The lesser-known Scottish road trip FULL of sights and surprises! Join me on the North East 250
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- I must admit to never having heard of the North East 250 until a subscriber mentioned it in a comment. On hearing the name I instantly thought it must just be trying to cash in on the fame of the North Coast 500. So there was only one thing to do - DRIVE IT!
Join me on a quick dash around the loop over two days in September 2021. Fair to say I came away quite surprised!
Driven in an anti-clockwise direction from Aberdeen Airport on 7th and 8th September 2021.
Enjoy the video and thank you to EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!!!!
Hi, I’m Steve. I am a travel reviewer and post my trip reports here on UA-cam. I pay for my own travel and produce my own videos. If you have any questions about my journeys or travel advice in general, please drop me a comment - I do read every single one. I’d also love to hear any recommendations you may have for future content, or why not challenge me to try something a little out of the ordinary! If you are looking to collaborate on any type of project, I’d love to hear from you - email me your ideas and hopefully we can work together in the future.
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Music courtesy of epidemicsound.com
Map courtesy of google maps / craigston-castle.co.uk
#NorthEast250 #Scotland #SteveMarsh
Ahhhhh... So, there IS an upside to memory loss. I'd seen this video before, but forgot most of it. I'm now in the middle of watching it again and loving it. Now, if only YT would let me give it another thumbs up...
Me too😀
Your videos are fascinating to me. I’m from Albuquerque New Mexico. All these places you go are so alien to me. I’ve been to England,Ireland, and France but couldn’t get to Scotland. Good thing we have your eyes see through. Thank you for bringing us along.
But you have visited Chaco Cultural NP eh wot? Superb history, scenery etc.
As a relative latecomer to your channel I have nearly caught up on all your videos. Somehow I'd missed this one until now. This is a real gem of a trip, what an amazing route packed with delightful places to see and explore. Of course this area is more on your doorstep than ever, and what a treat. I haven't lived in Scotland since 1970 (Penicuik) , but I'm back living much closer to the border now and I'm increasingly drawn north with so many places I want to visit that I wonder if I have enough years left to see them all!
On the day I visited Aberdeen, the sky was the exact same grey as all the buildings. That gave it a rather dream-like atmosphere. A fascinating city, quite unlike anywhere else.
Totally agree!
Well done Steve just another fantastic movie in the can, again your building up a great wee collection here. Must be one of the best routes to drive anywhere in Scotland especially as you had very little time to plan.
Cheers Alistair! It really was a last-minute one, and although 2 days were nowhere near enough, it was fairly manageable
Thank goodness that 'you could easily fall, and fall a long way' were not your last words Steve! Thanks for this, I had no idea about the North East 250.
Cheers Alan :) I didn't even film at the top of that staircase as I was concentrating so much!
Scotland is the most unique place in the globe. (I have been there for 1 year.) The landscape is beautiful and it is worth exploring if you have money, time and body energy. Steve, thank you for taking us around. I miss Scotland a lot.
Never knew you were a Stoney lad. Love the place. My Brother-in-law used to own a bakers in town. Many happy memories. Thanks for the video.
I bet I’ve visited there many times :) what was it called?
@@steve-marsh JH Falconers. Opposite the bud station. Also had a shop in Newtonhill.
*bus
Thanks Steve, a breath of fresh air; Love Tomintoul, and the snow roads;
Glad you enjoyed it Andy!
Great photography Steve, you know your stuff! Thanks for takign us wih you..
WOW, what a fabulous blog Steve, again great coverage of our beautiful Scotland and the weather you got on your journey was stunning, I was so envious of your journey! Reading all the comments you are receiving in your blogs just shows how popular you are, or becoming! I only watch 1/2 of your blogs a night, so obviously I will still be viewing more into 2023! Thanks Steve - Stay safe!
Thanks so much Alan! Great to see someone watching my older videos as well :) Really appreciate it!
Jack and Victor would have loved all those distilleries. 😂. Great video. I was born in Scotland but my family moved to Ireland when I was a kid. Have been back to Glasgow many times but only on short visits with not enough time to explore a bit of the country. Hopefully I'll get the time next summer for a week or two with a campervan.
