Interested in an EV road trip? With the best photo spots? During my 5 months EV road trip through Europe - see video below for further information - I worked out some itineraries which could also work for you. This time I am going to introduce Aberdeenshire plus surroundings.
To see the exact position of a photo spot, you can click on the travel blog entry which is linked to every spot. This will open the travel journal which is combined with an interactive map.
The whole 5 month trip you can find here (it is in real time with live tracking):
Of course, our EV photo road trip also took us to the more than beautiful east coast of Scotland.
Mainly Aberdeenshire - but also Fife, Moray, Angus.
The area boasts photogenic landscapes and sceneries. Be it on the coast, be it in the Highlands of Cairngorms or on the Castle Trail.
I will mention available EV charging possibilities for every photo spot.
To get the exact location plus a filter for your charging needs (plug and kW), I recommend using Zap-Map for the UK.
If you don't like reading or want to get inspired before reading - you can watch here the video with the highlights:
Best Photo Spots south of Aberdeen
1. ST MONANS
Photo Spot: A perfect pier for lovers of long exposure. Make sure to be there for high tide.
Vegan Options: Not really, best to bring your picnic with you.
Charging possibilities: 22 kW in the main car park. Walking distance to harbour.
2. CRAIL HARBOUR
Photo Spot: A very picture perfect historic harbour and not overloaded with tourists.
Vegan Options: Not really, best to bring your picnic with you.
Charging possibilities: 11 kW at Marketgate South. Walking distance to harbour.
3. ST ANDREWS
Photo Spot: Definitely worth a visit with the camera! Not only the Old Course (golf) but also the impressive (but ruined) cathedral.
Vegan Options: Plenty of restaurants offer vegan options. Indulge!
Charging possibilities: Outside of the city, yes. Both slow and fast charger. Within the old town there are no real options, unless you are a student. So better to top up your EV before or after your photo shoot.
4. BROUGHTY FERRY
Photo Spot: The castle. Try to be there at a low (ish) tide to get some reflections. Best sunset.
Vegan Options: Quite a few restaurants and pubs offer vegan options. And there is always subway...
Charging possibilities: Close to the train station there are plenty of charging stations, also fast ones. To walk to the photo spot (castle) it takes a bit, but you can always combine it with your vegan lunch/dinner since the high street is only a few steps away.
5. GLAMIS CASTLE
Photo Spot: The castle. Very nice especially from the drive. There is an entrance fee and please check the opening times.
Vegan Options: Not really just in that village but in Forfar.
Charging possibilities: Not in that village, but nothing is too far away, so no need for range anxiety. For example Forfar (6 miles away) has many charging options, also fast chargers.
6. ARBROATH
Photo Spot: The signal tower and the historic harbour. Later for sunset the breathtaking Arbroath Cliffs. It is only a short walk of 20 minutes to reach nice view points of the cliffs.
Vegan Options: The restaurant in the Visitor Centre (next to the historic harbour) has delicious vegan options.
Charging possibilities: Car park in walking distance to the harbour. For the cliffs you'll need to take the car.
7. BODDING POINT
Photo Spot: The historic lime kilns with the old boats in the foreground are a wonderful photo spot for sunset. Watch out for dolphins or orcas, sometimes they do pass!
Vegan Options: The restaurant "Rae's" in the High Street of Montrose, approx. 5 miles away from the photo spot, offers very yummy vegan options.
Charging possibilities: Car park just two steps from the High Street in Montrose offers charging options. Best to combine with a great vegan lunch/dinner, see above.
8. FOWLSHEUGH
Photo Spot: The coastline of Fowlsheugh are interesting for both bird watchers and photographers. Thousands of seabirds can be watched and photographed (also Puffins in early summer). And the Crawton Waterfall is definitely worth a visit. It is a short hike from the car park, but really short and very easy.
Vegan Options: Packed lunch will be your best bet.
