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Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire is a county in the north east of Scotland. It's a long way north - the coastline around Fraserburgh is further north than Newfoundland - but it's mostly lowland, fertile and productive, having more in common with the central belt of Scotland than with the Highlands. To the west rise the Grampian Mountains, with the scenic River Dee flowing out.

This page describes the historic or traditional county, but as elsewhere in Britain, administrative boundaries have chopped and changed. The City of Aberdeen now forms its own metropolis, with a population in 2020 of 490,000. The rest is the local government county of Aberdeenshire, with a 2019 population of 263,000, yet its county seat is still the city.

Towns and villages

 * is built of grey granite. Its most interesting areas are around Union Street and "Old Aberdeen" a couple of miles north. Lots of museums, galleries and visitor amenities, and it's the transport focus for the county.
 * is a commuter town just west.

The county's red sandstone reaches the coast in a line of cliffs, interspersed with small fishing ports, where whaling and herring fishing were once major industries:
 * 15 miles south of Aberdeen has the clifftop ruins of Dunnottar Castle.
 * Then comes Aberdeen itself. North are and Cruden Bay.
 * and are fishing ports.

Here the coastline turns west along the Moray Firth.
 * has red sandstone cliffs, rows of prettily-painted traditional fishermen's cottages and a beach.
 * , with neighbouring Macduff, has Banff Castle and Adam-designed Duff House.
 * has a well-preserved old harbour and the ruins of Findlater Castle.

The A96 crosses the top of the county between Aberdeen and Elgin, through gently rolling countryside and farmland. Small places in this triangle include:
 * and are commuter towns for the city. East, towards Ellon and Methlick, is Tolquhon Castle, while to the north is Fyvie Castle.
 * has grand Haddo House and what's left of Gight Castle, Byron's ancestral home.
 * has the ruins of Huntly castle.

The River Dee runs out of the Grampian Mountains along a scenic valley, accessed by A93.
 * is near Drum Castle and Crathes Castle. To the north is Lumphanan, where Macbeth (the real one) made his last stand, and beyond that is Craigevar Castle.
 * The mountains west of here are part of Cairngorms National Park. Above is the royal retreat, Balmoral Castle.
 * is where the main road leaves the valley to climb towards Glenshee then over to Perth, while a lane continues up the valley to scenic Linn of Dee.

Understand
"Understand" is what you are not destined to do if addressed in the local "Doric", see Talk below.

The lowland-highland boundary runs from Helensburgh in the southwest to Stonehaven in the northeast, where it funnels the overland routes to a pinch-point guarded by a much-assaulted castle. But north of that, the terrain opens up again. It's low-lying and well-drained upon a bedrock of Old Red Sandstone, with Aberdeen Angus cattle grazing upon grass that looks greener against the bright red soil. In early modern times the cultural boundary advanced a long way north of the geological boundary, and Aberdeenshire developed industries based on agriculture, forestry and North Sea fish — especially herring, the "silver darling".

To the west rise the Grampian mountains, cloud-wreathed, granite and ill-drained, with poor soil. These were the badlands until the Victorians romanticised them, the Queen herself had a retreat at Balmoral, and sporting guns boomed out against the grouse and deer. Anyone who was wealthy and needed a comfortable base to collect his farm rents while impressing the salons of London with his credentials as a Clan Chieftain would need a castle in Aberdeenshire, so there are lots and lots of these. The railways put tourism within reach of a mass market. Meanwhile the granite was quarried to rebuild Aberdeen, which had suffered far too many fires in its wooden buildings, creating the grey city landscape you see today.

The city and county declined in the 20th century, but then oil and gas were discovered in the North Sea, and from 1970 Aberdeen became a boom town. The oil was far offshore and wasn't brought here, rather the city's role was to be the support base for exploration and extraction, with a stream of helicopters chattering overhead to ferry workers to and from the rigs. Industry blossomed and property prices became silly; but beyond the city commuter belt the rest of Aberdeenshire was little affected. That industry is now in its sunset years but enough of the wealth has spread around to make the city and county a culturally rich destination.

Talk
Aberdeenshire is culturally lowland, and Gaelic largely died out by the 19th century. The everyday language was English with a unique Scottish dialect known as "Doric". This was especially dense in Buchan, the rural triangle bounded by the North Sea coast as it turns the corner at Fraserburgh. Doric was mocked as uncouth teuchtar, and its name probably began as a snooty Edinburgh joke. Edinburgh was dubbed the Athens of the North, and ancient Athenians spoke Attic Greek and couldn't understand the country bumpkins of Corinth and Sparta who spoke Doric Greek, and therefore....

If you hear Doric in the city nowadays, it's probably being used ironically or as a badge of identity, like Cockney or Geordie. Its vocabulary is much the same as standard Scots: "aye" for yes, "wee" for small, "gie" for give, "hoose" for house and so on. What's distinctive is the pronunciation, especially the substitution of "f" for "wh". So you might hear:

 * - "Fit like?" - how are you?, to which you reply "Nae bad, yersel?"
 * - "Fit?" is what?, "fa?" is who?, "fan?" is when? and "far" is where? as in "Far aboot ye fae?", where are you from?
 * - "Da ken" - don't know - may be used instead of the standard Scots "dinnae ken".
 * - "Hay min" - excuse me good sir?
 * - "Foos yer doos?" - how are you? - literally "how are your pigeons?", to which you reply "Aye, peckin awa". This exchange is always ironic, as Aberdeenshire no longer relies on pigeons for meat, amusement or communication.

Doric versions of Greek are still spoken and recognised as precious cultural heritage, so Doric Aberdonians might feel aggrieved that their own traditions are scoffed at: it'll be no use canonising the language once it's dead and gone. There are no translation apps, and inviting Google to detect language with Foos yer doos? gets "Duh... maybe Tamil?" When the first Bible translations into local Doric appeared from 2012, these came 15 years behind translations into Klingon.

Get in
Aberdeen is the transport hub for the county, with good air, rail and road connections, and car ferries to Orkney and the Shetland Islands.

In 2019 the A90 was re-routed west of Aberdeen, with the opening of the "Aberdeen Western Peripheral Road" to relieve the congested A92.

For the north end of the county along the Moray Firth, another approach is via Inverness and Elgin.

Get around
Buses radiate out from Aberdeen to all the towns along the east coast, inland up the Dee valley, and northwest towards Banff. They also ply along the north coast. You can also use the train between Aberdeen and Stonehaven. Beyond that, there is very little cross-country transport, you'll need a car.

See

 * Castles: Balmoral on the road up the valley above Ballater is a grandiloquent Victorian pile of a castle, the prototype of the "Scottish Baronial" style, all mock-turrets and stags heads looming over the stairways. Completed in 1856, it remains the Royal Family's summer holiday home.
 * Among the many other castles are Dunottar at Stonehaven; Crathes, Craigevar and Drum castles around Banchory, and Tolquhon and Fyvie around Ellon.
 * Peterhead Prison was notoriously bleak and harsh. It's now a museum.
 * Tiny fishing villages include Gardenstown, Crovie and Pennan which is the one with the red phone box in the film Local Hero.
 * Scotland's Gardens opens up private gardens once a year in summer, with all proceeds going to charity. There are about 20 participating gardens in this area, dates staggered so there's one open most weekends.

Do

 * Highland Gatherings and Games: each town or large village hosts an event during a summer weekend. Pipe bands, caber-tossing, field and track events, and so on; they're often combined with Agricultural Shows. The full calendar is posted online.

 * Ski at Glenshee or Lecht. With a longer drive you can also reach Aviemore/Cairngorm in Highland Region, but its funicular is closed for engineering works as of January 2024.

 * Climb mountains: one fine ascent is Lochnagar at 1155 m (3789 ft), reached from Glen Muick above Ballater.
 * Golf: most towns have a course and the area around Aberdeen is studded with them. To date only one is owned by that fellow Trump, but he's clearly destined for greater things.
 * Climb mountains: one fine ascent is Lochnagar at 1155 m (3789 ft), reached from Glen Muick above Ballater.
 * Golf: most towns have a course and the area around Aberdeen is studded with them. To date only one is owned by that fellow Trump, but he's clearly destined for greater things.

Eat

 * Aberdeen has the widest choice of cuisine and price range.
 * The small towns go for cheap and cheerful fare such as fish & chips. They often have an Indian, an Italian and a takeaway Chinese to add variety.
 * Carron Fish Bar in Stonehaven claims to have invented the deep-fried Mars Bar, and still serves them.
 * Aberdeen Angus, the local breed of cattle, are prized for their marbled beef. The small odds and ends go into burgers.

Drink

 * Aberdeenshire still has lots of pubs, in spite of their general decline across the country. They're usually open daily till 11PM or later.
 * There are whisky distilleries at Crathie, Portsoy, Macduff, Oldmeldrum and Huntly. They also make gin near Aberdeen, and rum in Banchory. The heartland distilling country is further west, in Moray and the Spey valley, but you'll never be far from a quality dram. Start your research in the nearest supermarket.

