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A great old yew spreading its branches over the lawn of Ellon Castle Gardens.
Aberdeenshire

Ellon Castle Gardens

The castle's private walled garden in the middle of Ellon, given to the town and restored.

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Welcome

For most of its history the walled garden of Ellon Castle was private, seen by very few people, though it lies right in the middle of the town.

Then it was given to the people of Ellon, and a charitable trust and a committed band of volunteers set about restoring it. Now anyone can walk in.

It is a quiet place. Inside the walls are floral displays, fruit trees heavy in late summer, and the ruins of the fifteenth-century castle. The great treasure is the yews, some of the oldest and largest in Scotland, believed to be at least five hundred years old, their dark canopies spreading wide enough to sit under in the shade and look out over the garden.

It makes a lovely stop on the way north, and the River Ythan runs just below the town.

A short drive awayForvie National Nature ReserveSome of the biggest sand dunes in Britain, with seals, terns and a buried medieval church.14 min by roadSee itLow dunes and a still pool on the Forvie reserve under a wide sky.
Before you go

The walled garden is in the middle of Ellon and looked after by volunteers.

Check opening on the garden's own site.

Where
The middle of Ellon.
Where it is

Ellon.

Close byAround Ellon.
  1. The Coffee Apothecary's long timber counter in Ellon, a barista at work under pendant lamps.The Coffee Apothecary EllonUnder a mile1 min by road
  2. Halved croissant on a plate beside a wicker bread basketTrellis5 miles8 min by road
  3. The parterres of Pitmedden Garden below the wall, clipped yews at the corners.Pitmedden Garden6 miles10 min by road
  4. Newburgh Seal BeachNewburgh Seal Beach6 miles10 min by road
  5. The tasting bar at Still Spirit, stools along the counter by tall windows onto the fields.Still SpiritA whisky shop and dram bar on the edge of Pitmedden, home also to the Whisky Hammer auctions.6 miles12 min by road
Directions
Low dunes and a still pool on the Forvie reserve under a wide sky.WalksForvie National Nature Reserve5.8 miles
The Coffee Apothecary's granite café in Udny at dusk, its windows lit.CafeThe Coffee Apothecary Udny6.3 miles
Tolquhon Castle's roofless courtyard and gatehouse towers across the lawn under a grey sky.AttractionsTolquhon Castle6.5 miles
A drawing room at Haddo House, its ornate ceiling above portraits and blue chairs.AttractionsHaddo House7.5 miles
Marram-covered dunes falling to a long sandy beach at Balmedie, a burn winding to the sea.WalksBalmedie Beach and Country Park10 miles
Aerial view of a coastal links golf course with rolling fairways and dunesAttractionsCruden Bay Golf Club11 miles
A wood-burning stove set into an old stone wall at the Kilmarnock Arms.BarsThe Kilmarnock Arms11 miles
The whitewashed buildings and tall chimney of Glen Garioch Distillery in Oldmeldrum.AttractionsGlen Garioch Distillery11 miles
Tables on the terrace at Harbour Dunes looking over Port Erroll and the bay.CafeHarbour Dunes Café11 miles
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