Charging possibilities: In theory Stonehaven. There is a charging station at the train station. But attention: it is a bit dodgy and works only when it feels like it. We tried it on different days - one day it was working all good, other day not at all. Just keep trying I would recommend. Especially because the alternatives are rare - at least if you are looking for a charger with at least 50 kW.
9. DUNNOTTAR CASTLE
Photo Spot: A dream for every photographer, especially if the castle catches the last sunlight of the day. It is quite crowded during the opening hours, but becomes more peaceful for sunset. The ruined castle on top of the cliffs is really breathtaking.
Vegan Options: A few miles up the road is the town of Stonehaven with enough pubs and restaurants and takeaways with vegan options.
Charging possibilities: In theory Stonehavn train station. But please read photo spot no. 8 - it is not a really reliable charging station. So plan your range wisely to not being stuck without kW after sunset. It is the one area with not a lot of charging options.
BESt photo spots cairngorms highlands
10. OLD MILITARY ROAD
Photo Spot: The old military road connects Perth&Kinross with Aberdeenshire. And it is a very scenic road with enough stopping options along the road for photos. And you want to stop every 3 minutes, believe me. The landscape is beautiful.
Vegan Options: In Braemar is a pub with vegan options. It is called Farquharsons Bar and Kitchen.
Charging possibilities: Have enough range to reach Braemar and everything will be fine. There are fast and slow chargers, tethered and non tethered. You can charge while having a nice lunch, that is what I did.
11. BALMORAL
Photo Spot: The castle is well worth a visit. If you go there in the evening you get a reduced price (one hour before closing time) but you can stay longer than the opening time in the gardens. So you have time and peace for taking some photos without the selfie taker in front of your lens.
Vegan Options: Combine it with a stop in Braemar, see photo spot no. 10.
Charging possibilities: Again - it is Braemar, more information under photo spot no. 10.
best photo spots in aberdeen city
12. GREYHOPE BAY
Photo Spot: Just next to Aberdeen harbour is a bay where you can watch dolphins swimming. They come there often so you might be lucky. And the cafe offers binoculars to see them even better.
Vegan Options: The Liberty Kitchen, just where the best viewpoint is, offers vegetarian only (and 80% vegan) snacks and light lunches.
Charging possibilities: Aberdeen has many charging options, but nothing within walking distance to Greyhope Bay. So better charge before or after your dolphin watching session.
12. FOOTDEE
Photo Spot: Footdee (also called Fittie) is an old and quaint fishing village within the city of Aberdeen. With the quirky little sheds and cottages a nice photo subject. It seems that it turns from a fishing to an artist village.
Vegan Options: Along the Esplanade, just before Footdee, there are several food vans and many of them offer vegan food. Some even vegan only.
Charging possibilities: Not just at the spot, but very close, maybe 1 mile, are plenty of chargers.
13. CASTLEGATE
Photo Spot: Castlegate is a pictureperfect square in the heart of Old Aberdeen.
Vegan Options: The Vegan Bakery is found just at this square with both sweet and savoury snacks.
Charging possibilities: Unfortunately nothing convenient in Old Aberdeen, but plenty of charging options in the city.
14. KINGS COLLEGE
Photo Spot: The University of Aberdeen is supposed to have the most beautiful campus of Scotland. And certainly one of the most beautiful in the UK. Very nice: you can freely walk through the campus of Kings College. A stroll through the small lanes is definitely worth it.
Vegan Options: The cafes around the campus will have enough vegan options - if they are open.
Charging possibilities: Most charging options are only for students, but there are two 22 kW chargers at the William Guild Car Park.
photo spots north of aberdeen
15. CASTLE TRAIL
Photo Spot: There are more than 260 castles on the castle trail. So if you are a fan of castles - go for it and spend weeks to explore
them all! I introduce three of the castles here:
1. Fyvie Castle
2. Tolquhon Castle
3. Castle Fraser
I would also recommend the pink Craigievar Castle, unfortunately I could not visit it due to renovation work.
Vegan Options: Packed lunch with vegan supplies from supermarkets in Inverurie will be your best option.