Stay safe
The natural hazards are because you're on the same latitude as Newfoundland, so conditions on higher ground can become hazardous very quickly, and not just in winter.

The man-made dangers are probably less here than elsewhere, but exercise usual caution around road use, valuables, and drunks.

Go next

 * Angus just south is often overlooked, but it has the Angus glens and striking Pictish carvings.
 * Southwest to Perth and Kinross — yet because of the line of the geological boundary, this brings you into the Highlands, and very scenic they are.
 * West to Moray, now a small county but once the extensive realm of Macbeth, centred on historic Elgin.

title: Aberdeenshire


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Aberdour

Aberdour is a small town on the coast of Fife in central Scotland, and nowadays a commuter town for Edinburgh, with a population in 2011 of 1633.

Get in
See Fife for inter-city transport.

Inter-city trains don't stop in Burntisland so you need to change at Edinburgh Waverley, Haymarket or Inverkeithing. Stopping trains run from Edinburgh (M-Sa twice an hour, Su hourly) via Haymarket (for airport), Inverkeithing (for Dunfermline) and Dalgety Bay, taking 32 min. They continue to Burntisland, Kinghorn and Kirkcaldy, then either Leven, or Markinch (for Glenrothes) and Perth, or Leuchars (for St Andrews) and Dundee. They no longer loop back to Edinburgh via Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Dunfermline.

has a staffed ticket office and machines plus toilets and a waiting room. There is level access to Platform 1 (for Kirkcaldy) and a ramp to Platform 2 (for Edinburgh).

Inter-city buses bypass Aberdour, look for connections at Halbeath or Edinburgh. Stagecoach Fife Bus 7 runs along the coast from Dunfermline to Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay and Aberdour, continuing east to Burntisland, Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy and Leven. It's M-Sa every 30 min and hourly on Sunday.

By car follow M90 over Queensferry Crossing (no toll) then take exit 1C onto A921 east towards Aberdour.

Get around
Aberdour is small and walkable. You can walk the Fife Coastal Path then ride back on the train or bus.

See

 * Aberdour House on the lane towards the castle is where the castle owners moved to. It's in good condition but privately owned, just admire it from the lane.
 * The Sensory Garden is next to the railway station on A921. It was created in 2010 on the site of a former primary school. Open 24 hours, free.
 * is the main beach, half a mile east of town.
 * is the headland south of Silversands; Room with a View restaurant is here. The derelict jetty was built to test radio-controlled torpedoes in World War One.
 * is closer to town but is a quieter beach. The black is from coal outcrops on the sea bed, so coal grains continually wash ashore.
 * is the ruin of a church dating to the 12th century or earlier, all that survives of the old village of Dalgetty. It was abandoned in the 19th century and is now set in woodland along the Fife Coastal Path.
 * is the island seen to the south. It's historically part of Aberdour, and its abbey once governed St Bridget's Kirk, but to visit you need to take a boat trip from South Queensferry.
 * is the island seen to the south. It's historically part of Aberdour, and its abbey once governed St Bridget's Kirk, but to visit you need to take a boat trip from South Queensferry.

Do

 * Fife Coastal Path: going east, keep just shore-side of the railway track. The path passes the castle then comes onto Silversands Bay, with a broad firm track (offroad bikes okay, street bikes at a pinch). Eventually it ducks under the railway and comes into Burntisland. Going west from Aberdour, leave A921 at Dovecot Park to come onto the trail to St Briget's Kirk then along the coast to Dalgety Bay and Inverkeithing.
 * Golf: Aberdour GC is south edge of the village, white tees 5447 yards, par 67. A visitor round is £35 midweek, £50 weekend.
 * Highland games are held in Inverkeithing in early August.

Buy

 * Dalgety Bay two miles west has the shops, with Tesco, Aldi and Asda.

Eat

 * McTaggart's Cafe is at 21 High St, open M-Sa 9:30AM-4PM, Su 10:30AM-4PM.

Drink

 * Foresters Arms at 35 High St is open Su-Th 11AM-midnight, F Sa 11AM-1AM.

Connect
Aberdour has 4G from all UK carriers. As of Sep 2021, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Burntisland is the next town west. The port is grubby but then comes a long beach.
 * North Queensferry lies east under the iconic Forth Bridge. The coast further upstream is industrial.
 * Dunfermline is Scotland's medieval capital, with an abbey, and the birthplace of tycoon philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Aberdour


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Aberdyfi

Aberdyfi (sometimes spelt Aberdovey) is a village in Gwynedd. It lies at the mouth of the river Dyfi, from which it derives its name. Aberdyfi is a holiday resort, traditionally popular with golfers and sailors but also with more adrenaline-driven sportspeople, and is home to Britain's Best Beach Donkey. The village marks the southern edge of the Snowdonia National Park. It is set by the mouth of the river Dyfi which is a UNESCO world biosphere reserve.

By rail
Aberdyfi is served by the Cambrian Line, operated by Arriva Trains Wales. There are 2 stations, the request only at the eastern end of the village, and  (Aberdovey station), at the western end of the village.

By road
Aberdyfi is on the A493 Machynlleth to Tywyn road

By sea
Aberdyfi Harbour has facilities for visiting yachts. The Harbour Master can be contacted on +44 1654 767626.

Get around
Aberdyfi is easy to get around on foot, though some streets away from the harbour front can be quite steep.

Cycle Hire
is available in nearby Tywyn

Do

 * Walk up to the Bandstand on the hill above the village centre, for great views across the village and the estuary.
 * For a more strenuous walk, but one which will reward you with even better views, follow Copperhill St uphill from the village and keep on walking as it turns into a steep country lane. Eventually this leads to the mythical Bearded Lake (Llyn Barfog), scene of a battle between King Arthur and a monster called the Afanc. Arthur's horse left its hoofprint in a nearby rock known as Carn March Arthur. The lake is also the scene of another well-known legend regarding a local farmer and his herd of magic fairy cows. Follow signs to the nearby Echo which is mildly entertaining. If you have a car you can drive up the hill until the tarmac runs out, and leave the car. From here it's only a short walk to the lake.
 * Fish for crabs off the jetty. Hooks, Lines and bait can be bought from shops around the harbour, including Dyfi Marine (see "Buy").
 * Walk up to the Bandstand on the hill above the village centre, for great views across the village and the estuary.
 * For a more strenuous walk, but one which will reward you with even better views, follow Copperhill St uphill from the village and keep on walking as it turns into a steep country lane. Eventually this leads to the mythical Bearded Lake (Llyn Barfog), scene of a battle between King Arthur and a monster called the Afanc. Arthur's horse left its hoofprint in a nearby rock known as Carn March Arthur. The lake is also the scene of another well-known legend regarding a local farmer and his herd of magic fairy cows. Follow signs to the nearby Echo which is mildly entertaining. If you have a car you can drive up the hill until the tarmac runs out, and leave the car. From here it's only a short walk to the lake.
 * Fish for crabs off the jetty. Hooks, Lines and bait can be bought from shops around the harbour, including Dyfi Marine (see "Buy").

Sleep
There's a wide choice of B&B and self-catering accommodation. Campers may need to head north towards Tywyn.

Hotels
Self-Catering accommodation

Connect

 * Tourist Information Centre, Wharf Gardens. +44 1654 767321.

Area code
The area dialling code is 01654. To call from overseas, dial +44 1654 XXXXXX

Post Office
Aberdyfi's Post Office is at Penrhos Service Station, close to Aberdyfi train station. +44 1654 767530.

Media

 * Cambrian News. Local English-language newspaper, published weekly. Covers Ceredigion, North Powys, South Gwynedd. Renowned for its occasionally bizarre headlines.
 * Dail Dysynni. Welsh-language monthly newspaper, dedicated to the Bro Dysynni area.
 * Radio Ceredigion 96.6-97.4 FM. Bilingual community radio station, broadcasting from Aberystwyth to the Cardigan Bay area.
 * BBC Radio Wales 882 and 657 AM.

Healthcare
In an emergency, dial 999 or 112 (ideally from a landline) and request ambulance, police or fire service.

 * Bronglais District General Hospital, Aberystwyth. +44 1970 623131. The nearest Accident & Emergency unit. Open 24 hours.
 * Tywyn Memorial Hospital, Aberdyfi Road, Tywyn. +44 1654 710411/0845 8501362 (out of hours). Local Cottage Hospital. Medical cover is provided by the local GP surgery during the hours of 08:30 to 18:30. The care is then taken over by the Out of Hours Service.  The Minor Injuries Unit is open from 09:00 to 24:00 and is manned by a Clinical Practitioner.
 * Neptune Dental Surgery Neptune Road, Tywyn. +44 1654 710607. NHS and Private dentist. Has an attached dental laboratory for any denture repair work.
 * Medical Hall Aberdyfi Glandyfi Terrace, Aberdyfi. +44 1654 767227. The friendly and helpful pharmacy, right on the sea front in the village.

Beaches and coast
Due to the fact that is part of a tidal river estuary, the beach at the village itself can be subject to strong and unpredictable currents, so care should be exercised in the water. Better to head half a mile or so north, away from the river mouth. The beach stretches all the way to Tywyn and has a safe reputation due to its gently-shelving nature, though of course sensible precautions should still be taken.

