While we had arrived into Orkney via ferry from Scrabster to Stromness, we left by ferry from Kirkwall to Aberdeen. This time it was a night sailing that would take approximately 7 hours (from about midnight to 7 am), so we paid to have a berth on board. We also learned upon boarding that we wouldn’t’ have to leave the ship until 9:30 am. This was nice as it allowed us to sleep in a bit and shower in our room once the ship was docked.
Hallway to our room on the ferryOur luxurious suite!
After leaving the ship we walked to our inn to check our bags. We were staying at a pub/hotel owned by one of the large UK beer companies — Belhaven. The staff were great, and we got breakfast the following morning before heading to Edinburgh.
Our accommodations for the evening
For our one day in Aberdeen we walked a 6.5 mile route that we had found in one of our Travel Scotland brochures. It took us out of the city center, past the University of Aberdeen, St. Machar’s Cathedral, through Seaton Park, along the River Don, and then along the Esplanade to the City of Aberdeen Beach before heading back into town.
Loved the muralMore fun building art
Town House buildingMarischal College building, used for city council when not under constructionMaybe the most impressive statue we’ve seen of Robert the BruceBuilding where city council offices are currently being heldAwesome sculpture in the same buildingKing’s College, part of the University of AberdeenBuilding in the internal courtyard of King’s College The botanical gardens on the University of Aberdeen campusAnother view of the botanical gardens
St. Machar’s Cathedral — it supposedly holds the remains of the left quarter of William Wallace (Scottish dissenter of Braveheart fame — more on him later)Seaton ParkThe River Don as it flows through Seaton ParkOur path through the parkPedestrian bridge across the River Don
Looking back towards the city as we walk along the Esplanade before it turns to run along Aberdeen BayPublic Art between the Esplanade Road and the pedestrian esplanade closer to the waterAberdeen Bay and the pedestrian esplanadeWalking back into town towards Town House
Later in the day , after officially checking into our hotel, we did another walk about in the city center and spied the following —
Station Hotel across from the Aberdeen Rail StationAberdeen Central LibraryFun public art in a park near the libraryHis Majesty’s Theatre — guess they didn’t change the name for the QueenWilliam Wallace statueIn case you didn’t see, or don’t remember, Braveheart, this is why William Wallace is important. Apparently, after his execution he was quarter and each part was sent to a different part of Scotland as a deterrent to other dissenters
Peckish Travels 
