Strathdon (;

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, an ...

: ''Srath Dheathain'') is an area in

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially different boundaries. The Aberdeenshire Council area inclu ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. It is situated in the

strath A strath is a large valley, typically a river valley that is wide and shallow (as opposed to a glen, which is typically narrower and deep). Word and etymology An anglicisation of the Gaelic word ''srath'', it is one of many that have been abs ...

of the River Don, 45 miles west of

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), a ...

in the Highlands. The main village in the strath is also called Strathdon, although it was originally called Invernochty due to its location at the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

of the River Don and the

Water of Nochty The River Don ( gd, Deathan) is a river in north-east Scotland. It rises in the Grampians and flows eastwards, through Aberdeenshire, to the North Sea at Aberdeen. The Don passes through Alford, Kemnay, Inverurie, Kintore, and Dyce. It ...

. Also included within the area of Strathdon is the settlement of

Bellabeg Bellabeg (an anglicisation of Scottish Gaelic: ''Am Baile Beag'', 'the small farmtown') is a small roadside settlement in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Amenities in Bellabeg include a Spar shop, a village hall, a green where the Highla ...

which has many of the local community's main facilities. Bronze Armlet (1)

Strathdon is an informal geographical area. This means that there are no precise boundaries in terms of where it begins or ends. It is the founding place of the

Lonach Highland and Friendly Society The Lonach Highlanders are members of The Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, made up of men from the Strathdon area of Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The society was formed in 1823. The principal aims of the Society are the preservation of Highl ...

, and the Lonach Highland Gathering. This is a traditional Highland Gathering with the heavy sport events such as tossing the caber, hammer etc., and it also hosts a competition of Highland dancing. Dances include the noted ' Highland Fling', ' Sword Dance', ' Seann Triubhas' and 'Reel of Tulloch'. Notable figures who have visited Strathdon include

Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...

, Billy Connolly, Ewan McGregor and

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

. Connolly owned Candacraig House between 1998 and 2013.

References

External links

A tale of witches set in Strathdon
* Villages in Aberdeenshire {{Aberdeenshire-geo-stub

See also

References

External links