General advice for safe swimming:
 * A red flag means danger. Do not enter the water if the red flag is flying
 * Consider bathing at a beach that's under lifeguard protection
 * Don't swim alone at a deserted beach
 * Don't use inflatables. They are easily swept away by strong currents
 * If you see someone in trouble, call 999 and ask for Coastguard
 * Inquire about swimming conditions at local tourist offices prior to venturing to a beach without lifeguard cover
 * Read warning notices posted near beach access sites

Mountains
Snowdonia's mountains claim lives every year. The weather can change very quickly in this part of the World, and this is especially true in the mountains. Make sure you are wearing suitable clothing and footwear, and always carry a suitable map. Ordnance Survey 1:25000 scale Explorer Map OL23 Cadair Idris and Bala Lake is ideal, alternatively the 1:50000 scale Landranger series sheets 124 Dolgellau and Porthmadog and 135 Aberystwyth and Machynlleth.

Follow the Mountain Safety Code:

Before you go
 * Learn the use of map and compass
 * Know the weather signs and local forecast
 * Plan within your capabilities
 * Know simple first aid and the symptoms of exposure
 * Know the mountain distress signals
 * Know the country code

When you go
 * Never go alone
 * Leave written word of your route and report your return
 * Take windproofs, woollens and survival bag
 * Take map and compass, torch and food
 * Wear climbing boots
 * Keep alert all day
 * Avoid disturbance to farming, forestry and field sports

If there is snow on the hills
 * Always have an ice axe for each person
 * Carry a climbing rope and know the correct use of rope and ice axe
 * Learn to recognise dangerous snow slope

Go next

 * Machynlleth is a pleasant market town with an "alternative" feel, 11 miles to the east. It hosts a regular street market every Wednesday, and is home to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). The Centre for Alternative Technology, a few miles north of the town, is well worth a visit. A short distance further north lies the village of Corris, with a number of craft shops.
 * Tywyn, 4 miles to the north by train or the main A493 road (possible to walk there along the beach) is home to the World-famous Talyllyn Railway.

title: Aberdyfi


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Aberfeldy

Aberfeldy (Gaelic: Obar Pheallaidh) is a small town in Perth and Kinross in North East Scotland, with a population of 1940 in 2021. That county straddles the Highland / Lowland divide, and Aberfeldy is scenically very much in the central Highlands. Set on the banks of the River Tay, it grew up as a resort town in the 19th century. Since the 20th century the area has been mined for baryte, an ingredient of drill fluid in the oil industry, but it's small scale and hasn't marred the scenery.

Near Aberfeldy you can also visit the village of Dull. Because someone has to.

Get in
By road from Edinburgh or Glasgow follow the motorway past Perth, then A9 north onto A827.

Stagecoach Bus 23 runs every two hours M-Sa from Perth via Birnam and Dunkeld to Aberfeldy, 90 min. On Sunday there's only one morning bus in and one evening bus out.

Get around

 * Had you seen these roads before they were made, you would lift up your hands and bless General Wade!

You can walk to the Castle and up the Birks. Dull is three miles away and you need a car to reach the path for Schiehallion ten miles away.

Sweeney's Bus 91 plies between Aberfeldy and Kenmore twice M-F around 9AM and 4PM. It usually runs along the main road and takes 15 min, but some days makes a loop through Weem, Dull, Coshieville, Fortingall and Fearnan to Kenmore. Stagecoach Bus 892 similarly makes an occasional school run up the B-road from Aberfeldy to Coshieville then returns the same way.

See

 * spans the Tay. Highland roads at the start of the 18th century were often little better than cattle tracks, struggling through fords and bogs. In 1715 the Jacobite rebellion rocked the government; it was quashed, but showed the need to be able to move troops swiftly into troublesome districts. General George Wade (1673-1748), as Scotland's military commander, set about building better roads and bridges. The Crieff to Dalnarcardoch road, built in 1730, crossed the Tay at Aberfeldy by this impressive bridge. Designed by William Adam, it was the most expensive structure in the whole network, and was only completed in 1734. When Wade retired, his assistant Major William Caulfeild took over, building many roads later credited to Wade, and coining the lines quoted above. Meanwhile the Jacobites rebelled again, and this time got as far south as Derby: bless these new roads!
 * links two sections of the golf course. The name is an ironic nod to the great William McGonagall, who wrote numerous doggerel odes about the Tay and much else, but his poem about Aberfeldy is sublimely awful even by his exacting standards.
 * The League of Extraordinary Communities: well one of them, not to overdo the excitement. Dull is a tiny farming community straggling along the B846 three miles west of Aberfeldy. There was a monastery in the 7th century; various associated carvings and grave slabs are now in the NMS in Edinburgh. There's nothing here nowadays. But in 2012 Dull began trading on its name, linking up with the town of Boring near Portland Oregon. You can image the T-shirts, the photo-ops, the mugs. In 2013 the town of Bland, New South Wales got in on the act, so these three market themselves as the "League of Extraordinary Communities" of Dull, Boring and Bland. Take a photo of the village sign, press "share", your work here is done.
 * is a scenic but little-visited glen 8 miles west of Aberfeldy. Follow B846 beyond Dull, passing Comrie Castle (the masonry stump of a 16th century tower house) to Coshieville. Here the B-road climbs north out of the valley towards Schiehallion, Loch Tummel and Loch Rannoch, while a narrow lane stays along the River Lyon. It winds through Fortingall, where the yew tree in the graveyard is believed to be well over 2000 years old, but there is no sense to be made of the hoaky legend that Pontius Pilate was born here. The lane continues upstream for many a lonely mile behind Ben Lawers, before eventually looping south over the hills to rejoin the main road at Killin at the head of Loch Tay.
 * is by the A827. It seems to have been rebuilt in several phases; some pottery found here was from 2000 BC.
 * is reached by A827 west of Aberfeldy along the riverside to Loch Tay. April-Oct there are boat trips by Loch Tay Safaris. A827 continues west along the sunlit north bank of the loch, with access to Ben Lawers. A narrow, gloomy, tree-dripping lane follows the south bank.

Do

 * Birks Cinema in town centre is a restored Art Deco building with films and other entertainment. The cafe is open daily.
 * Walk the, the birch-filled glen south of the village that inspired the poem by Robert Burns. The path leads up to the Falls of Moness.
 * Find if you can, hidden in the woods above Weem off B846. The nearby rocks have cup-and-ring carvings: some may be prehistoric, but probably most are modern replicas.
 * Climb Schiehallion, sometimes called "The Mount Fuji of Scotland" for its near-perfect cone and isolation from other peaks. It's a Munro of 1083 m (3553 ft) which looks volcanic but is quartzite polished by glaciation. Its shape made its volume easy to calculate, so in 1774 it was used to estimate the earth's mass and gravity by the deflection of a nearby pendulum. It's a popular ascent, usually from the car park at Brae of Foss, a 3-mile trail.
 * Climb Ben Lawers, a Munro of 1214 m (3983 ft) brooding over Loch Tay, with alpine / arctic habitat on its upper slopes. Early geologists supposed that after a first volcanic phase of the earth's formation, later rocks were laid down by sedimentation. But they found more and more awkward anomalies, and at Ben Lawers they discovered that the entire sequence of strata was inverted - which turned conventional wisdom on its head. The path up the mountain is straightforward, from the NTS car park you ascend via the lesser peak of Beinn Ghlas.
 * White-water rafting along the Tay and Tummel, both equally cold if you get soaked. The Rafting Company (+44 1887 829292) are in town centre; Splash (+44 1887 829706) are along Dunkeld Rd, with another base in Glasgow.
 * Golf: Aberfeldy GC is next to the bridge. It's nine holes, so twice around off yellow tees is 5376 yards, par 68, visitor round costs £20.
 * Aberfeldy Show & Games are next held on Sa 10 Aug 2024 at Wades Park. It's combined with Atholl and Breadalbane Highland Gathering.
 * Kenmore Highland Games are next held on W 3 July 2024 on Kenmore Sports Field.
 * Kenmore Highland Games are next held on W 3 July 2024 on Kenmore Sports Field.

Buy

 * Coop food and filling station in town centre is open daily 6AM-11PM.
 * Karelia House is a craft shop on the back lane by the confluence of the Tay and Lyon rivers. It's open M-F 9AM-4PM, Sa 10AM-4PM.

Eat

 * Main street also has The Croft, Checheks, Three Lemons and Chillies, plus takeaways.
 * Main street also has The Croft, Checheks, Three Lemons and Chillies, plus takeaways.

Drink

 * Fountain Bar and Black Watch Inn are along the main street.

Sleep

 * Grandtully Hotel is on A827 in Little Ballinluig: see Pitlochry.
 * Grandtully Hotel is on A827 in Little Ballinluig: see Pitlochry.
 * Grandtully Hotel is on A827 in Little Ballinluig: see Pitlochry.
 * Grandtully Hotel is on A827 in Little Ballinluig: see Pitlochry.
 * Grandtully Hotel is on A827 in Little Ballinluig: see Pitlochry.
 * Grandtully Hotel is on A827 in Little Ballinluig: see Pitlochry.
 * Grandtully Hotel is on A827 in Little Ballinluig: see Pitlochry.

