EHPS/DHP 2016

Aberdeen City Showcase

Saturday 27 August 2016: 09.30 to 13.00 hrs 
Travelling in a comfortable coach and starting from the bustling city centre with its many elegant granite buildings, your tour heads for Old Aberdeen - home to the 15th Century University of Aberdeen, where the Chair of Medicine is the oldest in the English-speaking world. As well as King’s College, your route takes you through the commercial heart of the old city and on to the Chanonry with its stately homes and gardens, leading to St. Machar Cathedral, one of the finest examples of a fortified church surviving in Western Europe.
From the old city you now head for Aberdeen Beach with panoramic views of the North Sea and miles of sandy beach with the chance to visit the fascinating village of Footdee – locally called Fittie - home to many families with maritime connections. One of the busiest modern ports in Europe lies alongside Footdee and your coach will take you round the various basins to give an idea of its multiple uses.
Join us for an insight into this vibrant, cosmopolitan city known as the Energy Capital of Europe. A ‘Blue Badge’ Tourist Guide will accompany your group today.
£32.00 per person

Glen Garioch Distillery

Saturday 27 August 2016: 14.00 to 17.30 hrs
Travelling west of Aberdeen – little more than 15 miles – today’s route takes you to the historic town of Oldmeldrum and the Glen Garioch (pronounced Geerie) Distillery, a small granite distillery named after the Valley of the Garioch traditionally one of the best barley growing areas in Scotland. For more than 20 years Glen Garioch Distillery has been producing a range of beautiful single malt Scotch whiskies acclaimed worldwide.
Here, after an opportunity to view the AV presentation, enjoy your personal tour starting in the original cooperage where casks were once built and then on through the various buildings to discover first-hand the traditional art of distilling. After sampling a dram of Glen Garioch’s finest whisky, take some time to browse in the distillery shop for souvenirs of this memorable visit before you leave.
£38.00 per person

Drum Castle

Sunday 21 August 2016: 14.00 to 17.30 hrs
Take the North Deeside Road and head some 10 miles west of Aberdeen to discover this chameleon-like castle with its medieval tower, Jacobean mansion and several modern Victorian additions. Originally started in the 14th century by the Irvine Family, the castle represents the work of 21 generations who lived here for more than 650 years. Spend some time in the peaceful surroundings of the Garden of Historic Roses and enjoy roses from the shores of Japan – rugged yet delicately perfumed – alongside peach and orange tinged plants from China, set among a multi-colour palette of white, pink and red.
Until March 2017 Drum Castle is currently hosting a specially curated collection of art on loan from Aberdeen Art Gallery. These pieces are being temporarily housed in a newly created gallery at Drum while a major refurbishment takes place in the city centre. Before you leave, take time to visit the chapel, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and perhaps look for souvenirs in the castle shop. A Scottish ‘Blue Badge’ Tourist will accompany you on the trip.
£50.00 per person

Crathes Castle/Fettercairn Distillery

Mon 22 August 2016: 09.30 to 16.30 hrs

Crathes Castle:
A superb opportunity not to be missed while spending time in the north east of Scotland is a tour of Royal Deeside. Combine this with a visit to one of the National Trust for Scotland’s excellent properties – Crathes Castle – and you have the recipe for a perfect morning.
Home to the Burnett Family for four centuries, this C16 castle with its fairy-tale turrets, wonderful interiors, mysterious ‘Green Lady’ ghost and fascinating walled garden, has something of interest for everyone. Perhaps you will actually see or ‘feel’ the presence of the Crathes ghost! As well as the castle and its superb nine individual gardens, there is much more to enjoy – the shop, lunch in the restaurant and a choice of different walks around the grounds.

Fettercairn Distillery:
Leaving Crathes and taking the well-known Cairn o’ Mount Road through magnificent countryside now drive east to your next visitor attraction - Fettercairn Distillery - located in the charming town of the same name. Here, in the Howe of the Mearns, where barley growing & whisky distilling go hand in hand, enjoy the chance to learn how the finest natural ingredients are skilfully brought together to produce Fettercairn Single Malt, prized among the world’s finest drinks, while at the same time, quite unique. After sampling a ‘dram’ of the ‘water of life’ as it’s often called and possibly buying a souvenir from the distillery shop, re-join your group and head back to Aberdeen at the end of a perfect day.  Your tour today will be accompanied by an on-board commentary given by a Scottish ‘Blue Badge’ Tourist Guide.   
£75.00 per person

Glen Garioch Distillery

Monday 22 August 2016: 14.00 to 17.30 hrs
Travelling west of Aberdeen – little more than 15 miles – today’s route takes you to the historic town of Oldmeldrum and the Glen Garioch (pronounced Geerie) Distillery, a small granite distillery named after the Valley of the Garioch traditionally one of the best barley growing areas in Scotland. For more than 20 years Glen Garioch Distillery has been producing a range of beautiful single malt Scotch whiskies acclaimed worldwide.
Here, after an opportunity to view the AV presentation, enjoy your personal tour starting in the original cooperage where casks were once built and then on through the various buildings to discover first-hand the traditional art of distilling. After sampling a dram of Glen Garioch’s finest whisky, take some time to browse in the distillery shop for souvenirs of this memorable visit before you leave.
£38.00 per person