Huntly

The town of Huntly in Aberdeenshire, Scotland is home to the ruins of Huntly Castle; the ancestral home of the chief of Clan Gordon, Earl of Huntly. Those with an interest in history and architecture will find a well-preserved five-story tower with an adjoining great hall and supporting buildings. Some of the original ornate facade and interior stonework remain along with a mound in the grounds; all that remains of an earlier 12^th century motte. King Robert the Bruce was a guest of the castle in 1307 prior to his defeat of the Earl of Buchan; his visit is part of the rich history of this castle that was fired in 1452 by the Earl of Moray and later rebuilt by the first Earl of Huntly. The castle grounds were recently the location for ‘Pure Strength I’, a major international strongman competition where the winner of the contest was Jon Pall Sigmarsson of Iceland.

Huntly offers ample amenities for the visitor along with historic and visitor attractions. As well as the beautiful castle, Huntly’s historic buildings include Leith Hall with its Dule tree and the Brander Museum and Library that provide fascinating insights into the history of Huntly and its residents. Other popular attractions here are the Glendronach Distillery, the Duncan Taylor Whisky Shop and the visitor centre at the famous Deans bakers, well known for their tasty shortbread biscuits. For anglers, there is salmon and trout fishing on the nearby Rivers Deveron and Bogie.