Discover one of Scotland's most beautiful castles and gardens, paired with the geological story of the Dee Valley and Highland Boundary — all in a single half-day from Aberdeen.

This relaxed half-day tour (with convenient cruise pickup at Aberdeen South Harbour) takes you to Crathes Castle, the 16th-century tower house at the gateway to Royal Deeside, with its famous walled gardens and ancient yew hedges. Along the way you'll walk metamorphosed ocean-floor rocks more than 600 million years old, see panoramic views across the Highland Boundary Fault, and explore Stonehaven's coastal geology.

Your guide is Steve Adams, a geologist with 45 years of experience and a knack for making rocks come alive. He'll show you why Royal Deeside looks the way it does — how the River Dee carved its valley, why Crathes stands exactly where it does, and how Scotland's contrasting landscapes were forged along this single great fault line.

No geology background needed. Most of our guests don't have one.