Hi Steve, thank you for your very entertaining video's. Seeing this one brings back memories. Almost 2 thirds of this video we did see for ourselves in various holidays. Of all the tours we've done in several years, the The Glenlivit tour has a special place in our heart. It should lasted for around 45 minutes I think. But in reality it took almost 2 hours due to a fantastic tourguide and group. Our dedicated driver didn't like that all. She spent the whole time on the terrace waiting for us :-)
Keep up the good work! Stay save, stay healthy. Scotland is the Best!!!
Thanks so much mate! Glenlivet is now very much on the list :)
We have just done some of the north east250 ,we landed at Inverness so worked backwards to you,but we loved it,slaine castle amazing ,porsoy so pretty, we visited footdee in aberdeen, and barmoral but didn't manage to get in! Loved your viedo Steve
Excellent.
Thankyou, enjoyed the road trip, the views were great.
Cheers Jacqui!
Firstly can I say please don't change anything about your videos as kean has had a crappie day at school and your video has cheered him up loads so can I personally thank you Steve for continuing to be a inspiration to my boy and myself and kean asked me if the bridge you walked over was the fourth road bridge that had shrunk in the storm lol your very lucky to live in such a stunning place as Scotland and me and kean love visiting especially for the hospitality and keans favourite drink iron bru thank you again for another fantastic video and entertaining my boy stay safe out there from joff and kean 😀
Thanks so much, all the motivation I need to continue :)
@@steve-marsh honestly Steve your videos are the world to my boy his love and passion for exploring Scotland are humbling to me and he has so many plans to visit the places he has soon you visit a big thank you from me and a even bigger one from kean 🙂
Having spent many a long weekend in Aberdeenshire visiting family I can attest to what beautiful county it is, whether on the coast, or inland. Pretty villages, stunning rivers and exhilarating hikes up mountains. Highly recommended.
Steve, you showcased the area beautifully. 👏👏👍😎
Simply stunning scenery Steve.... Proving what I say.. Having visited 34 Countries on 4 Continents, the UK has some of the most Beautiful places in the World.....Just not the best weather.... But you had 2 days of unbroken sunshine... That must be a record that needs a wee dram or 2 to celebrate :-))))
Haha so true! Alicja is drinking all my samples though - but I guess she deserves it for letting me drive off and leave her at work!
Love that old Buck, and well maintained too! The Scottish colours...intended or "retrofitted?" Hmmm
That was wonderful! Thanks Steve.
Glad you enjoyed it David!
@@steve-marsh Balmoral would be great to see when you can next get there
Thanks for the tour! It's whetted my appetite for a bit of exploring in the north-east. Mind, you were blessed with the weather!
Ha it's always sunny in the North East :D Cheers!
You should have gone to the Dufftown steam railway. There’s a great cafe on old train carriages.
Alas it was closed, I even drove in to the car park :( great tip though!
@@steve-marsh That’s a shame but it is a good place to highlight as this attraction can easily be overlooked, being in an area with so many major Scotch Whisky visitor attractions.
When you do these vlogs,you are letting people see places they have no chance to see in real life. Plus to see what a stunning place Scotland is. Keep up the good work.
Another brilliant video, visited Pennan a few years ago. Aye Rickys on the road tonight !!
Cheers Ian! :)
On the subject of pet cemeteries, I often used to walk on public footpaths near Brocket Hall, in Hertfordshire. There's good walk that starts near a ford and ends up in a village Not sure what got me off the beaten track but in some woods nearby, I found the graves of what I presumed must have been hunting dogs. They had proper headstones and all. There's a good walk that starts by a ford and makes its way to the village of Lemsford where there's an old water mill.
Very well done Sir
Lovely video, you've sold it to me.
Thanks Terri! Favourable weather certainly helps in that corner of the world :)
Brilliant. I think I'll put this one on the list.
Keep that list going :) Thanks so much!
Discovered you’re excellent videos in Scotland this week.
Watched a few now and as got me thinking of doing some of these trips in 2023/24.
Thanks so much Graham! Wishing you happy trip planning :)
Brilliant video! That circular staircase at Slains Castle gave me a bit of a pucker with those drop-offs! Cheers!
Oh Bill, I was so focussed on recording I could easily have gone a step too far...Cheers, glad you enjoyed it :)
hey the lunar bow trawler that was in peterhead is also in fishing: north atlantic! how cool haha
That was brilliant, thanks Steve
Cheers Tricia! :)
Thanks Steve. Enjoyed that. I have not been to that area since 1974, it brought back some happy memories.
Cheers Steve, so glad to bring back some familiar places :)
An amazing journey Steve with so many delightful villages. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment thank you so very much indeed.
