Home Report Huntly

Huntly is a small attractive town of roughly 4800 residents in the Aberdeenshire council area formerly known as Milton of Strathbogie. It is roughly 40 miles northwest of Aberdeen and about 22 miles northwest of Inverurie. The town is on the site of the now ruined Huntly Castle, with parts dating back to the 12th century. Huntly is reputable for some of the region and country’s best food and drink, including whisky, ice cream and shortbread. Deans Bakers which will be well-known to most shortbread lovers makes its home in the town.

Huntly is a compact town with a rich history one might not assume from its size. There is evidence of settlement as far back as the Neolithic period some 12000 years ago. More recently Huntly Castle now a ruin was once a lavish residence of the Earls of Huntly, who were one of the most important Catholic families in Scotland. It welcomed many visitors in its time such as Robert the Bruce and Mary of Guise amongst others.

Today, Huntly is a local services centre for agriculture and food sectors to the nearby towns and villages, but a significant number of residents also commute for work. Typically, this is to Inverurie, Aberdeen, Dyce, Keith, and even out to Turrif, Buckie, and also to Elgin. Transport links for the town are good, with the A96 running past the southern edge of the town and offering easy onward travel to Aberdeen and Inverness with the towns and villages in between. For travel by train, Huntly train station is on the Aberdeen-Inverness line and offers daily services for travellers.

In terms of amenities and things to do, Huntly has the typical array of independent shops and chains you would expect. However, worth particular mention is the Glendronanch Distillery in the town, which has been creating Scottish malts for 200 years. The Duncan Taylor specialised whisky shop is a particularly good place to find some rare and exciting whiskeys. Huntly itself is on the edge of the popular Speyside whisky trail and is a regular stop for those exploring the whiskeys of the region. Huntly is also home to Deveron Projects, an arts organisation that invites artists from all over the world to come and live and work in the town. Since 1995 it has worked with a ‘town is the venue’ methodology, connecting artists, communities and places and to date over 100 renowned artists have spent time in the town, including Roman Signer and Hamish Fulton. In terms of more sporting pursuits, many residents and indeed visitors enjoy salmon and trout fishing on the Rivers Deveron and Bogie. There’s also golf and Nordic Skiing in Clashindarroch Forest, as well as plenty of trails for walking and nature spotting, plus mountain biking. There’s a nearby falconry centre too, and a little claim to fame for it is four of their owls starred in the Harry Potter film series.

In terms of local schooling then, the local primary school is Gordon Primary and a secondary school (The Gordon Schools) beside Huntly Castle.