Home Report Banff

Banff is an idyllic town and former Royal Burgh in Aberdeenshire of roughly 4,100 residents. It is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron, with an attractive seven-arch bridge acting as a crossing over the river between the towns.

Historically, Banff was dependent on fishing but was also a centre for local trades like weaving, soapmaking, as well as having some of the most talented silver makers in Scotland. Today, Banff’s local economy is primarily based on leisure and tourism and the former commercial port has been transformed into a marina.

Banff today is also known for its rich history, with the remains of the former Royal Banff Castle in the town, as well some of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Scotland which has attracted visitors to the town for hundreds of years, even to present day. It is one of the best persevered ‘oldie’ townscapes in Scotland and has been likened to a mini-Edinburgh. Duff House is widely agreed to be one of Scotland’s finest classical houses designed in 1740 as a seat for the Earls of Fife. It is a Georgian stately home with a range of art and treasures, luxuriously finished rooms, and extensive well-manicured grounds. It attracts thousands of visitors annually. Wrack Woods, just south of Duff House, offer fantastic routes for walkers and ramblers and is a well-known area to spot red squirrels.

Other popular attractions include the pre-reformation medieval market cross, representing the official site of the old town market, and Banff Museum, donated by the wealthy Scottish businessman and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie.

In terms of other local amenities and things to do, Banff has the usual array of shops, supermarkets, local businesses, hotels, pubs, etc. However, the town setting offers some other fantastic opportunities like fishing in the River Deveron, which has been noted to have salmon and trout. Indeed, the setting of Banff is one of the best things about it, with sandy beaches and nearby woods for residents to freely explore, literally on their doorsteps.

For the golfer, Banff is a great centre from which to play on the numerous nearby courses. In the immediate vicinity of the town there are two courses: Duff House Royal Golf Club – which is practically in the town – and the Royal Tarlair Golf Club in Macduff but still within easy reach. The Myrus Golf Centre is a nearby driving range close to the town again on the Macduff side of the river. There are roughly eight other courses within an hour’s drive or less of Banff, such as Huntly Golf Club, Turriff Golf Club, Cullen Links Golf Club, and Strathlene Golf Club to name some of them.

As for local schooling, Banff Primary School and Banff Academy cover the town, with children from Macduff Primary School also feeding into Banff Academy.