Home Page



Visit my wee Scottish shop



Highland Cow


Alford
Map of this area

This market town in Aberdeenshire is set in the Howe of Alford, a rich arable basin encircled by hills, notably the Correen Hills to the northwest and Bennachie to the northeast. This was the birthplace of the poet Charles Murray (1864-1941), who spent much of his life in South Africa and was known for his poetry in the Doric.

Grampian Transport Museum

The main section evokes the transport (cars. cycles and carriages) history of the North East amid a variety of side exhibits. Look out for the "sociable safety cycle", which was anything but safe, and The Craigievar Express, a local postman's 19C steam tricycle. Built in 1895 to help with the delivery round, this mainly wooden steam vehicle is capable of doing at least lOmph. Fine collection of Scottish-built cars.

Alford Valley Railway Museum

The station now houses a small museum describing the arrival of the railway and its effect on 19C rural Donside. The Alford Valley Railway operates steam and diesel locomotives between the terminus and Haughton country park.

If you would like to visit this area as part of a highly personalized small group tour of my native Scotland please e-mail me: