Bespoke Guided Tours & Transport Services
Discover the secrets of North East Scotland
Welcome to Bothies & Bannocks.
We provide guided tours and outdoor experiences in Aberdeenshire and beyond, giving an authentic taste of local food, culture and adventure.
Based in Aboyne, the heart of Royal Deeside, we are perfectly positioned to deliver some of the finest visitor experiences in Scotland.
We also provide a range of transport services including a specialist adventure sport transport and support service. Carrying you, your crew and your kit to and from your adventures.
Come and discover Scotland and let us share our passion for our homeland.
Enjoy amazing experiences throughout the North East of Scotland with a truly passionate local host.
Bothies & Bannocks was born out of a passion and love of the local area where I grew up. Founded in 2019 to share this passion with visitors and locals alike.
We want to take you off the beaten track to meet the characters that make this area so special.
As an accredited Whisky Ambassador, I am the perfect host for your whisky tours throughout Scotland.
Have a browse at our Tours & Experiences page to see examples of our guided tours from Aberdeen & Inverness areas. If you are looking for something more unique, then check out our Bespoke Tours page.
Guided Tours
Foodie Tours
Specialist Whisky Tours
Distillery Tours
Castle Tours
Heritage and Cultural Tours
Outdoor Adventure Tours
Cookery Classes
Transport Services
Adventure Transport – Cycle/Paddle/Hiking
Airport Transfers
Highland Games & Event Transport
Golf Transport
Local Taxi Service
Driver Hire
Field Sports Transport
What are Bothies & Bannocks?
What is a bothy?
A Small Hut or Cottage. Here in Aberdeenshire a ‘bothy’ refers to a farm or estate outbuilding with very basic amenities where workers lived. Generations of farm labourers passed down traditional folk songs known as bothy ballads from the mid-1800s. Sharing tales of hard agricultural work and rural life was a popular way to wind down after an honest day’s graft working the land.
What is a bannock?
A flat Cake. In Aberdeenshire a bannock is a hearty pancake usually served with butter and jam, whereas in Angus it refers to an oatcake, and in the Borders it’s more like a fruit loaf.
And as the saying goes “Grinny maks the best bannocks”, meaning everyone in the North East is convinced that their Granny makes the best pancakes!