to the river and relaxing in the shade at the riverbank. All you can hear are the birds singing and the waters of the river. It’s just so peaceful and I’m always so surprised at how close to the centre it is, yet so quiet and no cars can be heard.

DSC08346.jpg

Then continue walking towards Brig o' Balgownie. You will see signs that point towards it. This is a beautiful 13th century arch bridge with cobblestones and is surrounded by the cutest and prettiest cottages. When standing on the bridge you get some stunning views of the River Don.

DSC08399.jpg
DSC08362.jpg
DSC08436.jpg

If you continue walking, you will go past more insta-worthy houses and then end up at The Bridge of Don, a five-arch granite bridge. From there you can spot seals and can either walk back to the centre or take a bus (plenty of buses go past) or you can continue your walk towards the Donmouth Nature Reserve (this can also be a separate walk/day out).

DSC00395.jpg
DSC00439.jpg

4. Torry Battery

This is about a 40 minute walk from Union Street and you can go any time of the day but I would definitely recommend going for sunset. When the dolphins jump out of the water, the golden light reflects off them and it’s one of the most beautiful scenes to witness.

DSC08526.jpg

I usually start about an hour before the sun is about to set so I can have time to walk there and have about 20 minutes to watch the dolphins and then enjoy the sunset and views.

IMG_8381.jpg
IMG_8391.jpg
DSC00712.jpg

To get there, you can walk down Market Street all the way to Victoria Bridge in Torry. Once you cross it, turn left onto Sinclair Road and continue walking onto Greyhope Road until you reach Torry Battery. I usually sit on a bench or on a concrete block overlooking the harbour and the lighthouse. I find that there’s a better view of the dolphins and the city skyline from higher up rather than down at the sandy bit. 

DSC08533.jpg
DSC00697.jpg

Make sure to dress up warm because even on sunny warm days, it can get windy up there and it may be quite chilly.

5. Kincorth Hill Local Nature Reserve - The Gramps

Kincorth Hill or known locally as the Gramps, is a must for anyone living in Aberdeen. The views are incredible with different paths passing through grass as well as woodland. Part of the path is quite steep but most of it is flat and easy to walk on.

DSC02988.jpg

To get there, it’s about an hour’s walk from Union Street. You can walk by the river, down from Union Square, and then cross the bridge on Wellington Road. From there, continue on that road to Altens, and then you’ll find the hill in the Kincorth area.

DSC02873.jpg
DSC02934.jpg

I usually spend a couple of hours walking around and enjoying the views, and then I continue walking towards the Coastal Trail near Cove. From there I walk towards Torry Battery which takes a few hours. The coastal views on Aberdeen Coastal Trail (North Sea Trail) are incredible and it’s so worth the walk. From dramatic cliffs to cute cows and sheep, the walk back to Aberdeen is stunning. Once I get to Torry Battery, I usually stay for sunset and watch the dolphins. And then, I walk back to the centre. Or you can leave the coastal path and Torry for another day if you’re just looking for a short walk up Kincorth.

DSC03108.jpg
DSC03109.jpg

These are only some of the many walks that Aberdeen has to offer. There’s so much more to see and do here, these are just some of my favourite ones. Let me know in the comments below what’s your favourite walk in Aberdeen.

-Marisa

Follow my adventures on Instagram and Youtube <3