A recent HomeView article naming Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire as the best place to live in the UK, and it’s easy to see why.
Living on the outskirts of Aberdeen has plenty of benefits as you can enjoy the best of both worlds - blending the vibrant energy of the nearby city centre with the peace and quiet of a semi-rural suburb like Bridge of Don in Aberdeen.
This blog highlights some of the well-loved local businesses and activities located within the Bridge of Don area that make it the perfect place to purchase a new build home in Aberdeen.
Best cafes, restaurants and coffee shops in Bridge of Don
The restaurants, cafes and bars within Bridge of Don are proudly stocked with the best of local Aberdeen produce, from bakeries and patisseries to butchers and greengrocers. After browsing in the wonderful array of shops and boutiques, grab a takeaway coffee and a freshly baked cake from The Coffee Box, a non-profit venue found within the former tower section of the AECC building and run by King’s Church. Or sit down and enjoy a sandwich with a hearty home-made soup in Grub Fresh Food.
The Brig Inn Hotel is a wonderful spot to spend the night if you’re visiting Aberdeen, but it is also a friendly bar with live sports, music and events that is open to the public seven days a week. Another well-loved spot is The Black Dog, a lounge and sports bar in the heart of the Bridge of Don community.
The Old Smiddy is home to award-winning BBQ joint, Smoke and Soul, serving up delicious street food and classic southern style comfort dishes, as well as their take on a classic Sunday roast. For those with big appetites, Golden Palace offers all-you-can-eat Asian favourites within a family-friendly restaurant.
Scotland is well known for having the best fish and chip shops in the UK, so of course we had to include a couple of our personal favourite Bridge of Don locations. The Ashvale and Sea Salt + Sole both serve up fresh and locally sourced fish, with the latter also having pies sourced from Bridge of Don based Charles McHardy Butcher’s. Then, why not pick up some desserts from Crema Cafe & Ice Cream to wash your meal down.
Things to do around Bridge of Don
Aberdeen boasts some of the most gorgeous scenery in Scotland, and Bridge of Don is the perfect base to explore some stunning local nature reserves, beaches and gardens. Donmouth Local Nature Reserve and North Donmouth Beach are in historic Old Aberdeen, where the River Don meets the sea and is known for being a peaceful, prime spot to spot a variety of wildlife, including playful seals. Scotstown Moor Nature Reserve is a 2.1km circular trail great for hiking, running and walking. Balmedie Country Park is made up of beach, sand dunes and wooded areas that are connected by walking paths and boardwalks stretching from the Donmouth Local Nature Reserve to the Forvie National Nature Reserve. Part of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme, the Grandhome Garden is a walled garden incorporating a beautiful selection of flowers, trees and shrubs, open to the community to visit for a tranquil stroll through. History buffs should be sure to visit the famous Bridge of Balgownie – fondly known by locals as the ‘Brig O' Balgownie’, a historical landmark that dates all the way back to the 13th century.
The Aberdeen Science Centre is fun for the whole family no matter what age you are. With more than 60 new interactive exhibits, no visit to the centre is the same. Be sure to keep an eye on The Event Complex Aberdeen (TECA) schedule, as they host an array of shows, conferences and exhibitions throughout the year. Whilst being home to competitive figure skating and Aberdeenshire hockey teams, The Linx Ice Arena is also open to the public.
Activities in Bridge of Don
Scotland is well known for being the golfing capital, even playing host to The Open this year. Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have their own share of perfectly manicured courses, including Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Bridge of Don, the 6th oldest golf course in the world. Located next door is Murcar Links Golf Club - the third green is just a few yards away from its neighbor.
If golf isn’t your thing, there are plenty of spots in Bridge of Don to keep active. Get Active at Jesmond is fully equipped with a generous sized sports hall, workout studios and an immersive spin studio. Bannatyne Health Club & Spa Aberdeen is a two-level gym with training equipment to suit all abilities, as well as a swimming pool that also offers lessons – parents or guardians can visit Bannatyne’s Café Bar whilst the kids are at swim practice. Whilst The Studio Yoga Studio offers a welcoming, inclusive space for those wanting to join in on the growing worldwide popularity of yoga right in the heart of Aberdeen.
For a more unique experience, floating is a form of therapy where you peacefully float in a body of water filled carefully with selected salts to ease physical and mental pain. Urban Wellness Float is the first purpose-built float room in Scotland. Combine your float session with a hot yoga session with Emma Ross at Well:Fit for the ultimate self-care day.
Homes for sale in Bridge of Don
Nestled in well sought-after area of Bridge of Don, you’ll find our Mains of Grandhome and Green Park at Grandhome] developments. Both developments include a collection of three-, four- and five-bedroom detached homes offering the best of modern-day living in the suburbs whilst being less than a 10-minute drive away from the beach, the city centre and well-known golf clubs
The latest phase, Green Bank at Grandhome, will consist of quality, high specification three-bedroom terraced and semi-detached homes, and four- and five-bedroom detached homes, featuring new homestyles never seen before at Grandhome.
If Bridge of Don sounds right up your street, visit our Grandhome development webpage to check out these incredibly popular developments, and contact our sales team for more information.