Connect
As of March 2024, Aberfeldy and its approach roads have 4G from all UK carriers, though Three is patchy. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Head east to rejoin A9 then north to Pitlochry and Blair Atholl and over the moors to the Spey Valley.
 * Go west past Loch Tay to join A85 to Crianlarich, with routes to Oban or Glencoe.
 * The road south comes back into the lowlands via Birnam / Dunkeld to Perth.

title: Aberfeldy


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Abergavenny

Abergavenny (Welsh: Y Fenni) is a town of 12,500 people (2011) in Monmouthshire in southeast Wales.

Understand
A thriving town, Abergavenny prides itself as a gateway to South Wales and the eastern gateway to the Brecon Beacons National Park where you can enjoy a relaxing short break or longer holiday amidst beautiful countryside. The town itself nestles within the beautiful Usk Valley at the point where the river emerges from amongst the mountains to flow through lowland Monmouthshire. The mass of the Black Mountains and their highly individual outliers of Sugar Loaf and Skirrid (Welsh: Ysgyryd Fawr) form a spectacular northern backdrop to the town. Along with Blorenge to the south, the opportunities for walkers are hugely varied.

Get in
On the A465 Hereford - Neath and A40 London-Fishguard road between Monmouth and Brecon.

Trains run hourly from Cardiff Central, taking just over an hour via Newport, Cwmbran and Pontypool. From Abergavenny they continue to Hereford then either to Holyhead (for ferries to Dublin) or to Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly.

is east side of town. There's a staffed ticket office, cafe and indoor waiting room.

Stagecoach Bus X3 runs every two hours from Hereford, taking just over an hour; it then becomes an hourly service to Pontypool.

Bus X4 runs once a day from Merthyr Tydfil via Ebbw Vale.

See

 * (Pen-y-fâl) is the mountain of 1955 ft (596 m) rising two miles north of town. Its conical peak looks volcanic, but it's all sandstone. It's part of Brecon Beacons National Park, and the landscape is managed by the National Trust, with wild sheep grazing. There are several access paths, such as the NT car park south in Usk Valley.
 * (Pen-y-fâl) is the mountain of 1955 ft (596 m) rising two miles north of town. Its conical peak looks volcanic, but it's all sandstone. It's part of Brecon Beacons National Park, and the landscape is managed by the National Trust, with wild sheep grazing. There are several access paths, such as the NT car park south in Usk Valley.

Do

 * Abergavenny Food Festival is held in mid-September.

Buy

 * Supermarkets: Morrisons on Park Rd is open M-Sa 07:00-22:00, Su 10:00-16:00.
 * Markets: Tuesday is the main event in the market hall, with over 200 stalls. There's also a Friday and Saturday general market, and a bric-a-brac and flea market on Wednesday. They all run 09:00-17:00. The craft fair is second Saturday of the month, the antiques fair is third Sunday, and the artisan market is fourth Thursday.

Drink

 * Sugar Loaf Vineyards are on Dunmar Farm, up Pentre Lane north side of town. They produce red, white and rose wines and offer vineyard tours in season.
 * Sugar Loaf Vineyards are on Dunmar Farm, up Pentre Lane north side of town. They produce red, white and rose wines and offer vineyard tours in season.
 * Sugar Loaf Vineyards are on Dunmar Farm, up Pentre Lane north side of town. They produce red, white and rose wines and offer vineyard tours in season.

Connect
As of March 2022, Abergavenny has 4G from O2 and Vodafone, and 5G from EE and Three.

Go next

 * Monmouth (Wales)
 * Crickhowell
 * Usk

title: Abergavenny


text:
Abernathy

Abernathy is a city in the Llano Estacado region of Texas.

Get in
I-27 south of Plainview, north of Lubbock.

title: Abernathy


text:
Abersoch

Abersoch is a village in Llŷn particularly favoured for sailing. Both the village itself and the roads to the headlands west of it tend to get very crowded. Packed with holiday homes, making housing unaffordable to most locals, it becomes a bit of a ghost town outside of the main tourist season. As a consequence, it has very little native character about it.

Get in
On the A499 six miles south west of Pwllheli from where there is a bus connection, and the closest rail station.

Do

 * Wales Coast Path
 * Wales Coast Path

Eat

 * Mickey's Boatyard ("The Little Tearooms") is a cafe south end of the bay, open M-Sa 09:00-17:00, Su 09:00-16:00.
 * Mickey's Boatyard ("The Little Tearooms") is a cafe south end of the bay, open M-Sa 09:00-17:00, Su 09:00-16:00.

Go next

 * Rhiw
 * Pwllheli

title: Abersoch


text:
Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth (informally: Aber, not to be confused with many other coastal towns in Wales) is in the county of Ceredigion, in Wales.

Understand
Aberystwyth, called the true capital of Wales by some, is a smallish town on the Ceredigion coast, just below the Dyfi estuary. Politically, it's in the heart of Nationalist Wales, and is the birthplace of Cymdeithas Yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh Language movement. It is home to one of the oldest parts of the University of Wales, which is attended by some 9,000 students. It is also home to the National Library of Wales, one of the UK's few copyright libraries, meaning it has the right to claim a copy of every book published in Britain, which also means that it has one of the highest figures for books per head of population in the world. Its other notable – and notorious – feature is the remarkable number of pubs in the town.

Generations of first-year students have been brought up on the promise of a pub for every week of the year. This is true in that there are over 61 locations with public bars in the small Welsh town. Aberystwyth has a fairly unique student atmosphere – during term-time the vast majority of young adults are undergraduates and the remoteness of the location creates a more vibrant social life than experienced on most campuses.

By train
(or 'Aber') is at the end of the line, in many senses of the phrase. Direct trains run from Birmingham International station (Birmingham Airport and the NEC). 2 hours from Shrewsbury, 3 from Birmingham. A branch line from Machynlleth provides connections to the coastal towns of West Gwynedd.

Services are provided by Transport for Wales.

By car
There are two main routes to Aber by road: the A44 comes from the east, and the A487 goes north to south through the town. The best way to get there from any particular point is a subject of much debate. Buy a map and have fun. Minimum 3 hours from Birmingham, 2 hr 40 min from Cardiff, 2 hr 5 min from Swansea - highly dependent on the number of tractors on the roads.There is also a Park and Ride facility.

By bus
TrawsCymru's T1 service provides a regular link with Carmarthen and Aberystwyth. The X32 is the northern equivalent, providing a link to such exciting places as Machynlleth, Dolgellau and Bangor at least twice a day. Traveline: 0871 200 22 33

One daily National Express 409 service to/from Birmingham and London Victoria.

By plane
Swansea is the nearest airport, light aircraft only. Birmingham is most useful for Aberystwyth - it's about 3 hr 30 min away by direct train.

Get around
Aber is a very compact town; walking is by far the easiest way to get around.

If you require motorised transport, taxis are plentiful and relatively cheap.

Buses also run up Penglais Hill (where the main university campus is) and to Llanbadarn Fawr (the other campus, and the Morrisons supermarket - largest of its ilk locally).

Parking is a problem in the centre of Aber, but a Park and Ride operates from Park Avenue, with a free bus service every 15 minutes M-Sa.

See

 * The best thing to see in the town is probably the sunset. The view over Cardigan Bay on a summer's evening can be quite stunning. The best places to see the sunset are the long seafront Promenade (see also: Drink), any of the beaches that takes your fancy, the University Plaza and the Arts Centre cafe above.

Do
A good place to start is the Tourist Information Centre at the seafront end of Terrace Road.

 * The main pastime in Aber, at least for its student population, is drinking (i.e. 'the lash'). There are many fine public houses in the town, and many grotty ones, too. See 'Drink' for more details.
 * If walking's your thing, then the countryside around Aber is beautiful. A popular walk is to Borth, about 5 miles up a hilly coastal path, which blessed with wonderful beaches. At the northern tip of Borth is Ynyslas, home to a nature reserve of sand dunes and a submerged forest. A short trip out of town by car or bus is Cadair Idris a popular hiking spot with spectacular view (if the weather is good).
 * Watersports are another popular activity, but it's probably advisable to take part in organised outings as far as these go. The Irish Sea is famous for its undertow, and most years at least one foolhardy person gets sucked out to sea - usually after a drinking session.
 * There are also boat trips out into Cardigan Bay, where dolphins can be seen in the waters, and seals on the islands. These are seasonal, so check at the tourist information centre for latest times and prices. Sea Fishing excursions can also be arranged in the harbour, a great day out with all equipment included in the charter.
 * Football: Aberystwyth Town ("The Seasiders") play soccer in the Cymru Premier League. That's the top tier within Wales, but mostly amateur and on a par with England's fifth tier National League. They play at Park Avenue (capacity 5000) next to the mainline railway station.