BTW. The bird was a Black Guillemot, a diving bird seen nesting in the walls of seaside villages.
Thanks so much Sue! Really enjoyed this one, and thanks also for the bird information, what an awesome wee character he was :)
You missed a trick in not visiting the cooperage at craigellachie, very interesting tour, great cafe, great staff id definitely go again
And I remember driving right past it! Ah well!
Really enjoyable trip Steve thanks for taking us.
That was an interesting watch. I lived and worked in that part of the world until I was 20 then off to Glasgow. I still visit my mum in Banchory and always go over Glenshee and stop at Tarland to visit my childhood friends farm. I lived at one point near Peterhead and fished the Ugie and did game shooting on Slains estate between Newburgh and Cruden Bay. Many memories brought back by your film. Liked and subscribed.
Cheers John and welcome aboard - thanks so much for the support - it genuinely makes all the difference and hope to bring you more content soon
Very nice video
You took the words out of my mouth Steve, when saying the forest beyond the walking bridge was magical (29:10). Beautiful...
Smashed it again Mr Marsh! Your content just keeps getting better and better, but where was Mrs M? I felt bad that she missed out on this one.
Cheers! Oh, I feel worse - the poor girl was working while I'm off on a cracking trip like this!? (to be honest, I didn't even realise it would be such a cool trip or I'd have waited)
What some beautiful places you’ve travelled through. I think you’re right you probably need quite a few days to explore all of that. Very enjoyable.
Thanks so much! I was glad I did it but you are so right, never mind a few days, I think we'll move there! :)
Great video, genuine fun to watch and as an added bonus, I could understand you as some of the Scots we see here in OZ speak a dialect that I only ever vaguely comprehend. Greetings from Sydney Australia. 😊👍
Cheers Steve! Aw the best to ya! :)
Hi Steve you mentioned that you learn that the queen was about to arrive at Balmoral not long after you past there, but none of realised it would be her last journey she would make alive
You find some amazing spots Steve
Many Thanks again
Cheers Gary!
So THAT is the story behind Cullen Skink! I've enjoyed it in Scotland on a visit and even considered trying to make my own but authentic smoked haddock appears to be almost unobtainable in the US. I've been enjoying watching your vlogs and they've given my some ideas for my next trip. I'm surely going to hit Orkney and Skye after I finish my hike in NI and hope to get to my ancestral Scots "home" of Kirkmaiden way down south. Happy travels.
Happy travels to you too mate!
Lovely looking part of the world. I hadn’t heard of this route before. You should do the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland sometime. The whole route is a big undertaking at 2,500km (1,500 miles) without taking any detours but it’s well worth a look.
Great tip! Cheers!
Amazing.
Thanks Tony!
That was brilliant, thank you. Saw many old haunts of mine and had no idea this was a 'recognised' route. Let's hope it doesn't end up as spoiled as the NC500.
Aye you're right Mike, but I'm not helping!
Great video.
If stopping at the Balmoral grounds it’s worth the walk to visit the Cairns (Scottish pyramids) there.
Oh no!!! I was aware of this but TOTALLY forgot!
Awe this was just the tonic I needed today, this was an awesome vlog with places I know, good memories. You must have enjoyed this too. Well done Steve thanks for another good one. Could watch these vlogs all day lol.😍
Aww thanks so much Margaret!!! It was really enjoyable, but a slower pace would have helped :)
Solid summary of your mini-adventure. Thank you.
Cheers!
Great video Steve. Very scenic and picturesque.
Cheers Richard!
Another trip added to my list! Steve, you do a fantastic job. Thank you and keep making these videos. 🏴🥃 cheers!
Thanks so much Janet! Really planning to add to the library with many more Scottish places of interest :)
in a word, fantastic 😊
Thanks so much Sheila!
100% will be having nightmares about those mannequins tonight 😆
Beautifully sinister! Some of the cells were decorated in ways I couldn't even show on UA-cam - would love to stay there overnight :)
Thanks for the video Steve. I really enjoy your videos, very real and down to earth. I have done some touring on my motorcycle including the nc500. But this again makes me think there are so many beautiful places and I need to get out more. Cheers.
Thanks so much! Ahhhh the freedom of a motorcycle, must be awesome!
So much I didn’t know about my homeland. Thank you!
Cheers!
Another great video Steve, i visited places like Peterhead years ago with work. Great to see it again.
