ABERDEEN AND GRAMPIAN

Castle Fraser & Garden
Sauchen, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire
Tel: (01330) 833 463
Open: Good Friday to 30 Jun and 1 to 30 Sep, daily except Fri & Mon, 12–5; 1 Jul to 31 Aug, daily 11–5.

A magnificent castle which was begun in 1575. It includes fine furniture, paintings, memorabilia, a walled garden and woodland walks.

Craigievar Castle
Alford, Aberdeenshire
Tel: (013398) 83 635
Open: Good Friday to 30 Jun, Fri–Tue, 12–5.30; 1 Jul to 31 Aug, daily 12–5.30. Closed 1 Sep 2005 until Easter 2007 for reharling. Grounds, all year, daily.

Craigievar exemplifies the best of Scottish baronial architecture. The house remains much as it did when lived in by the Forbes-Sempill family.

Crathes Castle, & Garden
Banchory, Aberdeenshire
Tel: (01330) 844 525
Open: Castle and Visitor Centre, Good Friday to 30 Sep, daily 10–5.30; 1 to 31 Oct, daily 10–4.30. Restaurant and shop, 18 Jan to 31 Mar and 1 Nov to 21 Dec, Wed–Sun 10–4; 1 Apr to 30 Sep, daily 10–5.30; 1 to 31 Oct, daily 10–4.30. Walled garden, all year, daily 9 sunset. To help you enjoy your visit and for safety reasons, admission to the castle is by timed ticket (limited numbers: entry may be delayed). Grounds, all year, daily.

Built in the 16th century, the Castle has remarkable painted ceilings, collections of family portraits and vernacular furniture. The renowned gardens are spectacular.

Drum Castle & Garden
Drumoak, by Banchory, Aberdeenshire
Tel: (01330) 811 204
Open: Good Friday to 31 May and 1 to 30 Sep, daily 12.30-5.30; 1 Jun to 31 Aug, daily 10-5.30. Grounds, all year, daily.

The great, square tower of Drum Castle is one of the three oldest tower houses in Scotland; the work of Richard Cementarius.

Fyvie Castle
Fyvie, Turriff, Aberdeenshire
Tel: (01651) 891 266
Open: Good Friday to 30 Jun and 1 to 30 Sep, Sat–Wed 12–5; 1 Jul to 31 Aug, daily 11–5. Grounds, all year, daily.

The castle, dating from 13th century, is a fine example of Scottish baronial architecture. The five castle towers enshrine five centuries of Scottish history, each named after one of the five owners.

Haddo House
Ellon, Aberdeenshire
Tel: (01651) 851 440
Open: house, Good Friday to Easter Monday, 11–4.30; May to Jun, Sat/Sun only 11–4.30; 1 Jul to 31 Aug, daily 11–4.30; Sep, Sat/Sun only 11–4.30. Stables Shop and tearoom, Good Friday to 30 Jun, Fri–Mon 11–5; 1 Jul to 31 Aug, daily 11–5; Sep to Christmas Fayre (1st weekend in Nov), Fri–Mon 11-5. Garden open all year, daily.

Built in the 1730s and refurbished in the 1880s, the house blends Georgian architecture with late Victorian interiors.

Leith Hall & Garden
Huntly, Aberdeenshire
Tel: (01464) 831 216
Open: house and tearoom, Good Friday to Easter Monday, daily 12–5; 1 May to 30 Sep, Fri–Tue 12–5. Garden and grounds, all year, daily.

Leith Hall is at the centre of a 286 acre estate which was the home to the head of the Leith-Hay family from 1650.

Mar Lodge Estate
Braemar, Aberdeenshire
Tel: (013397) 41433
Open: estate, all year, daily. Lodge and Ballroom open Easter Sunday and the first Sundays of July and September.

The 77,500 acre estate is part of the core area of the Cairngorms, recognised as the most important nature conservation landscape in the British Isles. The estate contains four of the five highest mountains in the UK. It includes the upper watershed of the River Dee and remnant Caledonian pine forest. The wildlife and birdlife are characteristic of the northern mountainous areas of Britain.

Pitmedden Garden
Ellon, Aberdeenshire
Tel: (01651) 842 352
Open: garden, Museum of Farming Life, shop and tearoom: 1 May to 30 Sep, daily 10–5.30. Grounds, all year, daily.

The centrepiece of this property is the Great Garden with its elaborate floral designs, originally laid out in 1675. Also includes a woodland walk and Visitor Centre.