Charging possibilities: Again I would recommend Inverurie. In this town you will find a few rapid chargers with 50 kW and even more slow chargers with 11 or 22 kW. If you top up your car in Inverurie, you should be fine to discover all of the castles.
One rapid charger is at Tesco's, you might want to combine shopping for your packed lunch with charging.
16. GLEN GARIOCH DISTILLERY
Photo Spot: If you book a tour online in the oldest distillery of Scotland, you will be able to take some photos. It is definitely interesting and afterwards you can taste some whisky. If you are a driver, you will get small bottles of whisky to take home and drink safely.
Vegan Options: The gin will be vegan - and food there was none. Best to eat something before you taste the whisky...
Charging possibilities: My recommendation would be to combine it with photo spot no. 15 and charge in Inverurie.
17. SLAINS CASTLE
Photo Spot: This ruined castle was apparently the inspiration for the Dracula novel. If you stay there until twilight - you can get an idea why... Best to photograph either before sunrise or after sunset.
From the car park to the viewpoint it is a walk of approx. 15 mins, all flat and easy.
Vegan Options: Grab something to eat in Peterhead before you are heading to the castle. In Peterhead is The Vegan Bakery.
Charging possibilities: Around 7 miles, just before Peterhead, there is a superfast charger (next to a pub and next to Starbucks).
17. BOLLER OF BUCHAN
Photo Spot: Take a short and easy walk at the rugged coastline of Boller of Buchan. You might even spot some Puffins!
Vegan Options: Grab something to eat in Peterhead before you start walking. In Peterhead is The Vegan Bakery. See photo spot no. 16.
Charging possibilities: Again - see photo spot no. 16 - around 7 miles, just before Peterhead, there is a superfast charger (next to a pub and next to Starbucks).
18. RATTRAY LIGHTHOUSE
Photo Spot: This lighthouse is the dream for every photographer! To get there you have to drive a very narrow road with many pot holes. From the small car park it is a 10 - 15 mins walk to the view point through sand dunes. The lighthouse is interesting with any tide and changes the photo opportunities constantly. That's why I really took my time, arrived at high tide and stayed until a bit more than midtide. Sunset seems to be the best time.
Vegan Options: There is nothing, really nothing to eat close by. Be it vegan or non vegan. So best to pack some lunch. Again the Vegan Bakery in Peterhead is close by and they offer not only sweet but also savoury pasties and vegan sandwiches.
Charging possibilities: See photo spot no. 16. The superfast charger just close to Peterhead seems to be your best option.
19. PORTSOY
Photo Spot: The North Coast of Scotland has many very pretty fishing villages. But may Portsoy is the prettiest of all. At least it was for me. The old cottages, the historic harbour, a pub just next to the harbour - time stood still. And even Peaky Blinders filmed there a scene!
Vegan Options: There is a small cafe just next to the harbour (not open every day though). They can accommodate vegans.
Charging possibilities: In walking distance there is a 22 kW charger (at the square) which can top up your car while you are taking photos.
20. BOW FIDDLE ROCK
Photo Spot: This spot is not anymore in Aberdeenshire (but almost), but in Moray. The Bow Fiddle Rock in Portknockie.
Make sure to arrive during high tide - otherwise the rock won't be in water.
Vegan Options: The next village Cullen has a vegan/vegetarian cafe called "The New Denver".
Charging possibilities: In the next village Cullen you will find 22 kW chargers. It is btw in walking distance to the vegan cafe, so why no combine eating and charging?
I hope my small summary of some of the points of interest in and around Aberdeen has encouraged you to do your own road trip with your EV. There is really no reason for any range anxiety in Aberdeenshire. Even in rural areas you will always find a charger and often it can be combined with a lunch or dinner stop.
Vegans are on cloud 9 in Aberdeen city. There are so many vegan options and a real open attitude towards a plant-based diet.
In the rural areas I would recommend a packed lunch - but even there I found once in a while something yummy to eat.
More of my vegan EV adventures you can read here: