Banchory

A resort town in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, situated on the north bank of the River Dee, 18 miles (29 km) west of Aberdeen. Founded in 1805 and formerly included in Kincardineshire, Banchory developed during the 19th century as a tourist resort and in the late 20th century also as a commuter settlement for those working in Aberdeen.

Through local meetings of the Strathspey and Reel Society and the Accordion and Fiddle Club, the people of Banchory keep alive a strong musical tradition that is associated with the locally-born composer of fiddle music, James Scott Skinner (1843-1927).

Close to Banchory to the East is Crathes Castle, it was built in the late 1500s by the Burnett family and occupied by them until the 1950s. Now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. The famous gardens are laid out divided into eight rooms, each with a different theme. The Castle and grounds are one of the most popular attractions in the North East.