| Dyce in Aberdeen Aberdeen's
airport is based in Dyce, in the north west of the city. Although part of Aberdeen,
Dyce has a village feel to it. There are a few of hotels here, the Skean Dhu, the
Speedberg Travel Lodge, both based at the airport, the Marriot Hotel,and the Hen and
Blackie Travel Lodge, in Dyce itself. It can sometimes be difficult to obtain a room at
the hotels during the week because of all the oil related business in the area. There are
also a number of guest houses, including the Granville Guest House, 58,
Victoria St., Dyce, telephone: 01224 722 221, or mobile 07776 213 989.
A
place set aside for watching aircraft take off and land is located in the road to the left
of the car hire car park at the airport. There are no parking restrictions here and
it's not really any further to walk from the terminal building than the main car park so
free parking is readily available but rarely used.
Trains
from Dyce Railway Station travel to Aberdeen mainline station, and from there it is
possible to catch a train to Edinburgh, London or other cities.
The
train line also used to run to Peterhead and Fraserburgh but was abandoned quite a few
years ago. The old train line to both of these destinations has now been redeveloped
as a dedicated cycle path or walkway; some of it has been resurfaced in concrete.
The Formartine and Buchan Way starts at the far end of the station and continues through the
park in Dyce, onwards to Mintlaw (past Aden Country
Park) and onto
Fraserburgh. The photo
below shows the path at the right hand end of the station with the airport behind.

Entertainment
is limited to pubs, social clubs, and community clubs. The nearest
cinemas and night clubs are in Aberdeen.
A
regular bus service to Aberdeen for shopping and
entertainment can be caught from the road behind the Asda Supermarket (half hourly). Visitors to
Dyce may wish to note that there is a cafe and toilets in the Asda shopping centre.
Lunch and snacks may be obtained here or at one of the hotels or pubs in the town.
Good
fish and chips can be purchased from the busy Fish and Chip shop in
Station Road.
The River
Don runs through Dyce. Fishing is available by permit. Attractive walks and
park areas have been created along the river bank and there is plenty of space for ball
games or picnics. Very pleasant walks can be found in Parkhill Forest on the other side of
the river but a car is essential to get to them, either via the Peterhead road and taking
the right hand turn at the Parkhill crossroads, or via Persley. Photograph of open mixed
woodland at Parkhill Forest is shown on the left.
A
larger forest with walks and superb mountain bike paths and bridleways is 2-3 miles north
west of Dyce along the A96 at Kirkhill Forest. The forest has plenty of interesting walks
with raspberries growing wild along the paths, heather on sunny banks, rowan trees and
even the odd red currant bush or two. There are brambles and ferns everywhere.
We spotted roe deer twice on the same evening. The mountain bike trails are
well sign posted and are part of a Trail Quest or orienteering on a bicycle. A map can be
picked up at the car park at the entrance. The forest and Trail Quest are
highly recommended.
Dyce
is well situated for easy access to all visitor attractions in the north east of Scotland.
It's only 15 minutes by car to the superb beach at Balmedie,
or Aberdeen, close to Royal
Deeside, Donside, the whisky and castle trails, Speyside, the many visitor attractions and wonderful coastline.
Click
here for a list of Scottish
self-catering holiday cottages and apartments.
Click
on the cockerel to find more details of country cottages, apartments,
pine lodges, houseboats and other self-catering holiday accommodation.
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