Three Months in Scotland: Three Top Hikes

Today marks our 3 month anniversary of moving to Aberdeen, and honestly, it’s hard to remember life before we expatriated. We’ve been having the time of our lives, traveling to amazing places, and making invaluable friendships. It’s amazing to think back on how close we came to not moving here; how easily we could have been assigned somewhere else; how grateful I am to be right where I am.

In honor of our 3 month anniversary, I thought I’d take some time this week to reflect on some of our "top 3" favorite, and least favorite things about our time so far. Today I'm featuring the Top 3 hikes. 

Top 3 Hikes

3. Countesswells Wood. This hike isn’t the most magnificent, but what makes it so wonderful is how close it is to us. Seriously, it’s less than 2 miles from our house, gives us innumerable trails through forests and farmland, and on a clear day, offers incredible views of the Cairngorms and their foothills.

We’ve loved spontaneously throwing the pups in the car and heading to these woods for some fresh air and exercise. Coming from the urban sprawl of Houston, it still amazes me that within a 5 minute drive, I can be surrounded by nature.

2. Bennachie.

 We were blessed with perfect weather this past weekend, and used our sunny Saturday as an opportunity to hike one of Aberdeenshire’s most famous peaks. Tune in tomorrow for more pictures and the accompanying saga.

1. Glen Tanar.

The Glen Tanar Estate is simply gorgeous. It’s an easy hike with fantastic riverside, woodland, and hill views.

 We had such a blast exploring it with our friends and pups, and capped off the experience with a sheep photo shoot.

I can’t wait to return to this Royal Deeside park, and I've been dropping not so subtle hints to Jonathan that horseback riding on the estate would make an excellent birthday party excursion for yours truly.

Well, that's all for today, but come back tomorrow for more pictures and stories from our Bennachie hike, and throughout the rest of the week, I'll be featuring various Top Three Aberdeen lists.