Aberystwyth, and the region east to the Cambrian Mountains, provides and excellent base for cycling. The range of terrain ensures that there is something for any level of ability or appetite. The Ystwyth Trail follows a disused railway track and is easy going. The Rheidol Cycleway takes you along country lanes from Aberystwyth to Devil's Bridge, with an optional strenuous climb at the end for those who like a challenge. For adrenaline junkies, there is mountain biking in Nant yr Arian Forest.

Buy

 * Farmers Market is nowadays held in the former bus depot on Park Ave. first and third Saturday of the month.

Stay safe
Aberystwyth offers a very safe environment and is probably one of the few places remaining in Britain where an unlocked door doesn't guarantee burglary.

Friday and Saturday nights can be a bit boisterous during the summer, though incidences of drink related violence are still far less than in large cities.

Also, the sea can be a cruel mistress (see above: Glengower Hotel).

Go next

 * Devil's Bridge
 * Ponterwyd

title: Aberystwyth


text:
Abha

Abha is a city in Saudi Arabia. The capital of Asir province, its high altitude makes it a popular summer getaway for Saudis.

By plane
There are flights to Abha from Riyadh and Jeddah.

By road
The drive to Abha from Khamis Mushayt can be very interesting trip, but as usual drive carefully. The road from Sharourah via Najran is daunting, but interesting - up and down ribbon across the dunes, with an old version off to one side for many km. There were camel warning signs along it, but some were single hump silhouettes, others had 2 humps!

You can also drive in from the west coast, with lots of winding roads, bypassing old washed out bridges, lots of signs of floods, some picturesque villages etc., or from the north from Taif - lots more twisty roads, and not as interesting as going to the coast. Neither trip offers much in the way of accommodations, so be prepared to camp out.

By bus
The national bus company SAPTCO has multiple daily services from all major cities in Saudi Arabia. is located just north of the city centre.

See
Lookout at Mt Sooda. Trip to Habala Hanging Village - couple of hours. Trip to Turkish Fort - also couple of hours - fabulous views down a valley towards Yemen. Many older houses made of mud brick, with slates sticking out to fend off the water. Many nests in bushes of weaver birds. Most hotels will put on tours if enough people interested. One trip in August it actually hailed very hard!

Try driving down the road from near Jabal Sawda (it's insane-see picture), almost as good 'Monkey Road' heading to Mohayil or the road to Taif over the mountain range all the way.

Do
The cable car.Climb up Jabal Sawda. Try to visit the airbase.

Buy
Buy traditional Asir clothes for the children from the museum. And traditional 'silver' ware in the Khamis sook.

Eat Kabsa

Sleep

Go next

 * Najran — well worth a visit, esp the old Governor's Palace in mud brick.

title: Abha


text:
Abhaneri

Abhaneri is a village in Rajasthan.

Get in
From Jaipur, catch a bus to Sikandra (₹20, 1 and a half hours), and then hire a jeep for the 10 km ride to Abhaneri (est. ₹250 return).

title: Abhaneri


text:
Abidjan

Serving as the capital from 1933 until 1983, Abidjan is the biggest and most important city of Cote d'Ivoire. With a population of around 4,000,000 people, it is the second largest city in West Africa after Lagos and has historically been the economic power base of the region.

Following the death of long term president-for-life Felix Houphouët Boigny in 1993, the fortunes for Abidjan changed a great deal and successive coups d'etats in Cote d'Ivoire caused a massive exodus of the foreigners living there. Today, despite the current political issues in Cote d'Ivoire at large, Abidjan remains the economic and de facto capital of the country. Even after everything that's happened, it still boasts a large selection of restaurants, hotels, sites and other reasons to visit. For those travelling through West Africa, it is a must-see city with one of the liveliest night scenes to be found for 1,000 km.

By plane
Abidjan is well-connected internationally with regular flights on:
 * Turkish Airlines from Istanbul
 * Air France from Paris
 * Brussels Airlines from Brussels
 * Emirates from Dubai (via Accra, no change of aircraft)
 * Kenya Airways from Nairobi (also continues to Dakar on the same aircraft)
 * Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa (continues to Newark on the same aircraft)
 * TAP Portugal from Lisbon.

The easiest way to get a visa is to apply online. You'll get an answer in less than 48 hours. The process at the airport is fast and simple.

By road
The roads to Abidjan are quite good despite their maintenance not being kept up as much as it should. Traffic lights all but disappear once outside of Abidjan though, so driving outside of the city can be challenging. Whether you're in a private car, taxi, or gbaka (the shared minibuses) you will be stopped at various official (and unofficial) checkpoints where they will delay you at the very least and try to shake down a bribe at the worst. Abidjan also serves as a terminus for long haul bus lines from Bamako, Mali, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and Accra, Ghana.

If you are travelling from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Liberia and Togo, YSG Transport, Chisco Transport, Union Transport de Bouake (UTB Transport), and STC Transport are good recommendations.

Other travelers from Nigeria can get to Abidjan and nearby West African capitals through the weekly transport system of Ejigbo, Osun State, Nigeria, International Travel Buses. They have daily and weekly travel scheme of an uninterrupted borderless travels from Nigeria to Cote d'Ivoire. Some of the travel organizers include Bully Orelope, Atanda 'Agee" Rambo Transport (also known as IRT), Laba Transport, anc STC Transport. You can get to Ejigbo, Osun State from all Lagos' inter-city bus terminus, and from Osogbo.

By train
The only train connection to Abidjan is from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso with stop-overs in Bouake and Bobo-Dioulasso as well as some smaller cities. While a possibly interesting ride that should take 36 hours, the schedule is quite unreliable and journeys are known to have taken a much longer time. There are about two weekly departures. (Gare d'Abidjan) is situated in the central Le Plateau-district, next to Place De La Republique.

Get around

Abidjan is quite spread out so walking can take a lot of time and bicycle riding isn't the safest choice (except nearer the water in Zone Quatre). However, there are many options to get around via motor transport.

By taxi
They have a taxi system that involves two types of car taxis. The first type that most visitors will encounter are the orange (or red-orange) ones. These are legally able to operate anywhere in the city and you will most likely be able to ride solo in them. They are also the most expensive. A ride from the airport will run most people (especially non-Africans who speak little French) about 5,000 CFA, even to districts that are just 3 km away. If you're willing to haggle a lot (the drivers will often complain that they have to pay a fee to pick up passengers there, which is a lie) you may be able to get it to CFA 3,500 or 2,500. A ride between two distant districts such as Zone Quatre and Plateau will be about CFA 2,000.

The other type of taxi is color-coded to operate in a specific neighbourhood, such as the green taxis you'll see in an area such as Koumassi and Treichville. Yellow taxis in Cocody municipal areas, Blue in Marcory, Yopougon and Abobo. These are significantly cheaper, but will most likely have to be shared and of course the distance they can travel is limited to a single neighbourhood.

Travel books often make allusion to some taxis having meters. If they do (and this is rare), they are never working and you always, always agree on the price prior to departure. According to Africa Travelogue, they can only be found at the Zone 4 (Industriel) areas, because of the High level of the Expat community of Europeans living in Zone 4.

Ride hailing
Yango ride hailing app works in Abidjan.

By bus
There are several bus routes throughout the city. They are cheap and decently reliable, although they are often incredibly crowded due to insufficient numbers. Some of the bus stations can be overwhelming though, such as Adjame which, for those new to travel in West African cities will be a lot to handle. There is also the threat of pickpockets in these crowded areas.

By motorcycle
In 2010, the Ivorian government relaxed import restrictions on small motorcycles. Prior to this, the number of motorcycles you would see on the street was negligible and there were absolutely none acting as taxis as it was illegal. Times are changing on this front, but be forewarned that going about Abidjan on the back of a moto is probably the number one way to die during travels, although it is cheap.

By boat
If you just need to cross the lagoon and can make use of one of the ferry routes, by all means take it. While the lagoon is polluted in some parts, it's still a wonderful ride and gazing at the Abidjan skyline from the water at sunset is delightful.
 * You can take a ferry from the It takes 15 minutes and costs only CFA 150 to get you to

By train
A commuter railway system is under construction, the first section is expected to open in 2025.

See

Abidjan is sometimes referred to as the "Paris of West Africa". During the long and stable rule of the Ivory Coast's Godfather Félix Houphouët-Boigny the city of Abidjan has flourished. However, the political instability and the civil war of the past decade have taken their toll on the city. Neglect, low maintenance of buildings and public space and the mass exodus of foreigners have given the city an atmosphere of "lost glory". Nowhere is this to be seen better than in the famous Hotel Ivoire. Entering it is like taking a trip to the 1960s; since its construction there have been no significant changes or modernisation to its interior and furniture. Too bad though that its massive swimming pool has weeds growing on the bottom instead of blue waters.

The public zoo is very nice. It really is a beautiful place with loads of interesting animals for just CFA 200, well worth this small sum. Also don't forget a trip to Bassam, Abidjan's no. 1 beach.

Eat
There are many places to eat Ivorian food, most of them on the sidewalk or on a small road side terrace. Make sure that you ask about the price before you sit down, in order to avoid lengthy discussions about the price when they try to overcharge you after the meal. The staple foods in the Ivory Coast are rice, cassava, yam and bread. Bread is usually eaten at breakfast or as a supplement to the meal. The cassava (manioc) can be eaten cooked whole, as a mash called plakali, mixed with banana (foutou) or fermented then grated (atchèkè). Fish is usually the cheapest meal. European cuisine can be found in the wealthier neighbourhoods such as Plateau, Cocody, Deux Plateaux and Zone 4.

Drink
The number one place to go out at night in Abidjan is Princess Road in Yopougon. There are many bars to just relax and drink and also loads of dancing with live music or deejays. Don't forget to order some fried spicy chicken; they prepare it for you right on the street!

Bidul Bar, Havana Club and others are in Zone 4 (Zone Quatre). If you do go, be aware of prostitutes that will want to talk to you. Other places are in Treicheville and Cocody but you should have private transportation or a cab. Note the recommended security precautions in the "Stay safe" section of this article.

Stay safe
There are a number of issues that plague Abidjan, which are indicative of the overall problems that Cote d'Ivoire is experiencing. First and foremost are the military checkpoints. While generally harmless for foreigners, they can make it maddening to get across the city in a timely fashion, especially if one is in a private car. Bribes are commonplace, but not an absolute. Carrying small bills is always a good idea. Otherwise, just agreeing with the officer bothering you is the best course of action. If you're respectful, they'll usually let you be, unless you are French, in which case you will be hassled a good deal more due to the Ivorians having heavy disdain for French involvement in their country.

Also if in a private car, you'll notice that most people roll through red lights late at night. While illegal, there have been incidents of carjackings when people are stopped, so heed this warning as you see best.

Something else to keep in mind is that Cote d'Ivoire literally shuts down at midnight until 05:00. As a remnant of a curfew imposed during the last civil war, they barricade all the main points of entry and exit to all the towns. If you find yourself on the wrong side of that barricade when it is closed (such as staying in Bassam, but partying in Abidjan) you will absolutely not be let through until 05:00.

Pickpockets are a problem in crowded places much like anywhere else in the world. Keep track of your personal items and make sure your bags are well closed when passing through busy bus stations or markets.

While the most lively of neighborhoods, places such as Koumassi, Treichville, and Yopougon are probably best avoided unless going there with a local. Yopougon is undoubtedly the safest with the most impressive assortment of street food, but there can also be young, drunken men in these areas who can be looking for trouble. That said, if you're not starting the trouble and try to defuse the situation, you'll probably not have any issues as people in Abidjan are used to an international crowd in their city.

Women should not go out unaccompanied at night. During the day, you'll have no problems. Ivorian society is most definitely patriarchal, but at the same time, the men are respectful of international women and at times maybe a bit too respectful, giving you a lot more attention than you'd like. If you receive unwanted advances, just do as the local girls do and firmly tell them you're not interested. They'll eventually get the point or move on to other women to "charm".

Embassies and consulates

 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next

 * Abengourou - A small town three hours north where you can have an audience with the king of Indénié Kingdom.
 * Bouaké- The second largest city of Côte d'Ivoire located in the dead center of the country with a lively market and night scene.
 * Grand-Bassam - About 45 minutes to the east and the original capital of the country with old Colonial architecture that is being restored and an excellent beach.
 * Jacqueville - A small, relaxing beach town that sits about an hour from Abidjan with a short, 450-m ferry across the lagoon.
 * San Pedro - An old town about six hours west of Abidjan with nice beaches which serves as a secondary port city for the country.

title: Abidjan


text:
Abijatta Shalla Lakes National Park

Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park is in the southern Oromia region of Ethiopia, about 200 km south of the capital of Addis Ababa.

Landscape
Thousands of flamingoes create pink carpets in the blue bays of the lake; great white pelicans soar in from Lake Shala to enjoy the fishing and execute their fantastic ballet; pied kingfishers hover and dive; fish eagles protect their territory with their eerie cry; cormorants and darters fill the dead acacia trees silhouetting strange and beautiful shapes against the sunset. Here are tall marabou stalks and sacred ibis. Snipe, stilt, avocet dwell sometimes in the hundreds of thousands, the black heron searches the shallow water in the shadow created by his black umbrella.

Flora and fauna
Warthogs, ostriches and flamingoes are common.

Climate
The National Park and this part of Ethiopia as a whole can be visited during the rainy season: dirt roads in the area not that slippery, even at the end of July or the beginning of September.

By car
From Addis Ababa, Abijatta Shalla Lakes National Park is 210 km via Modjo, using the Addis Ababa–Adama Expressway (3 hours 15 minutes drive), or it's 228 km via Butajira (3 hours 45 minutes drive).

The is in between the two lakes, on national Highway 6, 47 km south from Ziway and 41 km north from Shashemene.

Lodging
No lodge exists inside the park. The possibilities within less than 1 hour's drive are to find hotels in Ziway or Shashemene or to go to one of the expensive resorts of Lake Langano. The closest town, Bulbula, doesn't seem to have any hotel.

title: Abijatta Shalla Lakes National Park


text:
Abilene

Abilene is a city in the North Central Plains of Texas, possibly best known as the destination the fictional family of the Abilene paradox travels to.

By car

 * From Dallas and Fort Worth: Take I-30 West towards Weatherford. Between Fort Worth and Weatherford, I-30 ends. Continue West on I-20 towards Abilene. Time: 2½-hr, depending on traffic and where you start.
 * From San Angelo: Take US-277 North to Abilene. Time: about 1½ hr.
 * From Lubbock: Take US-84 to Sweetwater, there US-84 merges with I-20. Continue on I-20 East until US-84 brakes off of I-20 and continue on US-84. Time: about 3 hr.
 * From San Antonio: Take I-10 West to Comfort. At Comfort, use exit 523 and take US-87 North to Brady. In Brady, take US-283 North to Coleman. In Coleman take US-84 to Abilene. Time: 4 hr depending on traffic.

See

Go next

 * Lake Fort Phantom, north of town, is a popular lake for sport fishing.

title: Abilene


text:
Abingdon-on-Thames

Abingdon-on-Thames is in Oxfordshire on the River Thames about 7 miles south of Oxford. It is a busy market town with a good choice of shops, pubs and restaurants. It sits aside the River Thames and having an attractive County Hall.

Understand
Abingdon was the county town of Berkshire until 1870, and became part of Oxfordshire when local government was re-organised in 1974. It was the home of MG motor cars which used to be built at the MG Works, which is now a business centre. However, Jerome K Jerome in his book Three Men in a Boat described Abingdon as a 'dull market town'.

Each year the centre of the town is closed off (twice) for two fairs. The Michaelmas Fair takes place early each Oct (legally the last Monday & Tuesday before 11 Oct). Ock Street, High Street and the Market Place are closed off and the fair is thought to be the longest street fair in Europe. In medieval times the fair was intended as a hiring fair for farm workers, these days it's rides, ferris wheels, and more traditional fairground rides and stalls. Then follows the unusual tradition a week or so later of the Runaway Fair. A smaller fair, the history of the Runaway Fair was that it provided an opportunity for those who were hired by cruel masters or found poor working conditions from the earlier Michaelmas Fair could "runaway" and find better employment before the winter.

The town has a unique historic tradition of Bun Throwing dating back over 400 years. In practice it is a bit of a cross between a ceremony and a "bun fight". Held when the Town Council votes to hold one and generally to celebrate a royal occasion. One was held to celebrate the 2011 Royal Wedding, and another in 2012 to mark the Royal Jubilee. Councillors in full ceremonial robes chuck around 4000 currant buns from the top of County Hall down at the chanting crowds filling the market place below. The buns are specially baked for the occasion with a crown design on the top. The buns are often fought for and preserved by local families and visitors. If your visit happens to be at the same time as a royal occasion check the Town Council Website in case such a rare ceremony has been scheduled.

By road
The town lies on the A34 main road (running Winchester to Salford via Birmingham). 17 miles south of the town the A34 connects to the M4 motorway (London to Swansea) and 18 miles north of the town the A34 connects to the M40 motorway (London to Birmingham)

By rail
The nearest station is Radley, however, trains run more frequently to Oxford. Both options require a bus connection to reach Abingdon town centre.

By bus
The town has many bus services connecting it to Oxford, Didcot and surrounding villages. Details of which bus services stop at which bus stops in the town are published by Oxfordshire Council with bus service and route information at OxonTime.

By boat

 * By Salter's Steamers which sail daily from Folly Bridge in Oxford from May to Sep.

Get around
The town is small enough to be seen on foot.

Go next

 * Sutton Courtenay, about 2 miles south of Abingdon, where the author George Orwell (Eric Blair) is buried.
 * Didcot
 * Sandford-on-Thames

title: Abingdon-on-Thames


text:
Abington Township

Abington is in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Understand
Abington Township named one the 100 best communities to live in America by Money Magazine is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Just outside Philadelphia. Abington Township is one of Montgomery County’s oldest communities dating back to before 1700 and being incorporated in 1704. It is home to some of the county’s oldest transportation routes, industries and churches. Many of these older business and transportation centers were the forerunners of modern Abington. Today, Abington Township is a highly desirable residential area that contains a major shopping center, several small businesses, and a few of Montgomery County's largest employers. With easy access to Philadelphia and such destinations as King of Prussia Mall, Sesame Place, Philadelphia Premium outlets, Abington is a great place to visit.