Peterhead and Fraserburgh were a real pleasant surprise! I could live there quite happily :)
One of your best Steve, thanks 😊
Cheers!
Fantastic tour Steve, the lighthouses were great, as was the prison.
Thanks
Ah thanks so much Roger! All the best :)
Another beautiful video my friend . I'm so glad to hear Dracula have a castle in Scotland as well 😀
Cheers Valentin! Oh I loved that castle whether it's true or not :)
Thank you Steve
Thank YOU! :)
I like the view
Hi, Steve. My 7 year-old classmate, Dave Smith, found Johnny Ramensky in his hayloft in 1958 about 40 hours after Ramensky escaped from Peterhead Prison( he got out about three times, I think). His safe-cracking skills were put to good use during the war but Johnny could not go straight and eventually fell from a roof in Glasgow (?). Decades later Peterhead welcome a prisoner who had previously escaped from Saughton Prison in Edinburgh: a cross-country run passed the prison and this inmate whom I think may have been working in the Governor's garden stripped down to his vest and shorts, hopped a fence and joined the athletes. On arrival at Peterhead he was immediately christened the Saughton Harrier.
You missed Corgarff Castle … an incredibly beautifull place up in the mountains with spectacular views. Great trip !
Next time! I was overwhelmed by how many places there were to visit, I need more time for sure, and thanks for the tip!
Hi from Australia,love these type of videos and having grown up in Duneden NZ always feel an attachment to anything Scottish.As for the dog cementry google the one at Corrigan in West Australia,it was very moving place to visit.Now to spend the rest of the afternoon watching more of your vids,well done
Cheers! Aw the best to ya!
BRILLIANT video. Its quite depressing I dont think I will ever fit it all in. Im flying up end of month for a tour of Harris again and later in Oct Barra...again, i mean you cant do these fantastic places just once, and now ive got to work out how im going to do the 250 route plus Corrour... and the inner Hebrides..so difficult timewise. Lol.
Haha good luck Michael! But I think you've chosen very well, have a fantastic time!
Great video, thanks for making it. One thing though, dont encourage t-shirts and signs for it, they will just overrun it and close everywhere down when the infrastructure doesnt support the influx of campervans and caravans.
Oh totally agree! It was just a metaphor to describe this as a proper route and not just a cheap copy of the NC500. No t-shirts required :)
Another great video!
The guy in the barber's chair really looks a bit like Prince Andrew! 😷🤔🤨🤣🤣🤣
Haha love it! :D
Another amazing trip and vlog Steve!! Hope all is well, take care
Thanks Peter :)
@@steve-marsh you're most welcome
Steve, thanks for a refresher. Most of the places you visted were part of my last Highland adventure just a few years ago. I'm glad you had a good experience at Fraserburgh. My visit there was the worst I've had in Scotland! Without going into detail, it was just a dreadful, dreary, depressing town - and the sun was shining! My wife and I were there for maybe an hour and a half, including lunch in a cafe and a browse in one shop. (I didn't drive or walk through the harbor area.) I've never driven between Aberdeen and Peterhead but the area around Fraserburgh is was the least scenic of all Scotland's regions for me. Maybe I was just having a bad day!?!
Haha that’s what I expected from Fraserburgh, so maybe I enjoyed it as my expectations were so low 😆
This is definitely a part of Scotland I could live in.
Love the video Steve, gave me some further ideas for my next visit.
I did the coast road from Stonehaven up to Inverness before Lockdown but never ventured inland so much. (But now I will)
Keep up the good work !
Cheers :) aw the best!
Superb...so good and very interesting...thank you so much 👍
So glad you enjoyed it :)
Looks like a lovely trip! Added to my list of things to do. Thank you xx
Thanks so much Lorna :)
Excellent
Cheers Garry!
Wonderful scenery. Great video.
Cheers Iain!
Thoroughly enjoyed this 🤟👍
Another great video Steve well done
Cheers Colm!
Just done the north east 250 and it was a varied and interesting tour. We started/ended at Braemar over the course of 6 days and even then still felt rushed.
Wish I’d had 6 days too :)
Nice, 27:08 one mans drive on a road he doesn't know is a local who drives it everyday of their life though.
....and I always thought one of my all-time favourite films "Local Hero" was all made on West Coast locations!
