Last Stay: September 2016
Aberdeenshire rarely receives the credit that it deserves. Sometimes it has an underserved reputation as “grim”. In fact it is a beautiful county of rolling arable land with beautiful rivers, a marvellous wildlife and plenty for the avid tourist to see and do. well worth a visit and you could o worse than to start here in Huntly.
Huntly Castle Caravan Park is Affiliated with the Caravan Club (a CCAS). It is spacious, clean and neat but not stuffy or regimented. Trees outline the different lawned enclosures for both tourers and statics. The warden, Iain, is friendly and helpful.
Amenities: clean and tidy. Spacious shower cubicles. Sadly, push button water delivery and no temperature control. Happily, good hot water and a reasonable duration of delivery per push.
Laundry: expensive at £3.50 per wash load. Drying is 70 pence for fifteen minutes (never just quite enough). Ironing board available but no iron. No laundry baskets provided.
Water and Waste Disposal: Drinking water stand pipes in convenient locations. Waste Recycling in effect, multiple bins available and conveniently sited. Grey waste via ground level grate. Black waste via raised Chemical Disposal Point integral to Amenities block. This last is not suitable for Hank’s system but the warden was very helpful and located an Inspection Cover that we can lift at our own convenience.
The site backs onto playing fields and woodland and then to the River Deveron. Plenty of wildlife. Huntly Castle is only yards away and is well worth the visit.
The grounds are not overlit and are quite dark enough to sleep well. Quiet (ish) though with plenty of owl hoots and some accompanying roars from our friends at Kinloss. Clock chimes plus the usual noises from the (Public?) school next door. Enthusiastic rugby-playing anyway.
Bus service between Aberdeen and Inverness stops close by – the reason that we chose this site as Mr Snail had to attend a hospital appointment in Aberdeen. Short walk in one direction into Huntly, equally short walk in the other direction to Tesco (with fuel). Masses of good walking along the river and into the forestry.
There is an award-winning Butcher in Huntly.
Weather changed our plans when we were here but it was no trouble at all to extend our stay by two nights and the change was swiftly and cheerfully effected.
We would be very happy to return at any time and most likely will on our way home, when a second hospital appointment requires us to be in the Aberdeen area again.