Would love to explore the highlands around there, what are some of the best walks/hikes/castle to do in that area? Thanks!
I (F23 USA) will be staying with my friend in Aberdeen over summer
Get the Walkhighlands app for your smart phone. It is free and unbelievably good. It gives all the information that you require for the walks. This includes an Ordinance Survey map of the trail linked to GPS so your position is marked on the map. I have yet to go on a Walkhighlands trail that is disappointing.
Agreed. And you can download the maps for offline use, which every other app charges for.
A quick, easy and nearby hill to do is Bennachie, it will be absolutely heaving with local and a few tourists during summer so if you want a quieter walk there are plenty of others as recommended by everyone else here
Moray Coast Trail is a nice route. Could get train to Forres or Elgin, and buses to connect to other villages. Or some of the Speyside Way, or Dava Way.
The classic Munro to do from Aberdeen is Lochnagar - takes about 5-6 hours, with lovely scenery. But it does require a car to get there.
If you’re looking for something short and accessible, Scolty Hill in Banchory gives great views with minimal effort, and a bus will take you within a 15-20 min walk of the base. Clachnaben and Bennachie are also local classics.
If you do have a car, Linn of Dee and Glen Tanar both have loads of excellent hiking, there’s lots of good trails through lovely glens.
The best castle of the area (though there are many good ones), is Dunottar Castle, by Stonehaven. There is a car park right by it, but you can also get the train or bus to Stonehaven and take the coastal path. It’s beautiful.
Details for most of the walks I mentioned can be found on Walkhighlands.com, which is a great resource. Let me know if you need more details of which buses or trains etc.
But it does require a car to get there
Yeah, it is generally true that having access to a car makes everything much easier to get to, but you can also take the bus to Balmoral Castle and then walk to Lochnagar (perhaps staying overnight at Gelder Shiel Stable Bothy) instead of walking from Loch Muick to Lochnagar.
Apart from the hills at Knoydart and around Corrour. Cars make it significantly harder to reach!
True; I've also done plenty walking/ hiking when I didn't have access to a car.
Ah true forgot about the northern approach. I’ve only ever done the Loch Muick way
You don't need a car to do Lochnagar as others have mentioned. I have done an amazing overnighter from Braemar to Balmoral via some of the White Mounth hills using only buses. Equally, Linn of Dee is accessible from Braemar as well, it is a 9 KM walk or so. I have also walked Mount Keen from Ballater to Aboyne - that was a long day admittedly.
Anything in the Cairngorms, but watch out for midges! (Get a midge/mosquito net, sprays are not great). Have a look at walking and outdoor clubs. Cults hillwalking are good.
Let Walkhighlands be your bible https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/aberdeenshire/
Will you have transport? I'd definitely try and travel further afield if you can. Here's another good link with walks accessible by train: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/our-picks-10-walks-you-can-reach-by-train/