By plane

 * Philadelphia International Airport - Just a thirty minute drive with trains to and from the airport to Abington.

By train

 * SEPTA - Northeast regional rail is an easy way to access Abington with many train stations throughout the town.

By bus
Buses from the city of Philadelphia travel in and around Abington as well.

By car
You can reach Abington by car by route 611 or the Pennsylvania turnpike exiting at Willow Grove/Abington.

Budget

 * The Kitchen Bar, on 611 about three miles from the Pennsylvania turnpike. Kitchen bar is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night drinks. The huge menu includes everything from appetizers, sandwiches, salads and pizza to full course dinners of meat, chicken, fish and more. Kitchen Bar provides a wholesome and delicious meal to satisfy any appetite at any meal. Kitchen bar also features a bar and lounge with live entertainment every weekend. In addition, they offer a newly renovated private banquet room that will accommodate from 20 to 70 people for parties and meetings.
 * The Kitchen Bar, on 611 about three miles from the Pennsylvania turnpike. Kitchen bar is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night drinks. The huge menu includes everything from appetizers, sandwiches, salads and pizza to full course dinners of meat, chicken, fish and more. Kitchen Bar provides a wholesome and delicious meal to satisfy any appetite at any meal. Kitchen bar also features a bar and lounge with live entertainment every weekend. In addition, they offer a newly renovated private banquet room that will accommodate from 20 to 70 people for parties and meetings.

Mid-range

 * Ookaa - Authentic Hibachi-style Japanese cooking. Be sure to ask for the flaming volcano.

Splurge

 * Stefano's Ristorante Italiano, Huntingdon Pike. This BYOB has authentic Italian food. It is owned and operated by three generations of the Terra Family and is in Huntingdon Valley. Over 60 years of experience in preserving the time-honored tradition of preparing superlative food with only the freshest and finest ingredients.

Dessert

 * Sprinkles, in Elkins Park on Township line on the edge of Abington. This mom-and-pop ice cream parlor serves homemade ice cream.

title: Abington Township


text:
Abiquiu

Abiquiu (AH-bi-kyoo) is a village in the north central region of New Mexico, USA. Despite its small population, it is interesting for attractive scenery and for Ghost Ranch, a conference center and living museum. In the village proper, one can visit the home of famous painter Georgia O'Keeffe.

Get in
Abiquiu is about 60 miles north of Santa Fe on US highway 84. This road from Santa Fe is generally passable as far as Abiquiu even after winter storms, as unlike some of the region's other highways, it stays in the valley. However, north of Abiquiu, it can be messy in the winter, so check on conditions if you're approaching from Colorado. The nearest major airport is in Albuquerque 60 miles south of Santa Fe. Limited bus service to Española (with connections to Santa Fe and Taos) is available from the NCRTD.

Get around
There's not much town to get around in. Most of the outlying attractions are on good road, but if you're heading into the Jemez Mountains (see under "Go next"), a high-clearance vehicle is a good idea if you're going to get off the main highway.

See

 * Much of the red-rock scenery commonly associated with O'Keeffe's work is seen well from the highway through town, US 84. One highlight of particular note is Echo Amphitheater, just off the highway north of Ghost Ranch, where a short, easy trail leads to the eponymous geological feature, a natural amphitheater that echoes any loud noises.
 * Much of the red-rock scenery commonly associated with O'Keeffe's work is seen well from the highway through town, US 84. One highlight of particular note is Echo Amphitheater, just off the highway north of Ghost Ranch, where a short, easy trail leads to the eponymous geological feature, a natural amphitheater that echoes any loud noises.
 * Much of the red-rock scenery commonly associated with O'Keeffe's work is seen well from the highway through town, US 84. One highlight of particular note is Echo Amphitheater, just off the highway north of Ghost Ranch, where a short, easy trail leads to the eponymous geological feature, a natural amphitheater that echoes any loud noises.
 * Much of the red-rock scenery commonly associated with O'Keeffe's work is seen well from the highway through town, US 84. One highlight of particular note is Echo Amphitheater, just off the highway north of Ghost Ranch, where a short, easy trail leads to the eponymous geological feature, a natural amphitheater that echoes any loud noises.

Do

 * Water sports are available at nearby Abiquiu Lake, one of a number of small artificial lakes built primarily to control flooding along the Rio Chama and Rio Grande. Picnics and rustic camping are possible. Abiquiu Lake is generally held to offer some of the best fishing in New Mexico.
 * Hiking trails into the red-rock country around Ghost Ranch is available from the ranch, with notably good hikes being the one to a view of Chimney Rock, a hike up to Kitchen Mesa with excellent views over the surrounding country, and a hike along a small creek into a box canyon; detailed info on these can be found at Ghost Ranch. To experience mountain hiking, try the route suggested under "Go Next."

Sleep

 * Camping is possible at Abiquiu Lake, and also at Echo Amphitheater campground a few miles to the north.

Go next

 * The pretty Jemez Mountains are south of town and can be seen to good advantage from either Abiquiu Lake, or better, NM SR 96 along the north side of the range. Trailheads leading into San Pedro Parks Wilderness and other points in Santa Fe National Forest are reachable by side roads from this  highway, but two warnings: First, many of the side roads are rough enough to require high-clearance vehicles, and in spring and early summer, 4-wheel drive is nearly essential owing to muddy spots.  Second, there have been problems with vandalism to vehicles parked in this region.

title: Abiquiu


text:
Abisko and Björkliden

Abisko is a village in Norrbotten County and the Lappland province in northern Sweden.

Abisko nationalpark is a national park around Abisko,.

Björkliden is a resort village 7 km northwest of Abisko.

Understand

Abisko is a popular outdoor destination due to its proximity to nature and relatively easy accessibility. Abisko is near many great national parks and hosts a trailhead on the spectacular Kungsleden hiking trail; at the same time, it is on the malmbanan railway between Narvik in Norway and Luleå, which means it can be reached by an overnight train from Stockholm quite easily. Abisko village is around the train station "Abisko Östra". The large and well equipped hostel/hotel "Abisko turiststation" lies at the train station of the same name, 2 km further west.

Torneträsk, on the shore of which Abisko is located, is the sixth largest and second deepest lake of Sweden, and the largest fell lake in Scandinavia.

By car
Abisko is 80 km east of Narvik and 100 km north-west of Kiruna. It is easily accessible by car by the European route E10 between the two. Cars can be rented at the Tourist Office in Kiruna (closed from Friday 18:00 to Monday morning).

By plane
There are two main airports serving Abisko:
 * 1) Narvik/Harstad Airport in Norway, 120 km west of Abisko, has direct flights to/from Oslo Gardermoen (operated by SAS, Norwegian), Trondheim Værnes (operated by Norwegian, Widerøe) and Bodø (Widerøe) Airports.
 * 2) Kiruna Airport, 100 km south-east of Abisko, has daily direct flights to Stockholm Arlanda Airport (operated by Norwegian and SAS). It is connected to Abisko by train and buses run by "Länstrafiken Norbotten".

By train
The two nightly trains from Stockholm to Narvik stop in Abisko, both in the village itself (Abisko Östra) and outside the mountain station (Abisko Turiststation). One is direct, whereas the other has a change in Boden. There are also two daily trains from Luleå or Narvik. Timetables can be found through Samtrafiken (look for Nr. 30, Narvik-Kiruna-Boden-Luleå).

Get around
There is a chair lift up Nuolja mountain operating in the summer from the tourist station. It also runs from 08:00 to 00:00 during the aurora season and is operated by the nearby STF hostel.

For moving around outside the villages, foot and ski (in season) are the main options. Roads are limited to the area along E10.

The Abiskojåkka delta is off limits in summer, to protect the nesting of birds.

There is a snowmobile route to Abiskojaure and onwards, turning back towards Riksgränsen along the border to Norway.

See

Abisko is a great place to observe Northern lights thanks to the location within the Auroral belt and its relatively dry climate and low cloudiness. Aurora Sky Station (a part of STF Abisko Mountain Station) is located on the top of the mountain Nuolja and can be reached by a 10 min walk from STF Mountain Station and from there by a chair-lift.

Do

The tourist station organises various activities throughout the year, but the real attraction is hiking on the many trails, out in the spectacular wilderness of the national parks of the area. Winter offers cross country skiing and even some alpine skiing. There is a chair lift on Nuolja and two more alpine areas nearby at Björkliden and Riksgränsen.

There are three (partly coinciding) long distance hiking trails from or passing Abisko. They can be used also for shorter hikes, especially Kungsleden has good infrastructure.
 * Kungsleden (440 km), probably the best-known hiking trail is Sweden, to the south.
 * Nordkalottleden (800 km), the southern part of which partly coincides with Kungsleden and Padjelantaleden but also meanders among the Norwegian fells. To the north the trail continues via Norway, northernmost Sweden, the tripoint Sweden/Norway/Finland and Kilpisjärvi (190 km) to Kautokeino in Norwegian Finnmark (190 km more).
 * European long distance path E1 from Italy, north of Abisko mostly coinciding with Nordkalottleden.