I watched the end-to end coverage of the final two stages of the Tour of Britain over the weekend, and both those Scottish parcours, through the (not so) Lowlands into Edinburgh, and the final day into Aberdeen featured some stunning scenery, though many of the riders probably didn't appreciate it as much as the spectators!
Ouch! that feel of spiky marram grass whipping bare legs tales me back to walking through the dunes to "Big Bay" on St Martins in the Isles of Scilly on unforgettable childhood holidays in the '50's.
Thanks for yet another fascinating video of a side of Scotland I'm not so familiar with.
Cheers Hugh! My Dad watched the cyclists through Stonehaven and had a wonderful day :) So glad you love Local Hero too, I even have the poster on my wall!
@@steve-marsh Just takes me back to my visits to the West Coast at about the time it was made, and the music tracks are great too!
Simply stunning route. I'm in Inverness then Aviemore in November for a birthday trip, so this video gives me ideas of other Highland places to go
So glad to give some ideas, have a great time in the Highlands!
@@steve-marsh Thanks Steve. My girlfriend is an electric wheelchair user so there are some limitations around where we can go (terrain etc), although she can walk a bit too Any recommendations from you, or your other subscribers would be hugely appreciated
Thats next years holiday taken care of. Thanks
Haha nice one :D Cheers
@@steve-marsh I was been deadly serious, its one part of Scotland i have never visited but looks fascinating. Of course it all depends if your leader will let a sassenach in across the border.
A wonderful trip!
Christmas morning at Peterhead Prison
they treated us real good..,
black pudding and sausages
carved out of wood.
Peter Reid from Peterheid is deed. Volvo for sale.
Not that I didn’t know the local hero village I’ve done a few of the places it was filmed already but never been to Pennan and that needs addressed being a use fan of the film😁. Maybe next year I may base myself near Aberdeen it’s a part of Scotland being a Glaswegian I don’t really know. Done the Lecht etc with Friends a few times on driving holidays.
I do the Blairgowrie to Braemar stretch of the A93 quite often, and it’s pretty notorious for idiot driving - seen a couple of nasty accidents on it too. The locals regularly campaign to get the idiots on the road under control.
To be fair I’m surprised you didn’t get it coming over the Lecht pass too as together they’re a favourite alternative route to the A9 for car groups going to or from the NC500 as firstly there are no speed cameras, plus you get the two highest public roads in Scotland at Glenshee and the Lecht. Last time I drove it I got overtaken by a convoy of about 20 assorted fast cars - everything from high end Porsche’s and Ferrari’s to kit cars - on the stretch between Braemar and Glenshee, only to find them all posing for pictures with the cars at the top of the pass.
Cheers Richard - I had two really hairy moments within 10 minutes with overtaking cars coming the other way, and the second one was too close for comfort! Good info, but I got lucky over Lecht, was nice and quiet and could really enjoy it
That was terrific Steve, well done. i almost forgot i am supposed to be working. Class.
Haha time well spent :D cheers!
in stoke on trent there is a jet plane at a used car and caravan lot. only thing of interest in the whole town.
Ha I need to go there now! :)
Best played at x2 speed for true Scottish dialect.
Have you ever camped at Latheronwheel just south of Wick where the A9 branches off to Thurso. I'm not a fan of the East coast but Latheronwheel is a real find.
Oh great tip, and being written in my book right now...
Wind turbines (subsidised price jackers-up) are indeed a blight on any land/seascape. Not good for tourism, either.
Anyway, a great idea for a trip at flight level 00 :-).
Cheers Alexander! Totally agree!
You seem to have missed the main place on the tour Macduff
And your not the first to pull me up on that! :)
26:55 Bond, James Bond.
The bird was a Pygmy penguin
Where did you leave the boss lady? :)
Can you believe I left her at work??? I didn't realise it would be so cool or I'd have waited!
@@steve-marsh Any excuse for you to go back again :p think its definitely a tour of the old fishing villages she would like :)
Steve - I know this is about five months after you posted this driving video, but recent events in the UK prompted this question. I read that in order to drum up more tax monies, the UK Government is going to [or wants to charge their driving public by the mile]. How much will that affect someone like you and your channel?
Wow I had no idea about this proposal! I'd adapt I'm sure, but could be tricky!
What an enjoyable 1/2 hour - more thanks!!!!
AND, I got a kick out of the near juxtaposition of TRUMP-PETERHEAD-PRISON...
Cheers,
Haha love it Jerry!
HaHa
Guillemot
Cheers!