Visit the North East of Scotland - Unlocking Aberdeenshire

In today’s episode we are speaking with drinks producer Claire Rennie who is based in the coastal community of Rosehearty in the North East of Aberdeenshire.  

Claire started her company Summerhouse drinks back in 2014 followed shortly by Walter Gregor Tonics.  One of the first Scottish made tonics available.

Both brands are known for having high quality and interesting flavour combinations .  Using only natural ingredients and preservative free, Claire has built a fantastic reputation in the drinks industry in Scotland.

Claire shares with us a sneak preview of exciting new flavours and products coming out soon as well as the new online shop where you can order their subscription boxes and perfect serve boxes directly from their small factory. You’ll be the first to know about what is coming up in their limited-edition line of tonics!

In today’s episode we are speaking with Calum Lockerbie owner of Bothies & Bannocks. Calum is a local lad with a passion for top quality, seasonal local produce and provides a range of fun and informative food and drink experiences in the Deeside area of Aberdeenshire.

Calum is the type of person who is busy with lots of different things including working as part time butcher for a local rare breed pig farmer, assisting at farmer’s markets and generally lending a hand to his many friends.

Calum was a trained chef for several years which is how he developed his passion for food and drink in the North East.  The idea of starting his own foodie related business had been brewing for a while and not long ago the time was right to launch his new adventure.

In this episode we are speaking with one of Aberdeenshire’s very talented Chefs Ross Cochrane who is the Executive Chef at Ballater’s The Rothesay Rooms and The Carriage.

Ross has spent the last 17 years developing his talents in hotels and restaurants in Scotland.  After winning the North East Chef of the Year in 2017, he took over The Rothesay Rooms and continued to build on the restaurant’s wonderful reputation.  Aberdeenshire is a produce rich and Ross works closely with local suppliers to ensure the best of the region reaches his plates.

Being able to give visitors the tough choice of what to order when visiting Ballater is something that he enjoys. It goes to show the diverse and special ingredients he can find close to the restaurant.  His ambition is to continue to work with his team to establish The Rothesay Rooms on the Scottish Food map as outstanding venues. Considering they have already won North East Restaurant of the Year a few years running this shouldn’t be a tough task.

In this episode we are speaking with blue badge tour guide Alasdair Brodie.  Alasdair is born and raised in Aberdeenshire and grew up on a farm where he developed his love for agriculture.

 Alasdair talks about the agricultural history of Aberdeenshire and how it became an efficient and productive area for Scotland supplying high quality ingredients and food and drink products.  He also shares with us his views on how food production has changed over the years as well as some of his favourite foods from the area.

 Alasdair has a passion for whisky and highland games which are both iconic for Scotland and is dedicated to sharing with visitors the place that he calls home.

Welcome and thank you for tuning in to the Visit the North East of Scotland Podcast .  Today, we are continuing our conversation with Dr. Fiona-Jane Brown who previously shared with us local traditions and character traits of the people of the north east.  

In this episode Fiona-Jane speaks about how the local dialect, Doric, has evolved and continues to be part of daily life.  She also describes some of her tours and how people love hearing about the darker side of Aberdeen, discover parts of the city they may not have known about and stories of a few prominent people who have contributed to the greater good of society.

In this episode I am speaking with Dr. Fiona-Jane Brown about local heritage in Aberdeenshire.  

Fiona-Jane shares with us how she developed her love of history and stories from an early age. In fact, there is so much we want to share, we have enough for two episodes!  In this first episode Fiona-Jane will tell us a few stories about the people of the land and the people of the coast.  She will also describe a few traditions which are still part of people’s lives today. 

In the next episode we learn more about the language of the region and Fiona-Jane tells us about some influential and successful people who came from Aberdeen.  Fiona-Jane also talks more about her tours in Aberdeen and that her guests tend to be a bit blood thirsty!

In this episode we meet outdoor enthusiast Lyle Smith.  Lyle owns the adventure sports company Granite Adventures and he shares with us why he is passionate about outdoor sports in the North East and believes everyone can find something suitable for them. 

Find out what Aberdeenshire has to offer, whether it is water based activities or lacing up those walking boots. 

Tune in next time on the 24th of September, when we speak with Dr. Fiona-Jane Brown about the culture of the people of the North East of Scotland.  The people of the land and the fisher folk as well as unique traditions still active today.

In this episode I am speaking with Justin Kieron, who settled in Aberdeen nearly 20 years ago. Justin developed his passion for the great outdoors while serving in the Army and this has been a great source of joy ever since.  

After moving to the north east of Scotland and experiencing much of what this area has to offer, Justin could not think of living anywhere else that his gorgeous little seaside village of Fittie.  Often out on his travels with his recue dog Nellie, Justin encourages everyone to get reconnected with nature.

Tune in for our next podcast on the 10th of September: Outdoor Activities in the North East of Scotland.

This first podcast is to introduce our travel guide to the North East of Scotland.  In the podcast series we will be talking about a variety of topics to help you plan for your visit and find out more about what is available in and around Aberdeen.