Visit the North East of Scotland - Unlocking Aberdeenshire

Thank you for tuning in to the Visit the North East of Scotland Podcast with me your host Jacqueline van den Akker.  In today’s episode I am speaking with Debbie Cooper who is the development and promotions officer for the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board and River Dee Trust.Debbie joined the team in 2021 to increase awareness and the use of the River Dee, one of Aberdeenshire’s most treasured rivers. Debbie will tell us about the salmon preservation programs as well as re-wilding and environmental conservation work being undertaken by the Trust.  The river Dee is famous for its salmon fishing and Debbie shares what makes the river perfect for the sport of angling, and other adventures that can be enjoyed on or near the water.

Today we are having a slightly different podcast as we are talking all things Christmas and Hogmanay in Scotland.  I share some of the traditions around this time of year, we hear from a good friend Catherine Leiper about her experiences of the festive season growing up and the traditions she has continued in her own family.  We learn a bit more about some of the more unusual and forgotten celebrations such as the Burning of the Clavie with Fiona-Jane Brown and how herring played a role in a very curious act.  Finally we finish with a Hogmanay poem written by Angela Wybrow.

In today’s episode I’m speaking with Martin Bennie an Aberdeenshire based Photographer who has a passion for landscape photography and getting out into nature.  Aberdeenshire has been Martin's inspiration for the last few years after spending time abroad with his work in Korea. Martin talks about why landscape photography speaks to him, how he has taken to helping others develop their style through offering tuition sessions while exploring Royal Deeside,  and he gives us some insight into what makes a great photo.

We are heading into the hills today with mountain guide Garry Cormack from Hillgoers.Garry shares with us his adventures on the hills, and what he loves about getting outside and into nature.  Hillgoers offer guided walks throughout Scotland with their team of qualified mountain guides and have dedicated time to working with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme to help young people develop skills and knowledge to become adventurers too.Having a profound respect for nature and our environment guests will not only learn new skills but develop a deeper appreciation of our history and landscape along the way.

In today’s episode we are staying on the adventure sports topic and we are having a conversation with Steven Strathie, a keen adventure cyclist and outdoor sports enthusiast.  Steven recently joined the board of directors of local adventure community- Scottish Adventure, which was established in 2020. The group is made up of people who have a love of the outdoors and come together to participate in different cycling activities but also to have a genuine community feel by sharing stories, adventure experiences and social elements to their rides.Scottish Adventure strongly believe the outdoors is for everyone and all abilities are welcomed.  The main objective is to get out there, slow down, take in the wonderful landscape and to enjoy the company of others.

In this episode we are speaking with James Wight from Sup2Summit based in Montrose.  James started his business about 4 ½ years ago when after spending many years working for others in outdoor adventure sports all over the world, he wanted to return home.  The path to getting his business established was not a smooth one but ultimately, he was successful in creating an outdoor centre for, among other things, stand up paddle boarding with exciting adventures both on the coast and in other areas of Scotland.The Sup2Summit team have great plans to expand into a full adventure sports facility and have developed unique opportunities to travel exploring the great lochs and glens of Scotland while on a board.  If you love getting onto the water and seeing wildlife, exploring the coastline or even a scenic sunset paddle then you must visit Aberdeenshire.

We are back with second podcast series of Visit the North East of Scotland!  My name is Jacqueline van den Akker and I am your host.  Can I say that I am very excited to be back again with a brand new series of episodes.We will continue our conversations with local businesses, activity providers, attractions, and people who are generally passionate about what there is to see and do in Aberdeenshire.  Guests who want to promote the region to visitors from all over the world, and encourage them to come to the North East of Scotland and spend a bit of time discovering our beautiful corner of the country.In this second series we delve deeper into topics such as adventure tourism, the landscape from the mountains to the sea, wildlife and agritourism and much-loved places to explore.  I’m delighted to be sharing more stories and adventures with you and look forward to welcoming you to the North East of Scotland very soon.

In today’s episode we are meeting with Vivien Rae who has a professional and personal passion for tourism in the North East of Scotland. Not only does Vivien work as marketing guru for several events and tourism related businesses she also dedicates a large portion of her time to volunteering on a variety of committees which put on events in the North East. Vivien shares with us what she loves about festivals and the many opportunities we have to learn something new about our past.  Keeping traditional stories and skills alive is an important part of sharing our heritage and the chance to get together to socialise is integral too.  The recent move to virtual events is a positive one, and Vivien believes in some ways it is a wonderful chance to share our heritage with people who dream of visiting Scotland.. The last few months have also meant more people are becoming visitors in their own areas and rediscovering their part of Scotland and seeing what they have with a fresh perspective.

In this short episode we wanted to say thank you to all of you have have listened and shared our podcast.  Also a thank you to the guests who have appeared on the episodes so far and do share with us your ideas for future programmes.  We do have a few more for this series so do keep listening.  We finish the year with a New Year Blessing and wish you all a very Happy New Year.

In today’s episode we are speaking with David McCubbin who is passionate about supporting smaller villages along the North East Coastal Route to become thriving communities for residents and visitors alike.  David moved up to Aberdeenshire from Somerset several years ago and chose the unique village of Cullen to become his family home. David wears multiple hats in his work life, having spent several years working within tourism and currently as Project Officer for the town center development project.David shares with us the various challenges small coastal communities face and the efforts to support each community to be a great place to live.  He also reveals some of his favourite places to visit in the North East of Scotland.

In today’s episode we are speaking with drinks producer Claire Rennie who is based in the coastal community of Rosehearty in the North East of Aberdeenshire.  Claire started her company Summerhouse drinks back in 2014 followed shortly by Walter Gregor Tonics.  One of the first Scottish made tonics available.Both brands are known for having high quality and interesting flavour combinations .  Using only natural ingredients and preservative free, Claire has built a fantastic reputation in the drinks industry in Scotland.Claire shares with us a sneak preview of exciting new flavours and products coming out soon as well as the new online shop where you can order their subscription boxes and perfect serve boxes directly from their small factory. You’ll be the first to know about what is coming up in their limited-edition line of tonics!

In today’s episode we are speaking with Calum Lockerbie owner of Bothies & Bannocks. Calum is a local lad with a passion for top quality, seasonal local produce and provides a range of fun and informative food and drink experiences in the Deeside area of Aberdeenshire.Calum is the type of person who is busy with lots of different things including working as part time butcher for a local rare breed pig farmer, assisting at farmer’s markets and generally lending a hand to his many friends.Calum was a trained chef for several years which is how he developed his passion for food and drink in the North East.  The idea of starting his own foodie related business had been brewing for a while and not long ago the time was right to launch his new adventure.

In this episode we are speaking with one of Aberdeenshire’s very talented Chefs Ross Cochrane who is the Executive Chef at Ballater’s The Rothesay Rooms and The Carriage.Ross has spent the last 17 years developing his talents in hotels and restaurants in Scotland.  After winning the North East Chef of the Year in 2017, he took over The Rothesay Rooms and continued to build on the restaurant’s wonderful reputation.  Aberdeenshire is a produce rich and Ross works closely with local suppliers to ensure the best of the region reaches his plates.Being able to give visitors the tough choice of what to order when visiting Ballater is something that he enjoys. It goes to show the diverse and special ingredients he can find close to the restaurant.  His ambition is to continue to work with his team to establish The Rothesay Rooms on the Scottish Food map as outstanding venues. Considering they have already won North East Restaurant of the Year a few years running this shouldn’t be a tough task.

In this episode we are speaking with blue badge tour guide Alasdair Brodie.  Alasdair is born and raised in Aberdeenshire and grew up on a farm where he developed his love for agriculture. Alasdair talks about the agricultural history of Aberdeenshire and how it became an efficient and productive area for Scotland supplying high quality ingredients and food and drink products.  He also shares with us his views on how food production has changed over the years as well as some of his favourite foods from the area. Alasdair has a passion for whisky and highland games which are both iconic for Scotland and is dedicated to sharing with visitors the place that he calls home.

Welcome and thank you for tuning in to the Visit the North East of Scotland Podcast .  Today, we are continuing our conversation with Dr. Fiona-Jane Brown who previously shared with us local traditions and character traits of the people of the north east.  In this episode Fiona-Jane speaks about how the local dialect, Doric, has evolved and continues to be part of daily life.  She also describes some of her tours and how people love hearing about the darker side of Aberdeen, discover parts of the city they may not have known about and stories of a few prominent people who have contributed to the greater good of society.

In this episode I am speaking with Dr. Fiona-Jane Brown about local heritage in Aberdeenshire.  Fiona-Jane shares with us how she developed her love of history and stories from an early age. In fact, there is so much we want to share, we have enough for two episodes!  In this first episode Fiona-Jane will tell us a few stories about the people of the land and the people of the coast.  She will also describe a few traditions which are still part of people’s lives today. In the next episode we learn more about the language of the region and Fiona-Jane tells us about some influential and successful people who came from Aberdeen.  Fiona-Jane also talks more about her tours in Aberdeen and that her guests tend to be a bit blood thirsty!

In this episode we meet outdoor enthusiast Lyle Smith.  Lyle owns the adventure sports company Granite Adventures and he shares with us why he is passionate about outdoor sports in the North East and believes everyone can find something suitable for them. Find out what Aberdeenshire has to offer, whether it is water based activities or lacing up those walking boots. Tune in next time on the 24th of September, when we speak with Dr. Fiona-Jane Brown about the culture of the people of the North East of Scotland.  The people of the land and the fisher folk as well as unique traditions still active today.

In this episode I am speaking with Justin Kieron, who settled in Aberdeen nearly 20 years ago. Justin developed his passion for the great outdoors while serving in the Army and this has been a great source of joy ever since.  After moving to the north east of Scotland and experiencing much of what this area has to offer, Justin could not think of living anywhere else that his gorgeous little seaside village of Fittie.  Often out on his travels with his recue dog Nellie, Justin encourages everyone to get reconnected with nature.Tune in for our next podcast on the 10th of September: Outdoor Activities in the North East of Scotland.

This first podcast is to introduce our travel guide to the North East of Scotland.  In the podcast series we will be talking about a variety of topics to help you plan for your visit and find out more about what is available in and around Aberdeen.