Kebnekaise, the highest mountain in Sweden, can be reached from Abisko by Kungsleden, although Nikkaluokta is closer (see Kebnekaise and Nikkaluokta). Kebnekaise fjällstation at the root of the mountain is the most common base for expeditions (also guided tours in season). The Singi mountain cabins (Singistugorna) at Kungsleden are another option for independent expeditions.

There are also other mountains in the 2,000 m (6,000 feet) range in the area.

Buy
There is a shop at the tourist station which caters for hikers' daily needs and also carries a selection of outdoor equipment, and some other shops:

Drink
The Storstugan pub inside the tourist station is the friendliest place in town to go for a drink. Rather fortunate, since it's also the only place.

Sleep
There's a bed and breakfast in Abisko village, as well as some summer cottages. The tourist station has hostel, hotel and cottage accommodation available. It is run by STF, Svenska Turistföreningen; as accommodation is considerably cheaper for members it may be advisable to sign up for membership before booking. Membership is also available at the reception. There is also a camping ground – although the right to roam basically entitles you to sleep anywhere except in the Abisko national park or by private houses, as there are not really any cultivated lands. In the national park camping is allowed at the tourist station, at Nissonjohka and at the Abiskojaure cabins.

There is a quite good network of cabins, day huts and shelters along Kungsleden, other trails and commonly used routes. Mostly there is a moderate fee for lodging (470/150 kr per person for non-members). Also camping by cabins is usually subject to a fee (giving access to the facilities, such as possibly a sauna).

Connect
STF Abisko (Abisko Tourist station) +46 980-402 00, [mailto:info@abisko.nu info@abisko.nu].

Go next

 * Laponia, several national parks and nature reserves forming a UNESCO World Heritage site, some 100 km southward (by trails, significantly longer by road)
 * Kiruna, the nearest city
 * Narvik, Norway, a port town at the end of the railway; the Narvik mountains are an important hiking destination

title: Abisko and Björkliden


text:
Abita Springs

Abita Springs is a town in Louisiana, in the Piney Woods of St. Tammany Parish, part of the Lake Pontchartrain North Shore area. It's 10-minutes drive east of Covington, an hour east of Baton Rouge, and an hour north of New Orleans.

Get in
Access is almost exclusively by private vehicle. From I-12, head north on US-190 to Covington. Then take SR-36 east to Abita Springs.

Go next

 * Covington – 10-minutes drive west
 * Mandeville – on the lake, 15-minutes drive south
 * Slidell – 30-minutes drive southeast
 * Baton Rouge
 * New Orleans

title: Abita Springs


text:
Abitibi-Témiscamingue

Abitibi-Temiscamingue (or Abitibi), is a sparsely populated region of Quebec that is focussed on logging and mining. Abitibi-Témiscamingue offers the visitor excellent hunting and fishing, and vast expanses of wilderness.

Cities

 * — Abitibi-Témiscamingue's capital, it is often referred to as "La capitale nationale du Cuivre" (National Copper Capital)
 * — second economic centre of the region
 * — town of 14,000 inhabitants, northeast of Rouyn-Noranda
 * — the "Pearl of Témiscamingue" attracts hunters and sport fishers
 * — town of 10,000 inhabitants, northwest of Rouyn-Noranda
 * — on the shores of Lake Témiscamingue, home of the Lake Timiskaming Fossil Centre (museum)
 * — small (pop 2950) forestry town on the Bell River

Other destinations

 * — a provincial park in the centre of the Abitibi region
 * — a reserve almost the size of Montenegro that has more than 4000 lakes and rivers and two huge reservoirs; it is an excellent choice for hunting, fishing, wilderness camping, or canoe camping on more than 800 km (500 mi) of interconnecting canoe routes
 * — Bordered on either side by Lac Témiscamingue and Lac Kipawa, the park protects a sample of the Southern Laurentians natural region covering an area of 250 km²; there is a campground with some 60 sites under tall pines

Understand
Abitibi-Temiscamingue had a population of about 146,000 people in 2011.

Its economy continues to be dominated by resource extraction industries. These include logging, mining all along the rich geologic Cadillac Fault between Val-d'Or and Rouyn-Noranda, as well as agriculture.

The region's landscape features mixed forest to the south across the Témiscamingue area which falls within the St. Laurence watershed of southern Quebec, while boreal forest covers the Abitibi section further north in the Hudson Bay watershed of northern Quebec.

The southern part of the region has a humid continental climate, while the northern part has more of a sub-arctic climate due to its latitude and its proximity to Hudson Bay and the Arctic.

History
Algonquins inhabited the region when the French arrived. The first land expeditions were made in 1670 by Radisson as part of the development of the fur trade industry across the Hudson Bay region and through most of the New France colony. Fort Témiscamingue, located on the east banks of Lake Timiskaming was erected by a French merchant on Anicinabeg lands in 1720. It was an important crossroads of the fur trade along the Hudson Bay trading route.

Until 1868, Abitibi was owned by the Hudson's Bay Company; it was then purchased by Canada and became part of the North-West Territories. Abitibi was annexed to the province of Quebec in 1898, while Témiscamingue had been part of Lower Canada and so was already part of Quebec at Confederation.

During the late 19th and early 20th century, agriculture and forest industries began to develop in the southern areas. However, the greatest wave of colonization occurred between World War I and World War II when a large population came from urban centres due to the Great Depression. In the 1930s, jobless people were given assistance to move to undeveloped regions of the province, igniting the beginning of the second colonization flow.

The mining industry, mainly extracting gold and copper, also contributed to the growth of the region when numerous mines were opened. Mining is still the backbone of the region's economy nowadays, along with forestry and agriculture.

Talk
Despite its proximity to Ontario, Abitibi has surprisingly few native English speakers. Most people here speak French, but young people may understand and speak English. Aboriginal languages are spoken increasingly infrequently in reserves.

By car
From Québec:
 * From Montréal, Route 117 passes through the Réserve Faunique de La Vérendrye.
 * From Chibougamau, Route 113 passes via Senneterre
 * From northern Québec (Nord-du-Québec), Route 109 passes via Amos.

From Ontario:
 * From Northeastern Ontario, Highway 66 passes from Kirkland Lake, Ontario to Arntfield. Highway 101 between Matheson, Ontario, and Duparquet, Quebec may be shorter, but it is isolated and narrow.
 * From North Bay, Highway 63 reaches Témiscaming. Travellers coming from Mattawa and points east can reach Highway 63 via Highway 533.
 * From Temiskaming Shores, Highway 65 reaches Notre-Dame-du-Nord.

By plane
There is regular service to Rouyn-Noranda from Montreal.

Get around
Autobus Maheux runs buses between to the principal towns and cities in the region, including Rouyn-Noranda, Val d'Or and Senneterre.

See
History buffs can take a self-guided walking tour of the old districts of Rouyn-Noranda, which also is home to an interesting Russian Orthodox Church.

Val-d'Or, true to its name "valley of gold", offers sights related to mining which include a decommissioned mine, an operating mine, a museum, and a preserved mining village.

Do
Abitibi-Témiscamingue offers lush forests dotted with 22,000 lakes and rivers. The Aiguebelle National Park, La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve, the Val-d’Or Recreational Forest and Opémican National Park should be your starting points for outdoor sports and recreation, like hiking, canoeing, kayaking, cycling, mountain biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or downhill skiing.

Rouyn-Noranda hosts festivals year-round for those interested in fireworks, emerging music, guitar music, film, and fake documentaries. The Réserve faunique La Vérendrye (La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve), between Val d'Or and Grand Remous, is one of the largest contiguous reserves in Québec.

Aiguebelle National Park is open year-round, but some services are seasonal. There are campgrounds, a convenience store, cabins and ready-to-camp sites. There are canoe, kayak, stand-up paddle board and other equipment rentals. From Val d'Or, take Route 117 N for about 65 km, then turn right on Chemin Mont-Brun; continue 22 km on a paved road and turn right onto Route d'Aiguebelle at village Mont-Brun; once through the village, turn right at the bridge on the Route d'Aiguebelle. The park entrance is 8 km from Mont-Brun. From Rouyn-Noranda, take Route 101 N and turn right on Route d'Aiguebelle at D'Alembert; once at Mont Brun, turn left on the bridge and continue on for about 8 km until you arrive to the Mont-Brun park entrance. The Visitors Centre is on Route 2 at 5 km from the entrance.

The Grandmaison Falls walking trail in Senneterre provides magnificent views of the fast Grandmaison Falls.

Stay safe
If you're going walking, skiing, snowshoeing or canoeing in the wilderness, prepare yourself — help may be a long way away, and cell phone service may be poor or not available.

Go next
North to Baie-James, southeast to the Laurentides, south to the Outaouais, or west to Northern Ontario.

title: Abitibi-Témiscamingue