Deeside Activity Park
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Add your business details- Wild camping at an outdoor activity centre five minutes from Aboyne
- A 15-minute drive to Craigievar Castle; half an hour to Balmoral
- Farm shop and restaurant on site; fishing, archery and go-karting
Off to the Aberdeenshire countryside in search of adventure? There’s plenty of that at Deeside Activity Park, five minutes’ drive from Aboyne. This is a place that’s packed with things to do, including days of quad biking, archery, clay shooting and go-kart racing… and all right there where you’re staying.
Got your eye on some fishing while you’re in the area? The River Dee is just down the road for experienced anglers, and there’s a well-stocked loch on site too, where you can do some catch-and-release fishing, hire kit and take lessons from an expert ghillie to learn the essential techniques.
The camping setup here has a sense of adventure about it, too: this is a wild camping park where you’ll need to forego many of the trappings of modern life (although you’ll have access to a chemical toilet and a firepit where you can have a go at building a campfire). Well-behaved dogs are welcome as long as they’re kept on a lead.
All this activity requires a good amount of food, of course – and handily, that’s easy to source at this park. The on-site restaurant is open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, and you can also pick up hot drinks and home-baked treats during the day.
Rather stick to the alfresco approach? Bring along a barbecue and source supplied at the site’s farm shop, which is stocked with its own award-winning Aberdeen Angus beef (from the farm a mile and a half up the road) alongside local pork, sausages, fresh veg, eggs and little extras like local biscuits.
Campground type
6Open all year
Languages spoken
English
Nearby campgrounds that are bookable on Pitchup.com
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Features
Portable toilet
Pop-up campground
Dogs allowed
Leisure on site
Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis WatersportsAmenities on site
Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area WifiGroups welcome
Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcomeRules
Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all yearThemes
Budget/backpacker Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife havenUtilities
Charging facilities Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available No hot water Recycling available Renewable energyNearby amenities
Bar nearby Dog walk nearbyType
Pop-up campground Tiny (1-10 sites)Accessibility
Disabled facilitiesNearby leisure
Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearbyLocation
Deeside Activity Park
Dess
Aboyne
Aberdeenshire
Scotland
AB34 5BD
Directions Timezone
Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)
GPS
57.10248°N
-2.71145°W
Nearest transport
Coach37.5 km Union Square Bus Station
38.9 km Kirkburn Drive
40.6 km Station Road
Rail26.8 km Insch Rail Station
26.9 km Kintore Rail Station
28.9 km Inverurie Rail Station
Ferry37.8 km Aberdeen Ferry Terminal
Airport32.7 km Aberdeen Airport
Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.
Local attractions
More activity? You got it. Take a gentle stroll from the park along the surrounding woodland trails and down to the Dess Waterfall (15 minutes’ walk) or along to the Peel Ring of Lumphanan (half an hour), where Macbeth took his last stand. Craigievar Castle (15 minutes' drive) also makes a fine place for an amble, taking in the pink castle itself, its collections of art and armour, and a stroll along its wooded paths.
There are more trails to wander along at Glen Tanar Estate (15 minutes), and at the royal family’s holiday home Balmoral Castle (half an hour) – both are also good places to ride bikes or saddle up for horse riding. For something more challenging, take an uphill route at Lochnagar (45 minutes), the area’s tallest munro, or the mountain bike courses at Tarland Trails (15 minutes).
Need a little drink after all the excitement? Lost Loch Spirits is just next door for tours, tastings and spirit school experiences or it’s a half-hour drive to the Royal Lochnagar Distillery for top-notch whisky.
Water quality at nearby bathing waters
| Name | Distance | Type | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stonehaven | 34.3 km | Sea | N/A | Good | Good | Good |
| Aberdeen | 38.7 km | Sea | N/A | Good | Good | N/A |
| Balmedie | 44.2 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Montrose | 46.1 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
Data source: European Environment Agency
Must see
Carnegie Museum 28.7 km
Balmoral Castle 31.6 km
Duthie Park Winter Gardens 36.9 km
Aberdeen Maritime Museum 37.5 km
Braemar Castle 42.2 km
Cycle routes
Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.
Other
Kincardine O'Neil - Dess Waterfall - Aboyne 2.8 km
Lumphanan - Tullochvenus circular 3.1 km
Lumphanan - Kincardine O'Neil Hill Route 3.2 km
Aboyne, Dess and Mortlich Hill 4.9 km
Shooting Greens, River Dee and views of the Feugh Valley 9.4 km
Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.
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Frequently asked questions
- Does Deeside Activity Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
- Is Deeside Activity Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
- What attractions are near Deeside Activity Park? More activity? You got it. Take a gentle stroll from the park along the surrounding woodland trails and down to the Dess Waterfall (15 minutes’ walk) or along to the Peel Ring … Read more
- When can I check in and check out of Deeside Activity Park?
Read moreCamping and caravan Arrive: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Depart by: 10 a.m.