Banff Scotland

Welcome to Banff Scotland

Banff started life as a port on the west side of the mouth of the River Deveron in the 1100s, and there is evidence that King Malcolm IV stayed here for at least part of 1163. However the town's harbour suffered from silting in the 1800s, leaving Macduff, on the east side of Banff Bay, to take up the role of principal commercial port along this stretch of coast.

Banff (Gaelic Banbh) is a town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Banff is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron. Banff is a former burgh, and until 1975 was the county town of Banffshire.

The modern-day town has a golf course (Duff House Royal), beaches, and was home to the Colleonard Sculpture Park which is now relocated in Aviemore.

Festival of the Visual Arts is an annual festival of weekend-long events and attractions in both Banff and Macduff. It runs over the bank holiday weekend at the end of May each year.

The townscape, which is one of the best-preserved in Scotland, has many historic buildings, including fragments of the former royal Banff Castle, a pre-Reformation market cross, a fine tolbooth, many vernacular townhouses, and a museum donated by Andrew Carnegie. Close by is Duff House, designed by William Adam in 1730, and one of Scotland's finest classical houses. It is open to the public as an out-station of the National Gallery of Scotland.

Also open to the public are the Wrack Woods, due south of Duff House. In the woods, there is an old ice house, a mausoleum, and a wonderful walk to one of the most beautiful secluded spots in the area. The place is known as the Bridge of Alvah, and a single-arch bridge spans the river Deveron. The river Deveron is known for its great fishing for salmon and trout.

Accommodation in and around Banff

Price Guide - per person based on sharing room: under $40 - $41 - 70 - more than $70

Many of the nearby villages also contribute to tourism in the area; in particular Gardenstown and Pennan. Banff's Tourist Information Centre opens during the summer and can be found by St Mary's car park adjacent ot St Mary's Parish Church on Banff's High Street. Their audio tours provide an insight into the town, its history and architecture.

Though no longer a commercial port, the harbour has been subject to redevelopment during the latter half of 2006 and now has a marina which serves leisure traffic and small fishing boats, the newly constructed marina is only accessible +3hrs mlw due to the heavy and rapid siltation.

Banff and Macduff don't quite merge. They are separated by the valley of the River Deveron. This unpredictable river was only finally tamed by the seven arched bridge completed in 1799 by John Smeaton, whose other claims to fame included the Eddystone Lighthouse. An earlier bridge had been built here in 1765, but it was swept away in 1768. The old ferry the earlier bridge had replaced was brought back into use, until it was lost in a flood in 1773.

Within the Deveron Valley lies Duff House, designed by William Adam, built between 1735 and 1740, and widely thought to be one of Britain's finest Georgian houses. Duff House was built for William Braco, who became Earl of Fife in 1759.

The story of Duff House did not get off to a happy start. Disputes over its building reached such an intensity that William Braco never lived here. So acrimoniously did this end that it is said that he never even looked at the completed house, having his carriage blinds drawn whenever he passed by. Which, if true, is a shame, because he missed something well worth seeing.

These days Duff House serves as part of the National Gallery of Scotland and houses a range of art treasures and superbly furnished rooms. It also hosts a programme of artistic events and is used as a base for artists and writers.

Banff itself contains a variety of fascinating architecture in a number of contrasting styles. Georgian architecture abounds in the "upper town", while down towards the harbour there are examples of more functional styles.